If you were considering putting money on Rory McIlroy to win The Masters last weekend, you were probably hard-pressed to find any experts backing him. But could that change this weekend at the RBC Heritage?
Sure, the Irishman finished T22 at Augusta last week. And sure, his main reason for making headlines this week is because of some seemingly unfounded rumors that he will defect to LIV Golf — the rebel golf circuit he has notoriously spoken out against.
Yet, sportsbooks don't appear deterred by McIlroy's recent form or run through the rumor mill. In fact, DraftKings lists him at 12-1 odds to win the RBC Heritage and at +130 (roughly 13-10) to finish in the top 10.
Is McIlroy the golfer to bet on this weekend? Here are some things to consider.
Rory McIlroy testing out the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver @TrackingRory
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) April 17, 2024
pic.twitter.com/9AoavnUJgs
Action Network writer Michael Leboff admits that McIlroy hasn't generated his usual hype this year since he hasn't won an event. However, he is encouraged by how he has played outside of his first start of the PGA Tour season when he finished
"I rarely play outrights on golfers this high up the board, but I’m going to go for it here with Rory McIlroy," Leboff writes.
"McIlroy has strung together six top-25 finishes on the spin, including his third-place finish at the Valero Texas Open two weeks ago, and his ball-striking numbers look terrific."
https://t.co/OBiIKqoaVk 'That is a whopper!' | McIlroy hits monster 380-yard drive: Rory McIlroy hit a 380-yard drive on the second hole at Augusta National during the third round of The Masters. He would go on to birdie the hole. #Video pic.twitter.com/CBpcdWbDb4
— Freebigbets (@fbbbetsandtips) April 13, 2024
Golf Digest's Andy Lack is less confident in McIlroy's chances of topping the leaderboard as the PGA Tour action heads to Hilton Head for the RBC Heritage.
"Harbour Town is a short, positional, less-than-driver golf course that doesn’t emphasize McIlroy’s best skills: driving the ball with reckless abandon," he writes. "McIlroy will be forced to rely exclusively on his course management and short to middle iron play to succeed at the RBC Heritage. At this current moment, he is elite at neither."
Lack also notes that McIlroy has limited experience playing at Harbour Town and hasn't exactly dominated the field, finishing 41st at -11 in 2020.
Golf fans may recall that McIlroy was in the field for the RBC Heritage last year and withdrew at the last minute, citing that he was mentally taxed and needed to take a break for his "mental and emotional well-being."
Which brings us back to the recent LIV Golf rumors and whether that will impact how McIlroy plays at the RBC Heritage. Although, McIlroy himself has already shot that notion down.
"This is an important week for a lot of us to get ourselves up in the FedEx Cup rankings, to try to get another good week on the board and really get some momentum going for the rest of the season," he told the Golf Channel. "It's a huge event. These signature events are a big deal."
Rory McIlroy’s upcoming schedule:
— Rory Tracker (@RoryTrackr) April 14, 2024
RBC Heritage 4/18-21
Zurich Classic 4/25-28
Wells Fargo 5/9-12
PGA Championship 5/16-19
RBC, Memorial, US Open, Travelers
So, are you ready to put your money on McIlroy again?
Given his limited success at Hilton Head, a safer bet ahead of the RBC Heritage would be to back the Irishman to finish in the top 10 -- especially with where he's priced at sportsbooks. His performance at Harbour Town could give you an even better idea of how you want to bet on him later in the season.
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