RSM Classic 2025 betting tips: All or nothing for players around the bubble

RSM Classic: Things to consider

The Butterfield Bermuda Championship made for intriguing viewing last week in the absence of golf’s biggest stars. 

In what was one of the toughest if not the toughest scoring rounds ever recorded at the Bermuda Championship on Sunday, we saw a war of attrition both for the players trying to win the tournament but also for the players trying to retain full status on the PGA Tour for 2026.

The volatility in the rankings was crazy in 40mph winds where a birdie or a bogey could move certain players around the bubble up or down 10 to 20 spots. 

Takumi Kanaya (55/1 Spreadex) missed a three-footer on the last that moved him from a more-or-less guaranteed top 100 spot in the FedEx Cup Fall Series back to 99th in the rankings and it will be squeaky bum time this week for Kanaya at the RSM Classic.

There are 500 FedEx Cup points on offer for the winner of the RSM Classic with $7m (£5.3m) in the prize pool. Last week across the water the leading 10 players on the Race to Dubai, not exempted, secured status on the PGA Tour for next year.

Maverick McNealy captured his maiden PGA Tour win at the RSM Classic in 2024, winning by a shot over three players including then amateur Luke Clanton (70/1 Betfred).

RSM Classic: Top of the market 

The RSM Classic market is led this week by a lot of locals teeing it up but they’re rusty and I’m looking further down the RSM Classic betting odds, largely at players with something to play for, or with better value odds.

St. Simons Island man Brian Harman (25/1 Coral) and Sea Island local Harris English (22/1 Betfred) are amongst the RSM Classic market leaders while Michael Thorbjornsen, who led the PGA University rankings in 2024, is also available at 25/1 in the odds with Ladbrokes.

Looking at the course layout and configurations, the RSM Classic will be played over two courses – the Seaside Course measuring just over 7,000 yards to a par 70 incorporating upturned saucer-like greens. 

The Plantation Course which also plays just over 7,000 yards but to a par of 72. It’s the easier of the two tracks especially if the wind blows. 

Both courses utilise Bermuda grass throughout and were designed by Tom Fazio. The winning RSM Classic score is usually somewhere from the mid-teens to low 20s under par but Ludvig Aberg blitzed this number with a tournament record of 29-under par when winning in 2023. 

READ: Each way golf betting - Better places or bigger prices?

Vincent Whaley was leading after 54 holes of the RSM Classic last year alongside Maverick McNealy, and he eventually finished eighth. Whaley kept up his fine current form finishing t3 at the Bermuda Championship. 

In fact, that was Whaley’s second top three finish in his last five starts and he is trending nicely having secured a top 20 at the WWT Technology Championship too. At 73rd in the standings, Whaley is safe, but he could look to push up into the top 60 with a win.

Alex Smalley is in a similar boat as Whaley sitting 71st in the Fall Series standings and coming off a t3 finish last week. Smalley has a mixed record at Sea Island with one top five to his name. 

Smalley has impressed me this season, largely at the Players Championship where he was bang in contention after three rounds. He’s a short game specialist ranking 26th in ‘scrambling’ and recorded top five finishes at Myrtle Beach and at the Baycurrent Classic.

Eric Cole is in a similar predicament to the other two where a very high finish could blast him into the top 60, winning him a starting berth in the first two ‘Signature events’ of next season. 

Cole is finding some end of season form with top 10s posted at the Sanderson Farms and the Worldwide Technology Championship. Cole owns 39th, 3rd and 15th place finishes around Sea Island.

FIRST.com’s top tip 

Vince Whaley excelled this time last year and he’s on top of his form again. With history at the RSM Classic back him to win the tournament each way at 40/1 (six places) with Spreadex.

Pick: Vince Whaley to win the RSM Classic e/w six places - 40/1 (Spreadex)

Extra tips 

Alex Smalley is rounding nicely back into form and has the skill set to win around the Seaside Course. Back Smalley at 33/1 (six places) each way with Betway.

Pick: Alex Smalley to win the RSM Classic e/w six places - 33/1 (Betway)

Eric Cole is the man with the course and current form concoction. Back Cole to win at 55/1 (six places) each way with Spreadex.

Pick: Eric Cole to win the RSM Classic e/w six places - 55/1 (Spreadex)

RSM Classic value bets  

There may be six or seven players in jeopardy at the RSM Classic while 20 players or so could still push their way into the top 100 with a win or high finish at Sea Island. 

The top two at the Bermuda Championship propelled themselves 67 and 47 spots respectively up the rankings so even those further down will have much to play for including conditional status. 

Players higher up the standings will battle for access into the first two ‘signature events’ of 2026 via the ‘Aon next 10’.

Mackenzie Hughes sits at number 69 in the rankings and seems to be a player with no rhyme or reason behind his form. 

His results typically look random so it means we can see some nice prices on the Canadian and that’s what is happening this week despite a recent t7 at the Procore Championship. 

Hughes is a former winner at this Sea Island venue and has two runner ups and another top five finish in the last four years here.

Seamus Power is one of the players trying to push his way at least into the top 125 if not the top 100 of the rankings, currently sitting at number 129. Power is arguably in his best form of an injury plagued year. 

The Irishman has made his last five cuts showing progressive form of 59-27-11 and he has recorded two top five finishes at the RSM Classic in recent years.

Who else could be in contention?

Rikuya Hoshino (sitting at 172 in the rankings) has no course form to speak of but was tied second for much of the bank nine in Bermuda. He looked like he was arguably playing the best golf alongside eventual winner Adam Schenk (100/1 Betfred).

Hoshino dropped three shots in the last three holes because of being aggressive and going all out for the win and that dropped him to eighth place leaving him with a few extra points on his odds for the RSM Classic. 

This is a man who has won on the DP World Tour and been as high as 63rd in the world rankings.

Frankie Capan is ranked 124 in the FedEx Cup so it’s a huge week for a man who looked out of place on the tour earlier in the year. He was carried by partner Jake Knapp in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. 

However, Capan is a winner on the Korn Ferry Tour and has wrapped up recent t6 and t3 finishes at the Sanderson Farms and Bermuda Championship. 

Capan excels on the greens where he lies 12th in ‘strokes gained putting’ which is a key metric for Sea Island’s Sea and Plantation courses.

FIRST.com’s top value tips 

Mackenzie Hughes is a Sea Island course specialist and overpriced this week. Back the Canadian at 50/1 (six places) each way with Ladbrokes.

Seamus Power is hitting form just at the right time to make a push for full status next year. Power likes the venue and can be backed at 50/1 (five places) each way with Betfred.

Rikuya Hoshino is already a winner on the DP World Tour, and he was in great form in Bermuda. Back Hoshino to win as high as 250/1 each way (six places) with Spreadex.

Frankie Capan is finding his feet late in the season on the PGA Tour. Back him to win the RSM Classic at 200/1 (six places) each way with Spreadex.

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Odds correct at the time of writing.