The RSM Classic field will include a sizeable number of golfers with ties to Georgia, with more than one-fifth of the 156-player field viewing the tournament as something of a home game.
At least a dozen players in the field live on St. Simons Island, with another half dozen or so tournament participants former residents.
Of the eight golfers who have won the event at Sea Island Golf Club, two were Georgia residents at the time and still reside in the state, with a third champion living just across the Savannah River from Augusta in South Carolina.
Here’s a look at the Georgia golfers who will be in the field for this year’s RSM Classic, which will be played Nov. 15-18. (2018-19 FedExCup rankings in parentheses.)
Anders Albertson (61): The recent Georgia Tech golfer from Woodstock is off to a successful start as a PGA Tour rookie, tying for fifth a few weeks ago in Mississippi and following with a solid showing in Las Vegas last week . Albertson played in the 2017 RSM Classic and made the cut.
Scott Brown: Augusta native and Aiken, S.C., resident missed the cut in his first two starts of the season. He tied for fourth in 2013 RSM Classic, just two shots behind the winner.
Wesley Bryan: Augusta resident and former USC Gamecock was 2016 Web.com Tour Player of the Year and 2017 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, but struggled throughout the 2017-18 season and started 2018-19 with three straight missed cuts.
Roberto Castro (69): Former Georgia Tech standout from Alpharetta is back on the PGA Tour after a top-25 finish on the Web.com Tour this past season. Is 3-for-3 in made cuts thus far including a strong weekend showing to tie for fifth in Mississippi. Is 4-for-4 in made cuts at Sea Island GC, but has only one top-50 finish.
Stewart Cink (84): Also an ex-Yellow Jacket, long-time Duluth resident has played better the last two seasons, and began 2018-19 with a tie for 13th in Malaysia. Will be making his only U.S. start of the Fall in RSM Classic, and is competing in event for eighth straight time. Tied for 10th in 2016 and was T25 last year.
Harris English (116): One of the tournament’s locals, has not finished better than T15 in his first appearance in 2012. After four straight successful seasons from 2013-16, ex-Bulldog has struggled since. Has made all three cuts in 2018-19, but best finish is a T36 in Las Vegas.
Joey Garber: Recent UGA golfer has settled on St. Simons and is a PGA Tour rookie after winning on Web.com Tour this year. Missed his first two cuts of the season and did not get into last two events.
Chesson Hadley (11): Former Yellow Jacket had a big season in return to PGA Tour and is again off to a hot start, tying for second in Malaysia and for seventh last week in Las Vegas. sHas. Has finished between 32nd and 45th in last three starts in RSM.
Brian Harman (135): St. Simons resident and Savannah native has a pair of top 10s in his hometown event, including tie for fourth last year. Ex-Georgia Bulldog played two events in Asia, finishing middle of the pack in Korea and near the bottom in WGC tournament in China.
Russell Henley: Macon native and Harman’s UGA teammate has an excellent track record at Sea Island GC, tying for fourth, sixth and 10th from 2014-16,but did not play last year, Missed first two cuts of 2018-19 after mostly disappointing 2017-18 showing.
Charles Howell (51): Augusta native has three career top 10s in RSM and never finished lower than 32nd in first seven starts before missing cut last year. Tied for fifth in Malaysia and will be making first U.S. start of season at Sea Island GC.
Zach Johnson: St. Simons resident making his first start of season this week in Mexico. Recorded his first top-10 in RSM Classic last year, giving him three finishes of 16th or better. Coming off a solid season in 2017-18, but hasn’t played in two months.
Chris Kirk (156): Former St. Simons resident won RSM in 2013 and has tied for fourth twice since, in 2014 and last year. Ex-Bulldog is now living in Athens and will be playing for fourth week in a row at Sea Island GC. Missed first two cuts this season before respectable showing in Las Vegas.
Kevin Kisner: Has finished fourth or better three of last four years, including dominant victory in 2015. Former UGA golfer is making first start of season after lengthy layoff. If he isn’t too rusty, will be among tournament favorites.
Patton Kizzire (105): Defending his 2017 title in Mayakoba this week, one of two victories he scored early in 2017-18 season, but hasn’t done much since win in Hawaii in January. St. Simons resident has not finished higher than 45th in four RSM starts.
Luke List (43): Tied for fourth in season opener in Napa, Calif., but did not play again until this week in Mexico. After growing up in Georgia, has returned to Peach State and is living in Augusta. Long-hitting List tied for 13th in last start at Sea Island GC in 2016.
Davis Love (158): Tournament host still competing on PGA Tour in mid-50s, playing previously this season in Malaysia and Las Vegas. Almost won home event in 2012, tying for fourth, but has missed three of five cuts since. One of at least a dozen St. Simons residents in the field.
Keith Mitchell (57): Long-hitting ex-Bulldog had two solid showings in Asia, tying for 22nd in Malaysia and 14trh in Korea. St. Simons resident had a successful rookie season on the PGA Tour in 2017-18 and made the cut in his first RSM start.
Trey Mullinax: St. Simons resident retained his PGA Tour card with top 125 finish this past season, but is 0-for-3 in cuts made in 2018-19. Has made two of three cuts in RSM Classic, including T25 in 2015.
J.T. Poston (153): Like fellow local Mullinax, kept card in second season on PGA Tour, and is 2-for-3 in cuts made in 2018-19. Has missed cut in RSM the last two years.
Seth Reeves (92): One of at least eight Georgia Tech grads in field, including three of his teammate from the 2014 NCAA Championship semifinalists. Gwinnett County native is off to a promising start as a PGA Tour rookie, making his first three cuts including a tie for seventh in Mississippi. However, poor final rounds in California and Las Vegas cost him some money and FedExCup points.
Ollie Schniederjans (162): Promising career for Reeves’ Georgia Tech teammate from Powder Springs has been stalled by some wayward driving. He does not have a strong showing in three starts this Fall after a 2017-18 season that did not quite match his rookie performance. Tied for sixth in first RSM start in 2016, but missed the cut last year.
Sepp Straka (160): Recent UGA golfer who attended high school in Valdosta is a rookie on the PGA Tour after winning a 2018 Web.com Tour event. Made the cut in his first PGA Tour start in Napa, but did not make t to the weekend in Mississippi and did not get into next two tournaments.
Hudson Swafford (95): St. Simons resident won on the PGA Tour in 2017, but did not have a strong season the following year. Posted back-to-back top-30 finishes in Mississippi and Las Vegas, and has played respectably in RSM, with a tie for 12th his best showing. Will be one of at least nine ex-UGA golfers in field.
Vaughn Taylor (129): Augusta native and former Augusta State golfer had his best effort in the RSM Classic last year, tying for eighth. He has made all three cuts this season, but his best finish is T26 in the opposite field event in Mississippi.
Michael Thompson (97): St. Simons resident tied for 17th in season opener in Napa, but hasn’t played since. Has four top-20 finishes in six starts at Sea Island GC, including a third place in 2011, when he ended up one shot out of a playoff.
Cameron Tringale (148): Ex-Georgia Tech golfer has played in all eight previous RSM Classics with four finishes between 22nd and 27th. Was among the tour’s most consistent performers from 2011 to ’15, but has been slipping down the points list since and had to regain his playing privileges in the Web.com Finals recently.
Richy Werenski (83): Member of Tech’s 2014 NCAA semifinal squad is off to a decent start with solid showings in California and Las Vegas. Narrowly missed the cut the last two years in RSM.
More golfers with Georgia ties, including St. Simons resident Jonathan Byrd, will be added to the field when it is finalized late Friday afternoon. Peter Jones, the Director of Instruction at Cherokee Town & Country Club, is the Georgia PGA representative in the field.