The magic of a returned PGA Tour moved to coastal South Carolina, with the playing of the first round of the RBC Heritage. A state and a half away, day two of the King and Bear Classic witnessed the continued, stellar play of a field of almost-there touring professionals.

With no fan attendance on either tour, the full focus continues to be on the players and their movement through a COVID-19 world. Testing continues, caution is evident across each venue, and the golf reaches new levels of excellence each week.

We’ve never written 5 Things We’ve Learned for 2 simultaneous tournaments, but if ever a time deserved a debut, this is it. Thank you for checking in to today’s installment of 5 Things We Learned on day 1 at the Heritage, and day 2 of the King and Bear.

RBC Heritage

5. Twitter presences tie for 1st-round lead

Whether it’s an up-close-and-groddy video of a COVID-19 nasal swab, or an interesting handle,  Twitter comes through as a parallel universe for the first-round leaders at Harbor Town. Ian Poulter had seven birdies on Thursday, on a course that rewards his accurate play. The Ryder Cup hero was at home along the low-country fairways on Hilton Head Island, as he took a PGA Tour lead for the first time in 2020. Poulter’s last tour victory came in 2018, at Houston, on a course as different from this one as, say, Poulter is to Mark Hubbard. #HomelessHubbs was fire himself on Thursday, pairing a course of five birdies with an eagle appetizer, to join #Poults at the top. Hubbard last won in February 2019, at the Korn Ferry Tour’s LECOM Suncoast Classic. Hubbard came 2nd to Lanto Griffin at last fall’s Houston Open, and had notched 28 rounds in the 60s before the PGA Tour’s quarantine hiatus.

4. The two faces of Webb Simpson

The Demon Deacon stood at -6 through ten holes this afternoon. 8 pars later, he finished at the same number. Is the back nine more challenging than the front at Harbor Town? Depends on whom you ask. For Simpson, there was a golden opportunity to go super-deep on day one, and establish himself as solo leader. Simpson hit seven of eight greens in regulation, saving par at the 17th from three feet. The other seven greens saw him miss birdie opportunities from 10 to 30 feet. No better case of putter-goes-cold than Simpson’s today.  No one complains of 65 for 2nd place, 2 shots behind the leaders, but Simpson can be forgiven for wanting a bit more out of a round that saw him essentially hit 16 of 18 greens.

3. Those young guys, again

Viktor Hovland tasted victory at the Puerto Rico Open in late February. He’s back for seconds, standing at 65 after round one. Sebastián Muñoz won last fall in Mississippi, and matched Hovland’s 65 on Thursday. It’s always difficult to delineate between young guys and kinda young guys and established young guys. Both Vik and Seb can add to their cachet by notching tour win number two this week, on a course not reserved for bombers. Win here, and you demonstrate patience, accuracy, and strategy.

2. Spieth Files

That old saw about watching car races for the crashes, comes to mind with Jordan Spieth. Half a decade ago, we thought that he might be the a guy to challenge the all-time greats in the majors. Spieth found a way to win three of them, then lost that way. Recently, when he finds himself in contention, a lack of confidence or focus (or perhaps, both) leads to a flameout. Last week, it was a four-putt green at Colonial. No one wants to see it happen to the young Texan, yet it lurks. On Thursday, Spieth had triple bogey on the day’s third hole, number twelve. It’s hard to determine which shot was the worst of the seven: the lost drive or the twitched 2nd putt. The 4-time major winner clawed back, with birdie at the next hole, then a front nine for the ages. 6 consecutive birdies came his way, from 2 through 7, followed by another at the 9th for 29 and 66. Is he a thrill ride? Yes. A spin-out? Sometimes. For all that, he is Jordan Spieth.

1. Predictions, please

Most likely to do just about anything: Do you have to ask?

Most likely to keep the ugly jacket in state: Matthew NeSmith. Played college golf at USC (the eastern one) but never won like we thought he might. Perhaps as a pro?

Most likely to say, Hello, USA: Matthew Fitzpatrick. It has been 7 years since his US Amateur triumph at The Country Club. Fitz has 5 wins on the Euro Tour, but none since 2018. Runner-up to Erik van Rooyen, tied with Fitz at 65.

The King and the Bear Classic

5. Let’s do it again

Vince India and Brett Coletta matched 63s on Wednesday. That was fun, so they matched 66s on Thursday, and stood for the halfway lead at 129. India bogeyed his final hole (#9), while Coletta made birdie at his (#18) and, in this case, the twains did meet. On Friday, India will play the course in proper order for the first time. Will this impact his performance? It might. Coletta will attempt to shake off Thursday’s lackluster front nine (2 birds and a bogey) and do some damage there in round three. Come to think of it, they might just match cards again in round three, and leave us in the dark until round 4.

4. Tour Guy Check In

Chris Kirk is more associated with the big tour, so his presence on the KFT begs the question, why isn’t he at Harbor Town? No matter, Kirk won four times on tour, from 2011 to 2015, but since then, it has been a mixed bag. The Georgian left the course bogey-free for the 2nd consecutive day. That sort of control might be the difference-maker come Saturday (sounds weird to write that, I know) and might be the ticket back to full-time PGA Tour status.

3. Z & D

Will Zalatoris made a name for himself at Wake Forest, before leaving the college ranks early. Davis Riley played four years at Alabama, then dipped his toes in the professional game. Zalatoris sits 2 behind the leaders, while Riley is a one shot farther back. They fit the profile of young guy wants to win now contestant, so you could do worse than back either one as we pass the halfway point.

2.Don’t you …

…forget about me. Mickey DeMorat and Justin Lower might wonder why we haven’t written about them yet. When you’re not a household name, you need to give us 36 holes before we make some noise. Or is it, you need to make some noise? No matter. DeMorat had 64 today, the 2nd-low score for round the 2nd. He led the Great Abaco after 36 holes this year, but found trouble on the weekend and posted a t47. Here’s to a better response this week. Lower tied for 11th at Great Exuma, and had a top-25 finish in the tour’s return last week. He matched yesterday’s 65, and who doesn’t love consistency? Four of those will win him the title, without doubt.

1. Prediction Time

Guys who might catch fire: Dawson Armstrong and Wes Roach. Both had 63 on Thursday, and if one or both can replicate on Friday, watch out!

Most likely to trend low: Ben Martin. Went from 68 to 64, and used to bet that guy, the one for whom much was predicted. Time to reclaim the skillset of the mid 2010s.

Most likely to prove me wrong: Taylor Pendrith. Still making bushels of birdies, but 2 bogeys and a double are hard to counter. I’m not selling just yet, but I’m close.