The RBC Heritage, known for much of its history as the Heritage Classic or simply The Heritage, is a PGA Tour event in South Carolina, first played 55 years ago in 1969.[2] It is currently played in mid-April, the week after The Masters in Augusta, Georgia.
The venue for its entire existence has been the Harbour Town Golf Links at the Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island. The Harbour Town course, which frequently appears on several "Best Courses" lists, was designed by famed golf course architect Pete Dye, with assistance from Jack Nicklaus. In 1972, the first two rounds were played on both the Harbour Town Golf Links and the Ocean course at Sea Pines, with the final two rounds at Harbour Town.
Originally played in late November,[3] it moved to mid-September in 1973, March in 1974, and April in 1983. The inaugural champion in 1969 was forty-year-old Arnold Palmer, his first win in over a year.[2][3] Course co-designer Nicklaus won in 1975,[4] two weeks before his fifth Masters win. Davis Love III leads with five victories in the event, Hale Irwin and Stewart Cink have three, while seven others have won twice.
From 1987 through 2010, it was sponsored either by MCI (under both the "MCI" and "WorldCom" names) or its eventual purchaser, Verizon. The tournament operated without a title sponsor in 2011,[5] and the Royal Bank of Canada has been the title sponsor of The Heritage since 2012.[6] It is currently organized by The Heritage Classic Foundation.[7]
The course length at the inaugural event in 1969 was 6,655 yards (6,085 m).[3]
Invitational status
The Heritage is one of only five tournaments given "invitational" status by the PGA Tour,[8] and consequently it has a reduced field of only 69 players in 2024 (as opposed to most full-field open tournaments with a field of 156 players). The other four tournaments with invitational status are the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Charles Schwab Challenge, the Memorial Tournament, and the Genesis Invitational. Invitational tournaments have smaller fields, and have more freedom than full-field open tournaments in determining which players are eligible to participate in their event, as invitational tournaments are not required to fill their fields using the PGA Tour Priority Ranking System. Furthermore, unlike full-field open tournaments, invitational tournaments do not offer open qualifying (aka Monday qualifying).
Field
The field consists of 69 players invited using the following criteria:[9]
RBC Heritage winners prior to 2000 and in the last five years
Playing member of last named U.S. Ryder Cup team; current PGA Tour members who were playing members on last named European Ryder Cup team, U.S. Presidents Cup team, and International Presidents Cup team
8 sponsors exemptions – 2 from Korn Ferry Tour finals, 2 members not otherwise exempt, and 4 unrestricted
Commissioner exemption - 2 foreign players
PGA Section (Carolinas) champion/player of the year
Career Money Exemption
Life members
Top 125 from prior year's FedEx Cup points list, including top 125 (medical)
Members in the top 125 non-member category whose non-WGC points equal or exceed the points by the player finishing in 125th on the prior year FedEx Cup points list
Tournament winners (PGA Tour eligibility category 10)[10]
Top 20 on current FedEx Cup points list through Friday prior to the tournament
Next five available players not otherwise eligible from current year's FedEx Cup points list
Remaining positions filled using standard PGA Tour eligibility ranking after top 125 non-member category
1971: Future three-time U.S. Open Champion, Hale Irwin, makes Heritage his first ever PGA Tour victory. He beats Bob Lunn by one shot.[15]
1976: Hubert Green wins by five shots over Jerry McGee. It was Green's third consecutive win in as many weeks.[16]
1980: George Archer sets a PGA Tour record for fewest putts in a 72-hole tournament, 94. The previous mark was 99 set by Bob Menne.[17]Kenny Knox would subsequently break Archer's record at the 1989 MCI Heritage Golf Classic.[18]
1987: Davis Love III wins by one shot over Steve Jones. Jones had come to the 72nd hole leading by one but made a double bogey after his tee shot went out of bounds.[20]
1990: Payne Stewart becomes the first Heritage champion to successfully defend his title. He beats Larry Mize and Steve Jones in a sudden death playoff.[21]
1994: Hale Irwin collects his 20th overall and last PGA Tour win at Harbour Town. He wins by two shots over Greg Norman.[22]
1998: Davis Love III becomes the first four-time Heritage winner. He wins by seven shots over Glen Day. Day would avenge his loss the next season for his only PGA Tour win.[23]
2003: Davis Love III wins his fifth Heritage by defeating Woody Austin in a sudden death playoff. To get in the playoff, Love chipped in from off the green at the 72nd hole.[24]
2005: Peter Lonard wins by two shots over Darren Clarke, Jim Furyk, Billy Andrade, and Davis Love III. Clarke was tied for the lead when teeing off on the 72nd hole, but like Steve Jones did in 1987, he hit his tee shot out of bounds and made double bogey.[25]David Frost breaks Mark Calcavecchia's record of 93 putts in a 72-hole tournament by hitting only 92 putts.[26]
2007 Boo Weekley chips in on the last two holes for his first ever PGA Tour victory. He wins by one shot over Ernie Els.[27]
2010: Jim Furyk defeats Brian Davis in a sudden death playoff. On the first playoff hole, Davis calls a two-shot penalty on himself after he touched a loose impediment in a hazard with his golf club.[28]
2013: A PGA Tour record-tying 91 players make the 36-hole cut, (a record set at the 1981 Greater Hartford Open). Jesper Parnevik bogeyed the 18th hole, giving Parnevik and 21 additional golfers entry into the third round.[29]
