RBC Heritage - Wikipedia

Golf tournament held in South Carolina, United States "MCI Classic" redirects here. For the bus model of the same name, see Classic (transit bus). Golf tournament RBC Heritage

Tournament information
Location	Hilton Head Island,South Carolina
Established	1969
Course	Harbour Town Golf Links
Par	71
Length	7,191 yards (6,575 m)[1]
Organized by	The Heritage Classic Foundation
Tour	PGA Tour
Format	Stroke play
Prize fund	US$20,000,000
Month played	April
Tournament record score
Aggregate	262 Webb Simpson (2020)
To par	−22 as above
Current champion
Justin Thomas
Location map
Harbour Town Golf LinksLocation in the United StatesShow map of the United StatesHarbour Town Golf LinksLocation in South CarolinaShow map of South Carolina

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 56 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]

Course

[edit] Main article: Harbour Town Golf Links

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
Yards	410	502	469	200	549	419	195	473	332	3,549	451	436	430	373	192	588	434	174	472	3,550	7,099
Par	4	5	4	3	5	4	3	4	4	36	4	4	4	4	3	5	4	3	4	35	71

Source:[1]

• The course length at the inaugural event in 1969 was 6,655 yards (6,085 m).[3]

Invitational status

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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).

For the 2026 tournament, it will serve as the Tournament of Champions featuring all 2025 calendar year PGA Tour winners.

Field

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The field consists of 70 or more invited using the following criteria:[9]

1. Top 50 in the previous year's FedEx Cup Standings. (BMW PGA Championship qualifiers)
2. Top 10 in the current year PGA Tour FedEx Cup standings as of the Masters Tournament that were not in the previous year's Top 50.
3. Aon Swing 5 (Puerto Rico Open, Valspar Championship, Texas Children's Houston Open and Valero Texas Open)
4. Current year PGA Tour full FedEx Cup points tournament winners.
5. Top 30 Official World Golf Rankings
6. 2026 Only – All 2025 calendar year winners on the PGA Tour (full field and opposite field events) will participate.

Playing history

[edit]

The tournament has been played in the month of

• November (1969–72)
• September (1973)
• March (1974–82) - usually two weeks before the Masters Tournament
• April (1983– ) - usually the week after the Masters Tournament
  • Exception: In 2020, it was postponed until June due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]

Winners

[edit]

Year	Winner	Score	To par	Margin ofvictory	Runner(s)-up	Purse($)	Winner'sshare ($)
RBC Heritage
2025	Justin Thomas	267	−17	Playoff	Andrew Novak	20,000,000	3,600,000
2024	Scottie Scheffler	265	−19	3 strokes	Sahith Theegala	20,000,000	3,600,000
2023	Matt Fitzpatrick	267	−17	Playoff	Jordan Spieth	20,000,000	3,600,000
2022	Jordan Spieth	271	−13	Playoff	Patrick Cantlay	8,000,000	1,440,000
2021	Stewart Cink (3)	265	−19	4 strokes	Emiliano Grillo Harold Varner III	7,100,000	1,278,000
2020	Webb Simpson	262	−22	1 stroke	Abraham Ancer	7,100,000	1,278,000
2019	Pan Cheng-tsung	272	−12	1 stroke	Matt Kuchar	6,900,000	1,242,000
2018	Satoshi Kodaira	272	−12	Playoff	Kim Si-woo	6,700,000	1,206,000
2017	Wesley Bryan	271	−13	1 stroke	Luke Donald	6,500,000	1,170,000
2016	Branden Grace	275	−9	2 strokes	Luke Donald Russell Knox	5,900,000	1,062,000
2015	Jim Furyk (2)	266	−18	Playoff	Kevin Kisner	5,900,000	1,062,000
2014	Matt Kuchar	273	−11	1 stroke	Luke Donald	5,800,000	1,044,000
2013	Graeme McDowell	275	−9	Playoff	Webb Simpson	5,800,000	1,044,000
2012	Carl Pettersson	270	−14	5 strokes	Zach Johnson	5,700,000	1,026,000
The Heritage
2011	Brandt Snedeker	272	−12	Playoff	Luke Donald	5,700,000	1,026,000
Verizon Heritage
2010	Jim Furyk	271	−13	Playoff	Brian Davis	5,700,000	1,026,000
2009	Brian Gay	264	−20	10 strokes	Briny Baird Luke Donald	5,700,000	1,026,000
2008	Boo Weekley (2)	269	−15	3 strokes	Aaron Baddeley Anthony Kim	5,500,000	990,000
2007	Boo Weekley	270	−14	1 stroke	Ernie Els	5,400,000	972,000
2006	Aaron Baddeley	269	−15	1 stroke	Jim Furyk	5,300,000	954,000
MCI Heritage
2005	Peter Lonard	277	−7	2 strokes	Billy Andrade Darren Clarke Jim Furyk Davis Love III	5,200,000	936,000
2004	Stewart Cink (2)	274	−10	Playoff	Ted Purdy	4,800,000	864,000
2003	Davis Love III (5)	271	−13	Playoff	Woody Austin	4,500,000	810,000
WorldCom Classic - The Heritage of Golf
2002	Justin Leonard	270	−14	1 stroke	Heath Slocum	4,000,000	720,000
2001	José Cóceres	273	−11	Playoff	Billy Mayfair	3,500,000	630,000
MCI Classic
2000	Stewart Cink	270	−14	2 strokes	Tom Lehman	3,000,000	540,000
1999	Glen Day	274	−10	Playoff	Jeff Sluman Payne Stewart	2,500,000	450,000
1998	Davis Love III (4)	266	−18	7 strokes	Glen Day	1,900,000	342,000
1997	Nick Price	269	−15	6 strokes	Brad Faxon Jesper Parnevik	1,500,000	270,000
1996	Loren Roberts	265	−19	3 strokes	Mark O'Meara	1,400,000	252,000
1995	Bob Tway	275	−9	Playoff	David Frost Nolan Henke	1,300,000	234,000
MCI Heritage Golf Classic
1994	Hale Irwin (3)	266	−18	2 strokes	Greg Norman	1,250,000	225,000
1993	David Edwards	273	−11	2 strokes	David Frost	1,125,000	202,500
1992	Davis Love III (3)	269	−15	4 strokes	Chip Beck	1,000,000	180,000
1991	Davis Love III (2)	271	−13	2 strokes	Ian Baker-Finch	1,000,000	180,000
1990	Payne Stewart (2)	276	−8	Playoff	Steve Jones Larry Mize	1,000,000	180,000
1989	Payne Stewart	268	−16	5 strokes	Kenny Perry	800,000	144,000
1988	Greg Norman	271	−13	1 stroke	David Frost Gil Morgan	700,000	126,000
1987	Davis Love III	271	−13	1 stroke	Steve Jones	650,000	117,000
Sea Pines Heritage
1986	Fuzzy Zoeller (2)	276	−8	1 stroke	Chip Beck Roger Maltbie Greg Norman	450,000	81,000
1985	Bernhard Langer	273	−11	Playoff	Bobby Wadkins	400,000	72,000
1984	Nick Faldo	270	−14	1 stroke	Tom Kite	400,000	72,000
1983	Fuzzy Zoeller	275	−9	2 strokes	Jim Nelford	350,000	63,000
1982	Tom Watson (2)	280	−4	Playoff	Frank Conner	300,000	54,000
1981	Bill Rogers	278	−6	1 stroke	Bruce Devlin Hale Irwin Gil Morgan Craig Stadler	300,000	54,000
1980	Doug Tewell	280	−4	Playoff	Jerry Pate	300,000	54,000
Sea Pines Heritage Classic
1979	Tom Watson	270	−14	5 strokes	Ed Sneed	300,000	54,000
Heritage Classic
1978	Hubert Green (2)	277	−7	3 strokes	Hale Irwin	225,000	45,000
1977	Graham Marsh	273	−11	1 stroke	Tom Watson	225,000	45,000
Sea Pines Heritage Classic
1976	Hubert Green	274	−10	5 strokes	Jerry McGee	215,000	43,000
1975	Jack Nicklaus	271	−13	3 strokes	Tom Weiskopf	200,000	40,000
1974	Johnny Miller (2)	276	−8	3 strokes	Gibby Gilbert	200,000	40,000
1973	Hale Irwin (2)	272	−12	5 strokes	Jerry Heard Grier Jones	150,000	30,000
1972	Johnny Miller	281	−3	1 stroke	Tom Weiskopf	125,000	25,000
1971	Hale Irwin	279	−5	1 stroke	Bob Lunn	110,000	22,000
Heritage Golf Classic
1970	Bob Goalby	280	−4	4 strokes	Lanny Wadkins	100,000	20,000
1969	Arnold Palmer	283	−1	3 strokes	Richard Crawford Bert Yancey	100,000	20,000

Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records. Sources:[11][12]

Multiple winners

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Ten men have won this tournament more than once through 2024.

• 5 wins
  • Davis Love III: 1987, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2003
• 3 wins
  • Hale Irwin: 1971, 1973, 1994
  • Stewart Cink: 2000, 2004, 2021
• 2 wins
  • Johnny Miller: 1972, 1974
  • Hubert Green: 1976, 1978
  • Tom Watson: 1979, 1982
  • Fuzzy Zoeller: 1983, 1986
  • Payne Stewart: 1989, 1990
  • Boo Weekley: 2007, 2008
  • Jim Furyk: 2010, 2015

Highlights

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• 1969: Arnold Palmer wins the inaugural edition of the tournament. He finishes three shots ahead of Richard Crawford and Bert Yancey.[13]
• 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.[14]
• 1976: Hubert Green wins by five shots over Jerry McGee. It was Green's third consecutive win in as many weeks.[15]
• 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.[16] Kenny Knox would subsequently break Archer's record at the 1989 MCI Heritage Golf Classic.[17]
• 1984: Nick Faldo wins his first PGA Tour event by one shot over Tom Kite. He is the first Englishman to win on United States soil since Tony Jacklin at the 1972 Greater Jacksonville Open.[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.[19]
• 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.[20]
• 1994: Hale Irwin collects his 20th overall and last PGA Tour win at Harbour Town. He wins by two shots over Greg Norman.[21]
• 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.[22]
• 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.[23]
• 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.[24] David Frost breaks Mark Calcavecchia's record of 93 putts in a 72-hole tournament by hitting only 92 putts.[25]
• 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.[26]
• 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.[27]
• 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.[28]
• 2017: Wesley Bryan earns his first PGA Tour win by one stroke.
• 2024: Scottie Scheffler becomes the first golfer in 39 years to win the RBC Heritage after winning the Masters.[29]

References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Course: RBC Heritage". PGA Tour. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
2. ^ a b "Arnie wins 1st tourney in 15 months". Chicago Tribune. UPI. December 1, 1969. p. 4, sec. 3.
3. ^ a b c "Comeback of the year: Palmer ends long slump". St. Petersburg Times. Florida. Associated Press. December 1, 1969. p. 1C.
4. ^ "Nicklaus gets into swing; wins Heritage by three". Chicago Tribune. wire services. March 31, 1975. p. 1, sec. 4.
5. ^ "2011 PGA Tour schedule" (Press release). PGA Tour. December 2, 2010. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
6. ^ "RBC named as new title sponsor of Heritage". PGA Tour. June 16, 2011. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
7. ^ The Heritage Classic Foundation - Overview Archived 2013-10-10 at the Wayback Machine
8. ^ "Did you know?: True tales from the RBC Heritage". March 27, 2013. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
9. ^ "2015–16 PGA Tour Player Handbook & Tournament Regulations" (PDF). October 5, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 12, 2016.
10. ^ "PGA Tour announces schedule adjustments for remainder of 2019-20 FedExCup season, releases fall portion of 2020-21 PGA Tour Regular Season schedule". PGA Tour. April 16, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
11. ^ RBC Heritage – Winners – at pgatour.com
12. ^ RBC Heritage – Winners – at golfobserver.com
13. ^ Arnold Palmer wins Heritage Golf Classic
14. ^ Hale Irwin Takes Heritage With Record Five Under Par
15. ^ Green Makes Heritage Third Straight
16. ^ Tewell, Pate, meet again
17. ^ There's lots of gain for Payne as he wins Heritage Classic
18. ^ Faldo rises to Kite's challenge to win
19. ^ Jones out of bounds-Love steps in
20. ^ 30-foot putt lifts Stewart in Heritage
21. ^ Late charge gives Irwin Heritage win
22. ^ Heritage winner surprises everyone
23. ^ Love affair: Davis wins 5th Heritage
24. ^ "Bloomberg Politics - Bloomberg". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on September 16, 2015.
25. ^ Kelley, Brent. "Fewest Putts in a PGA Tour Tournament". About.com. Archived from the original on January 16, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
26. ^ Weekley Wins the Heritage
27. ^ Jim Furyk hails Brian Davis' sportsmanship at Verizon Heritage
28. ^ Gray, Will (April 20, 2013). "Record number of players make 36-hole Heritage cut". Golf Channel. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
29. ^ Hodowanic, Paul (April 22, 2024). "Scottie Scheffler makes remarkable look routine, wins RBC Heritage comfortably". PGA Tour. Retrieved February 15, 2025.

External links

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• Official website
• Coverage on the PGA Tour's official site

v t e PGA Tour events
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