RBC Heritage

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 in 1969. Since 1983 it has taken place 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, 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. Course co-designer Nicklaus won in 1975, 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, and the Royal Bank of Canada has been the title sponsor of The Heritage since 2012. It is currently organized by The Heritage Classic Foundation.The Heritage Classic Foundation - Overview

Course

Hole123456789Out101112131415161718InTotal Yards4105024692005494191954733323,5494514364303731925884341744723,5507,099 Par454354344364444354343571

The course length at the inaugural event in 1969 was .

Invitational status The Heritage is one of only five tournaments given "invitational" status by the PGA Tour, 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 The field consists of 70 or more invited using the following criteria:

Top 50 in the previous year's FedEx Cup Standings. (BMW PGA Championship qualifiers) 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. Aon Swing 5 (Puerto Rico Open, Valspar Championship, Texas Children's Houston Open and Valero Texas Open) Current year PGA Tour full FedEx Cup points tournament winners. Top 30 Official World Golf Rankings 2026 Only – All 2025 calendar year winners on the PGA Tour (full field and opposite field events) will participate.

Playing history The tournament has been played in the month of November (1969–72) September (1973) March (1974–82) - usually two weeks before The Masters April (1983– ) - usually the week after The Masters Exception: In 2020, it was postponed until June due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Winners YearWinnerScoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-upPurse($)Winner'sshare ($)RBC Heritage 2026 Matt Fitzpatrick (2) 266 −18 Playoff Scottie Scheffler 20,000,000 3,600,000 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 8,000,0001,440,000 2021 Stewart Cink (3) 265 −19 4 strokes Emiliano Grillo Harold Varner III 7,100,0001,278,000 2020 Webb Simpson 262 −22 1 stroke Abraham Ancer 7,100,0001,278,000 2019 Pan Cheng-tsung 272 −12 1 stroke Matt Kuchar 6,900,0001,242,000 2018 Satoshi Kodaira 272 −12 Playoff Kim Si-woo 6,700,0001,206,000 2017 Wesley Bryan 271 −13 1 stroke Luke Donald 6,500,0001,170,000 2016 Branden Grace 275 −9 2 strokes Luke Donald Russell Knox5,900,0001,062,000 2015 Jim Furyk (2) 266 −18 Playoff Kevin Kisner 5,900,0001,062,000 2014 Matt Kuchar 273 −11 1 stroke Luke Donald 5,800,0001,044,000 2013 Graeme McDowell 275 −9 Playoff Webb Simpson 5,800,0001,044,000 2012 Carl Pettersson 270 −14 5 strokes Zach Johnson 5,700,0001,026,000 The Heritage 2011 Brandt Snedeker 272 −12 Playoff Luke Donald 5,700,0001,026,000 Verizon Heritage 2010 Jim Furyk 271 −13 Playoff Brian Davis 5,700,0001,026,000 2009 Brian Gay 264 −20 10 strokes Briny Baird Luke Donald 5,700,0001,026,000 2008 Boo Weekley (2) 269 −15 3 strokes Aaron Baddeley Anthony Kim 5,500,000990,000 2007 Boo Weekley 270 −14 1 stroke Ernie Els 5,400,000972,000 2006 Aaron Baddeley 269 −15 1 stroke Jim Furyk 5,300,000954,000 MCI Heritage 2005 Peter Lonard 277 −7 2 strokes Billy Andrade Darren Clarke Jim Furyk Davis Love III 5,200,000936,000 2004 Stewart Cink (2) 274 −10 Playoff Ted Purdy 4,800,000864,000 2003 Davis Love III (5) 271 −13 Playoff Woody Austin 4,500,000810,000 WorldCom Classic - The Heritage of Golf 2002 Justin Leonard 270 −14 1 stroke Heath Slocum 4,000,000720,000 2001 José Cóceres 273 −11 Playoff Billy Mayfair 3,500,000630,000 MCI Classic 2000 Stewart Cink 270 −14 2 strokes Tom Lehman 3,000,000540,000 1999 Glen Day 274 −10 Playoff Jeff Sluman Payne Stewart 2,500,000450,000 1998 Davis Love III (4) 266 −18 7 strokes Glen Day 1,900,000342,000 1997 Nick Price 269 −15 6 strokes Brad Faxon Jesper Parnevik 1,500,000270,000 1996 Loren Roberts 265 −19 3 strokes Mark O'Meara 1,400,000252,000 1995 Bob Tway 275 −9 Playoff David Frost Nolan Henke 1,300,000234,000 MCI Heritage Golf Classic 1994 Hale Irwin (3) 266 −18 2 strokes Greg Norman 1,250,000225,000 1993 David Edwards 273 −11 2 strokes David Frost 1,125,000202,500 1992 Davis Love III (3) 269 −15 4 strokes Chip Beck 1,000,000180,000 1991 Davis Love III (2) 271 −13 2 strokes Ian Baker-Finch 1,000,000180,000 1990 Payne Stewart (2) 276 −8 Playoff Steve Jones Larry Mize 1,000,000180,000 1989 Payne Stewart 268 −16 5 strokes Kenny Perry 800,000144,000 1988 Greg Norman 271 −13 1 stroke David Frost Gil Morgan 700,000126,000 1987 Davis Love III 271 −13 1 stroke Steve Jones 650,000117,000 Sea Pines Heritage 1986 Fuzzy Zoeller (2) 276 −8 1 stroke Chip Beck Roger Maltbie Greg Norman 450,00081,000 1985 Bernhard Langer 273 −11 Playoff Bobby Wadkins 400,00072,000 1984 Nick Faldo 270 −14 1 stroke Tom Kite 400,00072,000 1983 Fuzzy Zoeller 275 −9 2 strokes Jim Nelford 350,00063,000 1982 Tom Watson (2) 280 −4 Playoff Frank Conner 300,00054,000 1981 Bill Rogers 278 −6 1 stroke Bruce Devlin Hale Irwin Gil Morgan Craig Stadler 300,00054,000 1980 Doug Tewell 280 −4 Playoff Jerry Pate 300,00054,000 Sea Pines Heritage Classic 1979 Tom Watson 270 −14 5 strokes Ed Sneed 300,00054,000 Heritage Classic 1978 Hubert Green (2) 277 −7 3 strokes Hale Irwin 225,00045,000 1977 Graham Marsh 273 −11 1 stroke Tom Watson 225,00045,000 Sea Pines Heritage Classic 1976 Hubert Green 274 −10 5 strokes Jerry McGee 215,00043,000 1975 Jack Nicklaus 271 −13 3 strokes Tom Weiskopf 200,00040,000 1974 Johnny Miller (2) 276 −8 3 strokes Gibby Gilbert 200,00040,000 1973 Hale Irwin (2) 272 −12 5 strokes Jerry Heard Grier Jones 150,00030,000 1972 Johnny Miller 281 −3 1 stroke Tom Weiskopf 125,00025,000 1971 Hale Irwin 279 −5 1 stroke Bob Lunn 110,00022,000 Heritage Golf Classic 1970 Bob Goalby 280 −4 4 strokes Lanny Wadkins 100,00020,000 1969 Arnold Palmer 283 −1 3 strokes Richard Crawford Bert Yancey 100,00020,000 Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records. Sources:RBC Heritage – Winners – at pgatour.comRBC Heritage – Winners – at golfobserver.com

Multiple winners Through 2026, eleven have won this tournament more than once. 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 Matt Fitzpatrick: 2023, 2026

Highlights

1969: Arnold Palmer wins the inaugural edition at 283 (–1), three shots ahead of Richard Crawford and Bert Yancey.Arnold Palmer wins Heritage Golf Classic 1971: Future three-time U.S. Open champion, Hale Irwin, makes Heritage his first PGA Tour victory, one stroke ahead of Bob Lunn.Hale Irwin Takes Heritage With Record Five Under Par 1976: Hubert Green wins by five shots over Jerry McGee for his third consecutive win in as many weeks.Green Makes Heritage Third Straight 1980: George Archer sets a PGA Tour record for fewest putts in a 72-hole tournament with 94. The previous mark was 99 set by Bob Menne.Tewell, Pate, meet again Kenny Knox broke Archer's record at the 1989 MCI Heritage Golf Classic.There's lots of gain for Payne as he wins Heritage Classic 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.Faldo rises to Kite's challenge to win 1987: Davis Love III wins by one shot over Steve Jones. Jones led by one shot at the 72nd tee, but made a double bogey after his tee shot went out of bounds.Jones out of bounds-Love steps in 1990: Payne Stewart becomes the first Heritage champion to successfully defend his title, defeating Larry Mize and Steve Jones in a sudden-death playoff.30-foot putt lifts Stewart in Heritage 1994: Hale Irwin collects his 20th overall and last PGA Tour win at Harbour Town, two shots ahead of Greg Norman.Late charge gives Irwin Heritage win 1998: Davis Love III becomes the first four-time Heritage winner, seven strokes ahead of runner-up Glen Day. The next season, Day won at Harbour Town for his only PGA Tour win.Heritage winner surprises everyone 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.Love affair: Davis wins 5th Heritage 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. David Frost breaks Mark Calcavecchia's record of 93 putts in a 72-hole tournament by hitting only 92 putts. 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.Weekley Wins the Heritage 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.Jim Furyk hails Brian Davis' sportsmanship at Verizon Heritage 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. 2017: Wesley Bryan earns his first PGA Tour win by one stroke. 2024: Scottie Scheffler becomes the first in 39 years to win the RBC Heritage after winning The Masters.

References

External links

Coverage on the PGA Tour's official site