The 57th edition of the RBC Heritage tees off this week at picturesque Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
The PGA Tour’s fifth Signature Event of 2025 follows the Masters with a star-studded field at the iconic Pete Dye design. The field will feature many of the Tour’s top-ranked players, including eight of the top 10 in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Known for its tight fairways and small greens, Harbour Town demands precision over power. The iconic 18th hole, with its red-and-white lighthouse backdrop, awaits the crowning of the next tartan jacket winner.
In all, 72 golfers will vie for the tournament’s signature garment, along with a first-place check totaling $3.6 million.
Here’s more on what to expect at this year’s RBC Heritage.
PGA Tour Skinny
Tournament: RBC Heritage
Dates: Apr. 18-21, 2024
Title Sponsor: RBC
Course: Harbour Town Golf Links
Where: Hilton Head Island, SC
Architect: Pete Dye
Distance: Par 71, 7213 yards
Field: 72
Cut: 36 holes
Format: Stroke, 72 holes
Purse: $20,000,000
Winning Share: $3,600,000
Winning FEC Pts: 700
Winning OWGR Pts: 64.7
Defending Champion: Scottie Scheffler
How to Follow the RBC Heritage
TELEVISION: Thu-Fri: 2-6 p.m. (GOLF); Sat-Sun: 1-3 p.m. (GOLF), 3-6 p.m. (CBS)
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Key Storylines
- Scheffler’s Defense: World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, off a 2024 win (19-under, three-shot margin), aims for his first 2025 victory after a strong Masters showing (solo fourth). Can he repeat?
- Post-Masters Momentum: Players like Justin Rose, Xander Schauffele, Corey Conners, and Ludvig Aberg, who shined at Augusta, look to carry form to Hilton Head.
- Course Fit: Harbour Town rewards ball-strikers. Past champs like Matt Fitzpatrick (2023) and Jordan Spieth (2022) highlight the need for iron play and course management.
- Restoration Looming: With a major overhaul planned post-tournament (led by Davis Love III), this could be the last look at Harbour Town’s current setup.
RBC Heritage History
The RBC Heritage, known for much of its time as the Heritage Classic, is a regular PGA Tour event in South Carolina, first played 54 years ago in 1969. It is currently contested in mid-April, usually the week following The Masters Tournament.
Harbour Town Golf Links, the famous Pete Dye design with help from Jack Nicklaus, has hosted the tournament since its inception in 1969.
The inaugural event, contested on Thanksgiving weekend in 1969, was somewhat overshadowed by the Vietnam War draft lottery, which took place the day after the tournament ended, but it was a thrilling four days, with one of the all-time greats, Arnold Palmer, winning by three strokes.
The win was Palmer’s first victory in more than a year, and the media, who covered the golf icon’s every move, cranked out hundreds of glowing stories and photos about the then 40-year old “breaking his winless streak” on “Pete Dye’s stunning new links course.”
Since that Thanksgiving weekend over 50 years ago – thanks in large part to the good fortune of Palmer claiming its maiden championship, “the Heritage,” Harbour Town Golf Links, and Hilton Head Island have gone on to become iconic as well, and an important part of golf’s history.
Co-course designer, Nicklaus, won the 1975 edition, which took place two weeks prior to his fifth Masters victory.
Hale Irwin, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Payne Stewart, Greg Norman, Davis Love III, Jim Furyk, Graeme McDowell, Webb Simpson, Stewart Cink, Jordan Spieth, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Scottie Scheffler are among other major winners of the Heritage.
Love III holds the tournament record for most wins with five, while Cink and Irwin own three apiece.
Sponsorship has evolved alongside the event. Sea Pines Resort was the founding title sponsor, headlining the event from 1971-76 and again from 1979-86. It became the MCI Heritage Classic from 1987 to 1994, followed by stints as the WorldCom Classic and Verizon Heritage.
Since 2012, the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has been the title sponsor, with Boeing as a key partner. The Heritage Classic Foundation, the event’s organizer, has raised over $50 million for Lowcountry charities, reinforcing its community impact.
The RBC Heritage’s traditions add to its allure. Each year, the defending champion receives the Captain of Gentlemen Golfers plaque and hits a ceremonial shot into Calibogue Sound using a hickory club, accompanied by a cannon blast — a nod to golf’s Scottish roots. The winner dons a tartan plaid jacket, a symbol of the event’s heritage.
As the 57th edition approaches, the tournament faces change with a planned course restoration led by Love following the event.
History: Tournament Names
- RBC Heritage (2012-25)
- The Heritage (2011)
- Verizon Heritage (2006-10)
- MCI Heritage (2003-05)
- WorldCom Classic (2001-02)
- MCI Classic (1995-2000)
- MCI Heritage Golf Classic (1987-1994)
- Sea Pines Heritage (1980-86)
- Sea Pines Heritage Classic (1979)
- Heritage Classic (1977-78)
- Sea Pines Heritage Classic (1971-76)
- Heritage Golf Classic (1969-70)
History: Tournament Months
The tournament has been played in the month of:
• November (1969–72)
• September (1973)
• March (1974–82) Two weeks before Masters
• April (1983–2019, 21–Pres) Week after Masters
• June (2020) COVID-19 reschedule
History: Recent Winners
2023: Scottie Scheffler (-19)
2023: Matt Fitzpatrick (-17)*
2022: Jordan Spieth (-13)*
2021: Stewart Cink (-19)
2020: Webb Simpson (-22)
2019: C.T. Pan (-12)
2018: Satoshi Kodaira (-12)*
2017: Wesley Bryan (-13)
2016: Branden Grace (-9)
2015: Jim Furyk (-18)*
2014: Matt Kuchar (-11)
2013: Graeme McDowell (-9)*
* Playoff
History: RBC Heritage Records
Low Score: 262 – Webb Simpson (2020)
Low Under-Par: -22 – Webb Simpson (2020)
Largest Winning Margin: 10 Strokes – Brian Gay (2009)
Highest Winning Score: 283 – Arnold Palmer (1969)
Highest Winning To-Par: -1 – Arnold Palmer (1969)
Wins: 5 – Davis Love III (1987, 1991-92, 1998, 2003)
2024 Vault: Scheffler Wins the RBC Heritage
When storms and darkness suspended play on Sunday evening amid the final round of the RBC Heritage, Scottie Scheffler held a five-shot lead with three holes to play.
When the world No. 1 finished his final three holes at Harbour Town Golf Links on Monday morning, the Texan once again found himself hoisting a PGA Tour trophy.
Scheffler finished 19-under 265, three clear of Sahith Theegala (68).
In just a five-start span, Scheffler has claimed elite-field victories at four iconic venues: Bay Hill, TPC Sawgrass, Augusta National and Harbour Town – a dominant run not seen since peak Tiger Woods.
Scheffler said the streak has taken an emotional and physical toll.
“Coming off the high last week to going into here, not really with a ton of energy, not really with a ton of prep work,” said Scheffler.
“I think it’s underrated how difficult it is to do the stuff that Tiger was doing and win like every single week. It takes a lot out of you emotionally and physically, especially major championships.”
Theegala made birdie on No. 16, then finished par-par to post solo second on 16 under. The gain on No. 16 for Theegala wound up being worth $666,667 as it was the difference between solo second ($2.16m) and a three-way tie for second ($1.493m).
“Even though I finished second, I felt like I was never really in it to win there. Scottie was just so far ahead,” said Theegala.
Wyndham Clark (65) and Patrick Cantlay (68) tied for third on 15 under.
Top-5 Finishers
Pos-Player-To Par (Final Rd)
1. Scottie Scheffler -19 (-3)
2. Sahith Theegala -16 (-3)
3. Wyndham Clark -15 (-6)
3. Patrick Cantlay -15 (-3)
5. Justin Thomas -14 (-6)
5. J.T. Poston -14 (-2)
5. Patrick Rodgers -14 (-1)
5. Sepp Straka -14 (+1)
The RBC Heritage Field
As an elevated event, the field at Harbour Town Golf Links is stacked, featuring eight of the top-10 ranked players in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Leading the way is world No. 1, and defending champion, Scottie Scheffler, who aims for his first 2025 victory after a strong Masters showing (solo fourth).
Joining Scheffler will be seven more top-10 ranked players, including Xander Schauffele (3), Collin Morikawa (4), Ludvig Aberg (5), Russell Henley (7), Justin Thomas (8), Viktor Hovland (9), and Maverick McNealy (10).
Eight of the players, ranked from eleven (11) through twenty (20) in the OWGR, will also tee it up this week at Harbour Town, including Justin Rose (12), Tommy Fleetwood (12), Wyndham Clark (14), Shane Lowry (15), Patrick Cantlay (16), Sepp Straka (17), Keegan Bradley (19), and Robert MacIntyre (20).
Corey Conners (21), Billy Horschel (23), Brian Harman (24), Min Woo Lee (25), Jason Day (31), Tony Finau (38), Jordan Spieth (58), and Will Zalatoris (68) are some of the other marquee names.
RBC Heritage Odds
Players will be tested by one of the tightest designs on the PGA Tour – the Pete Dye-masterpiece of Harbour Town Golf Links.
Bookmakers have made Scottie Scheffler the overwhelming favorite with odds of 4-1. The Texas native enters off a winless 2025 but appears close to his 2024 form following an injury setback earlier in late 2024.
Behind Scheffler, at 10-1, is Collin Morikawa, who enters off six straight top-20 finishes, including three top-10s (T10, 2nd, 2nd).
Rounding out the top-3 favorites in Hilton Head is Ludvig Aberg, who is being offered at 12-1.
Xander Schauffele, fresh off another top-10 finish at the Masters (T8), was listed at 14-1, while Patrick Cantlay, who has struggled a bit this season, but owns two straight top-3 finishes at Hilton Head, is listed at 16-1.
Justin Thomas, who’s still in search of his first win since 2022, is listed at 20-1.
Top-10 Betting Favorites
Pos-Player(Odds)
1. Scottie Scheffler (4-1)
2. Collin Morikawa (10-1)
3. Ludvig Aberg (12-1)
4. Xander Schauffele (14-1)
5. Patrick Cantlay (16-1)
6. Justin Thomas (20-1)
7. Corey Conners (25-1)
7. Russell Henley (25-1)
9. Shane Lowry (28-1)
9. Tommy Fleetwood (28-1)
Full Field: Rank & Odds
RBC Heritage . Harbour Town Golf Links . Hilton Head Island, SC . Apr 17-20, 2025
Joel Cook, Paul Daly and Carey Hoffman contributed to this preview.
Credits: PGA Tour Media, OWGR, Bovada, Getty Images
