First played in 1969, the Heritage is one of just five of the Tour’s Invitationals. That means that it has a reduced field of 132 players (as opposed to the usual 156). There is no Monday qualifier, and the tournament does not have to fill its field according the the Priority Ranking Field.
Throughout its history, the site for The Heritage has Pete Dye’s now-famous Harbor Town Golf Links, with the exception of 1972, when the first two rounds were played at both the Harbor Town Golf Links and the Ocean Course at Sea Pines.
The tournament is sponsored by the Royal Bank of Canada for 2012. It had no sponsor in 2011. From 1987 to 2010, it was sponsored by either MCI (under either the MCI or WorldCom name), and by Verizon. Prior to that, the tournament was known variously as The Heritage Classic, The Sea Pines Heritage Classic, and the Sea Pines Heritage.
The Tournament’s position on the Tour schedule has changed quite a bit. From 1968 to 1972, it was played in November. In 1973, September. From 1974 to 1982, it was played two weeks before the Masters; and from 1983 to 2010, it usually was one week after the Masters. In 2011, it’s positioned two weeks after the Masters. Harbortown is a relatively short drive from Augusta, and the date following the Masters apparently has been popular for the players.
Tournament winners receive a red plaid jacket. Davis Love, III has won the tournament five times.
A list of past winners follows:
| Year | Player | Country | Score | To par | 1st Prize ($) | Purse ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The RBC Heritage | ||||||
| 2014 | Matt Kuchar | United States | 273 | -11 | 1,044,000 | 5,800,000 |
| 2013 | Graeme McDowell | Northern Ireland | 275 | -9 | 1,044,000 | 5,800,000 |
| 2012 | Carl Petterson | Sweden | 270 | -14 | 1,026,000 | 5,700,000 |
| 2011 | Brandt Snedeker | United States | 272 | -12 | 1,026,000 | 5,700,000 |
| Verizon Heritage | ||||||
| 2010 | Jim Furyk | United States | 271 | -13 | 1,026,000 | 5,700,000 |
| 2009 | Brian Gay | United States | 264 | -20 | 1,026,000 | 5,700,000 |
| 2008 | Boo Weekley | United States | 269 | -15 | 990,000 | 5,500,000 |
| 2007 | Boo Weekley | United States | 270 | -14 | 972,000 | 5,400,000 |
| 2006 | Aaron Baddeley | Australia | 269 | -15 | 954,000 | 5,300,000 |
| MCI Heritage | ||||||
| 2005 | Peter Lonard | Australia | 277 | -7 | 936,000 | 5,200,000 |
| 2004 | Stewart Cink | United States | 274 | -10 | 864,000 | 4,800,000 |
| 2003 | Davis Love III | United States | 271 | -13 | 810,000 | 4,500,000 |
| WorldCom Classic – The Heritage of Golf | ||||||
| 2002 | Justin Leonard | United States | 270 | -14 | 720,000 | 4,000,000 |
| 2001 | José Cóceres | Argentina | 273 | -11 | 630,000 | 3,500,000 |
| MCI Classic | ||||||
| 2000 | Stewart Cink | United States | 270 | -14 | 540,000 | 3,000,000 |
| 1999 | Glen Day | United States | 274 | -10 | 450,000 | 2,500,000 |
| 1998 | Davis Love III | United States | 266 | -18 | 342,000 | 1,900,000 |
| 1997 | Nick Price | Zimbabwe | 269 | -15 | 270,000 | 1,500,000 |
| 1996 | Loren Roberts | United States | 265 | -19 | 252,000 | 1,400,000 |
| 1995 | Bob Tway | United States | 275 | -9 | 234,000 | 1,300,000 |
| MCI Heritage Golf Classic | ||||||
| 1994 | Hale Irwin | United States | 266 | -18 | 225,000 | 1,250,000 |
| 1993 | David Edwards | United States | 273 | -11 | 202,500 | 1,125,000 |
| 1992 | Davis Love III | United States | 269 | -15 | 180,000 | 1,000,000 |
| 1991 | Davis Love III | United States | 271 | -13 | 180,000 | 1,000,000 |
| 1990 | Payne Stewart | United States | 276 | -8 | 180,000 | 1,000,000 |
| 1989 | Payne Stewart | United States | 268 | -16 | 144,000 | 800,000 |
| 1988 | Greg Norman | Australia | 271 | -13 | 126,000 | 700,000 |
| 1987 | Davis Love III | United States | 271 | -13 | 117,000 | 650,000 |
| Sea Pines Heritage | ||||||
| 1986 | Fuzzy Zoeller | United States | 276 | -8 | 81,000 | 450,000 |
| 1985 | Bernhard Langer | West Germany | 273 | -11 | 72,000 | 400,000 |
| 1984 | Nick Faldo | England | 270 | -14 | 72,000 | 400,000 |
| 1983 | Fuzzy Zoeller | United States | 275 | -9 | 63,000 | 350,000 |
| 1982 | Tom Watson | United States | 280 | -4 | 54,000 | 300,000 |
| 1981 | Bill Rogers | United States | 278 | -6 | 54,000 | 300,000 |
| 1980 | Doug Tewell | United States | 280 | -4 | 54,000 | 300,000 |
| Sea Pines Heritage Classic | ||||||
| 1979 | Tom Watson | United States | 270 | -14 | 54,000 | 300,000 |
| Heritage Classic | ||||||
| 1978 | Hubert Green | United States | 277 | -7 | 45,000 | 225,000 |
| 1977 | Graham Marsh | Australia | 273 | -11 | 45,000 | 225,000 |
| Sea Pines Heritage Classic | ||||||
| 1976 | Hubert Green | United States | 274 | -10 | 43,000 | 215,000 |
| 1975 | Jack Nicklaus | United States | 271 | -13 | 40,000 | 200,000 |
| 1974 | Johnny Miller | United States | 276 | -8 | 40,000 | 200,000 |
| 1973 | Hale Irwin | United States | 272 | -12 | 30,000 | 150,000 |
| 1972 | Johnny Miller | United States | 281 | -4 | 25,000 | 125,000 |
| 1971 | Hale Irwin | United States | 279 | -5 | 22,000 | 110,000 |
| Heritage Golf Classic | ||||||
| 1970 | Bob Goalby | United States | 280 | -4 | 20,000 | 100,000 |
| 1969 | Arnold Palmer | United States | 283 | -1 | 20,000 | 100,000 |
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A pretty good field considering it’s straight after a major championship.
I think Brandt Snedeker is a good chance of putting his last US Masters behind him and playing well. Same for Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk and Tim Clark.