The RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing is one of the eight Signature Events on the PGA TOUR this season. The signature status shrinks the field from the traditional 156 players at regular events to roughly 70 for signature tournaments. There are 69 players in this year’s tournament, the 56th rendition of The Heritage. As a Signature Event, the tournament will not have a “cut” of players after the second round.

There is a $20 million purse to be split between players using the Tour’s predetermined, percentage-based payout table (see below). The 2024 winner earns himself a nice $3.6 million paycheck and 700 critical FedEx Cup points, which are always valuable for any players expecting to be chasing a spot in the playoff events later this fall.

I think the (Signature) Events have been, for me anyway, a fantastic experience,” said Savannah native Brian Harman from Harbour Town on Monday. “They have an aura about them that makes it feel like an old-school PGA TOUR event. They feel like a really big deal.”

For many years, the RBC Heritage has followed the week of The Masters Tournament; players have long considered it to be a smooth, “come-down” week with much less stress physically and mentally than what’s required to compete at Augusta National. When compared to the stress-filled rounds spent navigating Augusta National, the par-71 Harbour Town track offers a much easier scoring course for most pros.

Since being dubbed a Signature Event, however, the RBC Heritage field has become as stacked as any. The defending champion was asked about the evolution of the tournament on Monday at his pre-tournament press conference. He suggested the lack of a cut is what makes top players lock-in even more than years prior at the Heritage.

“I think it’s easier in a 70-man field, with no cut, to kind of ‘get up’ for (the tournament). Certainly, that’s the way I feel,” said Matthew Fitzpatrick. “I feel like when there is a cut, it’s a little bit more relaxed. Whereas, I think when it’s no cut, it’s easy to continue that momentum that you may have picked up from Augusta, and to push and keep going.”

“I think people might be more up for it now. Like you say, it’s more of a signature event.”

Tournament stakes are one aspect which makes this week different from last. But, it’s the sudden shift in course design and layout that is always a talking point for players coming to Hilton Head Island who have less experience at Augusta or Harbour Town.

“It’s a very big change,” said Ludvig Åberg this week after bursting onto the world stage last week in a solid showing at The Masters. “Augusta has got the big greens with the big slopes and semi-wide fairways, and here you’ve got some tight chutes in the fairways and smaller greens.

“I think it’s a big change, a big difference.”

Given the smaller field, golfers will play the first two rounds in two-man pairings instead of the typical three-man trios used for non-signature events.

Harman – the reigning British Open champion – will celebrate the 20-year anniversary of his first ever professional round this week. The Savannah Christian and University of Georgia product was in the field as a highly-touted amateur back in 2004. Although he played (by his own admission) poorly that year, it’s a testament to his talent that he remains one of the most formidable players in the field this week at Harbour Town.

He is also coming off of a miserable performance at The Masters last week.

“I lost patience and made some bad golf swings,” said Harman on Monday of his play at Augusta. “And they add up quickly over there.”

Since 2015, Harman has played 32 rounds at the RBC Heritage; it’s the second-most of any player in the field this week, trailing only Webb Simpson (34). Harman – who finished seventh last year as Fitzpatrick won in a playoff – is playing the week immediately following a major for a 19th time since 2016.

He has seven top-10 finishes and only two missed cuts in his last 18 post-major starts.

“This is one of my absolute favorite stops all year,” he said of the RBC Heritage on Monday. “I’m so happy that they have got such a good field. This is such a great event. They have always supported this event, even when it got a little dicey there, seven, or eight years ago.”

“We were afraid we were going to lose this tournament. I’m so glad that it’s still here and kind of made it through. They have got a great field and great weather; it’s going to be a fantastic event.”

The field for this Signature Event features 54 players who competed last week in The Masters. Eight of the top 10 and 43 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking are in.

Harman plays alongside Sungjae Im with starting times of 1:20pm Thursday and 10:10am Friday. World No. 1 and 2024 Masters winner Scottie Scheffler is playing alongside fellow Dallas, Texas native Jordan Spieth (2022 Heritage winner) at 10:30am on Thursday and 1:30pm Friday.

“Growing up in Savannah you’re almost an adopted South Carolinian over here,” Harman said Monday. “I’m very familiar with this place. I love this area. I love the Coastal Empire. I’m just really thrilled that this tournament is getting such a good field, getting a little extra recognition.”

“Maybe some guys that wouldn’t normally play this event are showing up. I’m fairly certain they will fall in love with it, and it will be a more permanent start on their schedules.”

Other top-ranked players and notable names teeing it up include: Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Max Homa, Wyndham Clark, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Kevin Kisner, Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Jason Day, Sam Burns, Will Zalatoris and more.

Tee times for every pairing on Thursday and Friday can be seen below.

For more information on the tournament, including ticket options and event history, visit RBCHeritage.com.

Follow the event on social media all weekend long, @RBC_Heritage.

This article appears in Connect Savannah I April 2024.