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Known as South Carolina's premier PGA TOUR event, the RBC Heritage has been played on Hilton Head Island since 1969. Its host, the Heritage Classic Foundation, donates Tournament proceeds to charitable organizations in the Lowcountry.

A Rich History

Today, Hilton Head Island golf courses are known around the world for challenging play and outstanding resort amenities. But in 1969, Hilton Head Island was just a little-known Lowcountry treasure. So when Sea Pines developer Charles Fraser announced a PGA-level tournament would be held at the newly created Harbour Town Golf Links over Thanksgiving weekend, people had their doubts. An unfamiliar course on a little-known island on a holiday weekend? There was no guarantee the big names in golf would be there for the first Heritage Classic.

But when both Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus (who had helped legendary golf course designer Pete Dye lay out the course) committed to play, people began to realize the Heritage Classic was going to be something special. Palmer went on to win the inaugural Heritage Classic, his first victory in 14 months, drawing even more press coverage than usual. Commentators and journalists praised Dye’s new links course and soon everyone knew that Hilton Head Island was THE new resort destination.

Since Then, Much Has Changed

The RBC Heritage is now held the week after the Masters, and the original purse of $100,000 ($770,000 in today’s dollars) has jumped to $20 million. The fan base has grown, too, thanks in part to extensive TV coverage by both CBS and The Golf Channel. Each year, more than 100,000 spectators arrive from across the US and around the globe, bringing an estimated $134.9 million annually to the state. And each year, the RBC Heritage leaderboard features some of the biggest names and brightest stars in the sport.

The RBC Heritage kicks off like no other event on the PGA TOUR. The past champion, Heritage Classic Foundation Board members, volunteers and state dignitaries parade around the Harbour Town Yacht Basin to the sounds of the Citadel's Pipe and Drum band. The past champion is presented with his Captain of Gentlemen Golfers plaque and continues the tradition of using an authentic hickory club to hit a featherie-style golf ball into the Calibogue Sound in unison with a cannon shot. Those shots officially begin the start of Tournament week and are a reenactment of a Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews tradition dating at least to the mid-18th century.

American Golf: Where it all began

The story of golf in our country begins in South Carolina, and its heritage is centered right here on Harbour Town Golf Links. Watch our video to learn about the history and ongoing purpose of the RBC Heritage: giving back to our community.

The First in America

Many historians had believed a golf club outside Yonkers, NY, was the first to import the sport from Scotland in 1886. However, Sea Pines founder Charles Fraser uncovered a ship's manifest from 1786 that noted that "golfer sticks" and "featheries"—a pre-20th century golf ball made from boiled bird feathers and cowhide—had been shipped to residents in South Carolina and Georgia. His findings indicated golf may have arrived at Harleston Green in Charleston a full hundred years before it was played in Yonkers. Fraser honored that Scottish heritage by naming the PGA TOUR event the "Heritage Classic."

While much has changed over the years, the Tournament still maintains the unique Lowcountry hospitality and family-friendly fun that have made the RBC Heritage one of the best stops on the tour for both players and fans.

It’s a heritage we’re honored to uphold.

Our storied island: Golf gives back

See the impact the RBC Heritage has made on Hilton Head Island and the economic vitality of the community.

TOURNAMENT FACTS

		Tournament Facts
When		April 13-19, 2026
Purse		$20M
Contributions		$56.9 million has been distributed to those in need throughout South Carolina and Georgia since 1987. $3.993 million was distributed in 2024 to charitable organizations, the arts, medical institutions and for college scholarships.
Economic Impact		Each year, the RBC Heritage pumps more than $134.9 million into South Carolina's economy.
Demographics		70% of spectators have an annual income of more than $100,000, average age of spectator is 57, and 81% completed a four-year college degree.
Volunteer Effort		More than 1,700 volunteers work throughout tournament week.
Attendance		120,000 people attended the RBC Heritage in 2025.
Television		The Golf Channel: Thursday-Friday, 2-6pm; Saturday-Sunday, 1-3pm
		CBS Sports: Saturday-Sunday, 3-6pm
		PGA TOUR Radio: Thursday-Friday, 12-6pm; Saturday-Sunday, 1-6pm
		The RBC Heritage is broadcast in 28 languages to 200+ countries outside the US. More than 1 billion households across the world can tune in to see Harbour Town’s famous candy cane striped lighthouse.

Our Sponsors

Visit our sponsorship opportunities portal to inquire about supporting the Tournament.

RBC Proudly Helping Communities Prosper

Boeing Built on Tradition of Innovation

Official Sponsors

Corporate Partners

Expo Sponsors

Patron Package Sponsors

Past Champions

The list of past winners is a veritable who’s who of golf’s greatest players:

Sustainability at the RBC Heritage

Over the past few years, we've been working hard to make sure the RBC Heritage is one of the most sustainable tournaments on the PGA TOUR. We're seeking to lighten the overall environmental footprint of the event while taking steps to foster nature, conserve resources, and engage and support the local community.

Here are a few of our commitments and achievements—and some of the ways you can get involved and help us in KEEPING IT GREEN!

GEO Certified® Tournament

Reducing Waste

Carbon-Neutral Event

Environmentally Responsible Golf Course Operations

How to Be a Green Patron

Cheers to 50 Years

Fifty tournaments, hundreds of golfers, thousands of fans and millions of cheers! Here’s what a few of our past champions had to say about the Tournament they love to play.

$55.3M

Charity Impact

$134.9M

Economic Impact

The Heritage Classic Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to hosting a world-class PGA TOUR event to raise funds for educational and charitable initiatives, enhancing the quality of life in South Carolina.

Championing Charities. Lifting Lives