RBC Heritage 2017

THURSDAY APRIL 13 2017

THE ISLAND PACKET

THE BEAUFORT GAZETTE...............................

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Top 10 memorable moments from on and off the field, PAGE 28

DELAYNA EARLEY dearley@islandpacket.com

IF YOU GO

FAMILY TIES

A FIELD GUIDE

DONALD’S YEAR?

If you're planning to head to the course, check out the tournament schedule and spectator information

A snapshot captures a precious moment in time as golfer Kevin Kisner greets his family at last year's Heritage

Shhh! You have to be quiet if you want to do some pro-level people watching during the tournament

With four runner-up finishes in his past, could this be the year for Luke Donald to don a tartan jacket?

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INDEX TOURNAMENT AT A GLANCE ....................................4H SCHEDULE.......................................................................4H SPECTATOR INFORMATION.......................................4H Here’s what you need to know about taking photos, collecting autographs and getting help from first aid.

DAVID LAUDERDALE COLUMN ..................................6E A snapshot tells it all: Buoyed by family, South Carolina’s own Kevin Kisner rises through PGA “grind.”

PARKING MAP ................................................................8H WHAT TO BRING ...........................................................8H LIZ FARRELL COLUMN ...............................................10H From The Blah Blahs to the Guessers, here’s a field guide for the people you might see at Heritage.

LUKE DONALD AND HARBOUR TOWN .................12H The former world No. 1 will try yet again for that elusive tartan jacket.

LIST OF COMPETITORS IN THIS YEAR’S FIELD ...13H HARBOUR TOWN GOLF LINKS HOLE-BY-HOLE ............................................................14H JAY KARR jkarr@islandpacket.com

10 WHO CAN WIN ........................................................17H ALL ABOUT THOSE PLAID JACKETS .....................20H Shipped from Scotland, bolts of the special “Heritage Plaid” are turned into jackets for winners and a select few dignitaries.

RBC Heritage 2016 champion Branden Grace is applauded as he tries on his tartan jacket during an award ceremony after the final round last year. Grace is one of our “10 who can win” picks this year. See the story on 17H.

FORMER CHAMPIONS IN THIS YEAR’S FIELD ................................................23H

RECAP OF 2016 TOURNAMENT...............................25H

FOUND IN A THRIFT BIN ...........................................21H A tournament tartan jacket — with the original owner’s name stitched inside — is retrieved from a clothing drive.

S.C. GOLFERS IN THIS YEAR’S FIELD .....................23H LAST YEAR’S SCORES.................................................24H

HERITAGE THROUGH THE YEARS..........................26H From its humble beginnings on a just-completed course in 1969, the Heritage has grown into Hilton Head Island’s premier annual event.

PERFECT FIT? ...............................................................22H Getting the right size jacket to the winner takes a keen eye and some quick thinking.

CHAMPIONS LIST........................................................24H

10 GREAT HERITAGE MEMORIES ............................28H

RECORD BOOK ............................................................24H

HONOR ROLL OF PAST CHAMPIONS ...................30H

PARKING AND TICKET INFORMATION WILL CALL Will call is located alongside the ticket office in the parking lot to Harbour Town Golf Links, centralizing all last-minute sales, pickups and distribution of tournament badges.

A picture ID is required to pick up your tickets, but a ticket is not required to ride RBC Heritage shuttles to Harbour Town. Will call is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. all week.

PARKING Free general parking is located at the Hilton Head Island schools complex, 70 Wilborn Drive on the island’s north end. There will be no parking at the Coastal Discovery Museum, which remains a staging area for Hurricane Matthew debris removal.

No general parking is located inside Sea Pines Resort except for handicap parking, which requires

a hangtag from Sea Pines security. Only vehicles with tournament-issued hangtags, Sea Pines residents and Sea Pines vacation renters will be able to park inside Sea Pines.

Shuttle service between the schools complex and Harbour Town Marina will be offered continuously, starting at 6:30 a.m. and running until 9:30 p.m.

For patrons living or staying on the south end, shuttle service is available from Coligny Circle to a special dropoff near Harbour Town. Parking in Coligny Plaza is available on a first-come, firstserved basis.

Spectators riding the shuttles will not be permitted to take prohibited items on the buses.

Complimentary bicycle parking is available inside Sea Pines at the tennis courts next to the Harbour Town clubhouse parking lot, as well as

near the 13th green at 16 Baynard Park Road. Owners are responsible for locking their own bicycles.

All cyclists must have a tournament ticket or volunteer badge to be admitted through the Sea Pines gates.

Bicyclists may enter Sea Pines at the Ocean Gate on South Forest Beach Drive or the main gate on Greenwood Drive Find a parking and shuttle bus map and list of allowed items on Page 8H. TAXIS & UBER During tournament hours, taxis and Uber rides can pick up and drop off passengers only in front of the Harbour Town Bakery, across from the Gregg Russell Playground.

Once the day’s play is completed, Uber drivers will be able to pick up passengers at locations around Harbour Town Golf Links. Taxis will continue to be stationed at Harbour Town Bakery.

SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOW US ON TWITTER For Twitter updates from the tournament, follow us at @JeffShain, @IPBG_Stephen, @ThatsLauderdale, @elizfarrell, @MandyMatney, @WadeGLivingston and @GrahamCawthon. Be sure to use #RBCHeritage in your tweets.

FOLLOW US ONLINE For updates throughout the day from the course and social media during all four rounds, go to http://bit.ly/RBC-Heritage

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TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE THURSDAY First round, all day Morning tee times range from 7:20 to 9 a.m., with golfers starting from Harbour Town’s first and 10th tees. Afternoon tee times range from 11:50 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

FRIDAY Second round, all day Morning tee times range from 7:20 to 9 a.m., with golfers starting from Harbour Town’s first and 10th tees. Afternoon tee times range from 11:50 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

DELAYNA EARLEY dearley@islandpacket.com

Jason Day hits his ball from the fairway of the 2nd hole during the final round of the 2016 RBC Heritage.

TOURNAMENT GLANCE What: 49th RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing When: April 13-16 Where: Harbour Town Golf Links, Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Island Par: 36-35—71 Yardage: 3,549-3,550—7,099 Format: 72 holes, stroke play Course designer: Pete Dye, in consultation with Jack Nicklaus 2016 Champion: Branden Grace Past champions: Davis Love III (5), Hale Irwin (3), Johnny Miller (2), Hubert Green (2), Tom Watson (2), Fuzzy Zoeller (2), Payne Stewart (2), Stewart Cink (2), Boo Weekley (2), Jim Furyk (2), Arnold Palmer, Bob Goalby, Jack Nicklaus, Graham Marsh, Doug Tewell, Bill Rogers, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Greg Norman, David Edwards, Bob Tway, Loren Roberts, Nick Price, Glen Day, Jose Coceres, Justin Leonard, Peter Lonard, Aaron Baddeley, Brian Gay, Brandt Snedeker, Carl Pettersson, Graeme McDowell, Matt Kuchar

Field: 132 players Total prize money: $6.5 million Winner’s share: $1.170 million Playoff: If necessary, a sudden-death playoff will begin at the 18th hole, moving to the 17th hole if still tied.

Title sponsor: Royal Bank of Canada Presenting sponsor: Boeing Tournament director: Steve Wilmot Harbour Town director of golf: John Farrell Course superintendent: Jon Wright TV: Thursday-Friday, 3 to 6 p.m. (Golf Channel); SaturdaySunday, 1 to 2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3 to 6 p.m. (CBS) PGATour.com live streaming: Thursday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (featured groups); 3 to 6 p.m. (featured holes) Radio: Thursday-Friday, noon to 6 p.m.; SaturdaySunday, 1 to 6 p.m. (PGA Tour Radio on SiriusXM and PGATour.com)

SATURDAY Third round, all day Tee times run from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., depending on how many participants make the cut. All golfers will begin on the first tee, unless weather alters plans.

Plaid Nation Day, Noon to 2 p.m.

Contests on the Heritage Lawn between the 17th and 18th holes, along with chances to win prizes and 2018 RBC Heritage tickets.

Concert on the Heritage Lawn, about 8 p.m.

Whitley Deputy and the B-Town Project will entertain ticketholders.

SUNDAY Sunrise Service, 7:30 a.m.

The service will take place on the 18th green and features a local minister, music and non-

DELAYNA EARLEY dearley@islandpacket.com

Bill Haas putts his ball on the green of the 9th hole during the second round of the 2016 RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing.

denominational prayer.

Easter Egg Hunt, about 8:30 a.m.

A free event allows young egg hunters to root around the Heritage Lawn for colorful

prizes from the Easter Bunny.

Final round, all day Tee times run from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with all golfers starting on the first tee.

SPECTATOR INFORMATION AUTOGRAPHS A player may not sign autographs until his round is completed, except at his option while play is suspended.

Autographed items are limited to a size of 8 1⁄2 inches by 11 inches. Clipboards are not allowed.

CAMERA POLICY Cameras are allowed at Harbour Town for practice rounds and pro-ams Monday through Wednesday. They are not permitted during tournament play.

MOBILE DEVICES Please silence your mobile devices. Calls are permitted only in designated areas. No video recording is allowed at any time.

Violations may result in

confiscation of the mobile device or removal from the tournament. Be respectful of play.

JUNIOR ADMISSION Youth ages 15 and younger receive free admission to the RBC Heritage when accompanied by a ticketed adult.

MERCHANDISE TENT The Official Merchandise Pavilion is located between Nos. 1 and 9 in front of the Heritage Expo Village.

METHODS OF PAYMENT Cash must be used at all concession stands. Credit cards, travelers checks and cash are accepted in the clubhouse, Heritage Pavilion, merchandise

tent, shared hospitality venues and ticket office.

ATMS ATMs are located at the tournament’s merchandise tent and on the Heritage Lawn.

BLEACHERS Bleachers are located throughout Harbour Town Golf Links. Access is on a first-come, first-served basis and is free for all spectators.

Wheelchair accessible viewing areas are located at the 13th, 15th, 17th and 18th greens.

CONCESSION STANDS Concession stands are located near the following areas: seventh tee, eighth green, ninth tee, 10th fairway, 13th green,

Trophy presentation, after play The presentation of the champion’s trophy and tartan jacket takes place on the 18th green.

15th green and the Heritage Expo Village between Nos. 1 and 9.

Food and beverages also are available for purchase at the Heritage Pavilion and inside the clubhouse.

The Michelob Ultra 19th Hole (Heritage Lawn) and Wine@Nine (between Nos. 1 and 9) offer cocktails for spectators who are of legal drinking age.

FIRST AID First aid can be accessed between the 15th green and 16th tee. If the need for medical assistance should occur, please notify the nearest RBC Heritage volunteer.

LOST AND FOUND Lost and found is located in the will call/ticket office located in the clubhouse parking lot.

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I THINK HE WILL WIN MANY MORE TOURNAMENTS, BUT WHETHER HE DOES OR NOT, WE AS A FAMILY WILL BE FINE. Brittany Kisner wins in 90 tries on the PGA Tour.

He said Furyk hit a great putt to win it “and hats off to him.”

DAVID LAUDERDALE dlauderdale@islandpacket.com

The snapshot: Kevin Kisner gets some face time with daughter, Kate, and wife, Brittany, as his mother, Christy Kisner of Aiken, looks on. He was coming off the 18th green after sinking a birdie putt to tie Jim Furyk in the 2015 RBC Heritage.

Buoyed by family, Kisner rises through PGA ‘grind’

BY DAVID LAUDERDALE

dlauderdale@islandpacket.com

The snapshot shows only a split second.

But it reflects three generations of hopes and dreams — with the deep valleys and rare high peaks — when life swirls around a fickle, dimpled golf ball.

I was standing behind

the 18th green at Harbour Town Golf Links. Sun sparkled off of Calibogue Sound, dotted with boats on Sunday afternoon as the last group of PGA Tour pros were finishing the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing in April 2015.

The snapshot was of people I did not know but emotions we all feel.

Kevin Kisner had just birdied the 18th hole to pull into a tie with popular tour veteran Jim Furyk. As he headed by the skyboxes and a two-hole playoff, he was greeted by his family.

In the shapshot, he’s a 31-year-old father bent

face-to-face with his 10month-old daughter, Kate, who was perched on her mother’s hip. Brittany Kisner is beaming. Her smile is huge, like she was born smiling. Christy Kisner, Kevin’s mother, is to the side, adoring what she is seeing, as a TV camera pushes in closer.

And in an instant the golfer in red and black has disappeared to seek his fortune.

He would birdie the 18th hole again, but so would wily old Furyk, with his 16 tournament wins, including the U.S. Open.

They would go the par-3

17th hole to try again to find a champion. It would be Furyk, who slid a 12putt into the cup for birdie. He showed rare emotion. It was his first win in more than four years.

Afterward in the media tent, Kisner would speak of his highlights — a 64 on Sunday on the PGA Tour, including a birdie on the treacherous 14th hole.

Maybe he could play on the biggest stage.

“The way I played 18 both times, I mean that’s just what you dream about, and that’s what I worked so hard for,” he said. “I hit every shot just like I wanted to coming down the stretch, and that’s all you could ever ask for.”

He left with a nice paycheck of more than $600,000 but still no

WILL TO WIN Christy Kisner says it’s a unique experience traveling with a teenage boy to weekend golf tournaments and cutthroat competition.

That was her role for a number of years, and she still calls walking the ropes on the PGA Tour intense. She and her husband, Steve, don’t usually try it together.

They raised Kevin at Woodside Plantation in Aiken. He spent all summer playing golf, often with older boys who were good golfers, and he showed early and often a strong will to win. They still tell stories in the clubhouse about Kevin telling the older men he could sink a putt and was willing to put a dollar on it. He was 5.

He played all-star baseball, sometimes on the same day as a youth golf tournament. “He was a ball hog in basketball,” his mother says, and he took charge in soccer games as well.

The South Aiken High School Thoroughbreds won two state golf titles when Kisner was there, and he went on to become the University of Georgia’s first four-time AllAmerican, captain of a national championship team and two-time member of SEC Academic Honor Roll. In the snapshot, he’s wearing the Bulldogs’ colors, black

pants and a red shirt. He reads the football recruiting blogs daily. He’s a friend of football coach Kirby Smart.

Kevin and Brittany met not long before he graduated in 2006. It was at a Kinchafoonee Cowboys concert at the Georgia Theatre in Athens.

She grew up in one of the beautiful old homes that line Main Street in Madison, Ga., the town that even William Tecumseh Sherman couldn’t bring himself to burn. Her father, Stan DeJarnett, was the school superintendent.

“We truly could ride our bikes anywhere,” she said.

“It was like Mayberry.”

When she and Kevin were married in Athens in 2012, she knew what she was getting into.

“I don’t think people realize what a grind golf is,” he told me.

STRONG FINISH Brittany got a master’s degree in speech-language pathology from the Medical University of South Carolina and worked with special-needs children at a hospital in Augusta.

On weekends, she was part of Kevin’s world on minitours with names like Hooters and Tarheel, and then on the bigger Web.com Tour. She saw him miss his card to play on the PGA Tour by a single stroke in qualifying school. She saw him make it to the big show, then have to drop back down, and then get back up.

SEE KISNER, 8H

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don’t worry about it, I’ll get you there.’ That’s when I said, ‘Get me there while I can still walk it.’ ” When they walked into my snapshot, Kevin stood 254th in the world, and 2015 had not been good to him.

But he would make it into three playoffs that year, including the dazzling duel with Rickie Fowler in the Players Championship, a “surreal experience” for his mother to watch from the ropes on Mother’s Day. And he won the RSM Classic on St. Simons Island, Ga., late in what turned out to be a magical year. This time, little Kate

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“I wouldn’t trade those years for anything,” she said. “It gives perspective.

Golf brings the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. It’s just a fickle game. You have to be prepared for that.”

Kevin’s mother said no one ever lost hope in him.

“I guess I’m his best fan,” she said, “but I call a spade a spade.”

Maybe that’s like the story she told Augusta Chronicle sports editor John Boyette in a profile story before his first trip to the Masters in 2016.

“We’ve never had tickets and I always loved going,” Christy told Boyette. “He said, ‘Mom,

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DELAYNA EARLEY dearley@islandpacket.com

Kevin Kisner reacts after making his putt on the green on the 18th hole and tying with Jim Furyk during the final round of the 2015 RBC Heritage.

HARD WORK Kevin and Brittany are expecting a second child in September.

He went into the Masters last week ranked 37th in the world and 18th in FedEx Cup standings. He had three top-10 finishes this year, including another second place, good for $1.6 million. His lifetime earnings have now top $10 million.

“He really does want to be the first South Carolinian to win the Heritage,” Brittany said.

He calls it the grass he grew up on, and it’s a place where both her family and his can come and enjoy a week together.

She’s an officer in the PGA Tour Wives Association and says they’re working on a nice community project for next year when the Heritage turns 50.

She said one of the things that attracted her to Kevin was that he is a hard worker.

“You teach them that anything is possible if you work hard,” Christy said.

“To see your children have some kind of success is justification for what you’re doing. You just have to keep on keeping on. I just kept telling Kevin he could do it. It’s nice to see him have some satisfaction and some success.”

Today, Kevin, Brittany and Kate travel together to about 80 percent of his tournaments.

They have remodeled an old home on the Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken.

“It’s our forever home,” Brittany said.

“I think he will win many more tournaments, but whether he does or not, we as a family will be fine.”

Where to park Tournament spectators can park at the Hilton Head Island public school complex or the Coligny Beach parking lot. Buses will then shuttle them to Harbour Town in Sea Pines.

Buses run from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. .

was able to run to him on the 18th green.

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Bicyclists can enter at Ocean Gate Bike parking

What you can bring Tournament officials have released this list of items that are allowed during tournament play.

6”

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12”

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Small purses

6”

Diaper (or medical) bag

Clear 12” plastic bag

Collapsible chairs (NO CASE)

Portable radios with headsets

One, Binoculars one-gallon, (NO CASE) clear plastic re-sealable bag

Note: All spectators are subject to search SOURCE: RBC Heritage

Umbrellas (NO CASE)

Staff

File

David Lauderdale: 843-706-8115, @ThatsLauderdale

This year spectators heading to the RBC Heritage will park at the Hilton Head Island school complex located on Wilborn Road on Hilton Head, rather than Honey Horn, to board buses for the tournament.

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RBC Heritage

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DELAYNA EARLEY dearley@islandpacket.com

A marshal holds up a “Quiet” sign at the RBC Heritage last year. The Blah Blah doesn’t care, though. Who is The Blah Blah? He has something to say — usually about how he knows everything about golf — and he continues to say it loudly despite context clues, such as the giant signs that say “QUIET” and the silent friends around him who are now pretending not to know him.

A field guide for people you might see at Heritage

BY LIZ FARRELL

lfarrell@islandpacket.com

The organizers of the RBC Heritage Presented

by Boeing PGA Tour golf tournament clearly didn’t find that suggestion box I

left for them last year.

The one with the single piece of paper in it from my personal stationery stash that had some, if I do say so myself, very wise and pertinent information on how to improve the week.

Either that or they ignored my ideas because, from what I understand, there will still be golf involved.

And RBC Heritage is still, apparently, being

presented by Boeing and not Bravo TV. And I have seen no news releases about how, this year, each hole at the Harbour Town Golf Links will be covered by wraparound couches, soft blankets and stacks of books that we can all read until it gets dark while an army of baristas makes sure every sip we take of our lattes is immediately replaced with caramel sauce.

Maybe next year.

But not all hope is lost.

The RBC Heritage tournament is hardly about the golf. I mean, obviously it’s “about the golf,” but it’s also the social event of the year, and it’s hands-down one of the best places to people-watch on Hilton Head Island.

As people-watching is my second-favorite hobby — doing nothing and talking to no one is obviously my first — I will now share with you a few of the species you should be on the lookout for next week.

The RBC Heritage Presented by Bravo TV Even Though They Did Not Agree to That At All’s

People-Watching Field Guide for 2017, which, unlike its bird-watching cousin-books, does not recommend binoculars because that could go really wrong really fast considering the fine line between “people-watching” and “staring” and “people-watching” and just being a class A creep who should not have left the house even: Here are the people you might see at Heritage ...

The Blah Blah: He has something to say — usually about how he knows everything about golf — and he continues to say it loudly despite context clues, such as the giant signs that say “QUIET” and the silent friends around him who are now pretending not to know him. All of this should have indicated to him that even he, the King of Magical Sounds, is required to zip it for a second. Field note: Expert watchers know to wait until The Blah Blah gets verbally humiliated by the marshals before they consider this a successful spotting.

The Noah’s Arkers: You will find them walking in twos, usually carrying matching travel seats and wearing fanny packs, which are not coming back in style no matter what you think you heard on the “Today” show.

The White Pants Oopsy: The White Pants Oopsy had high hopes when she left her home this morning even though this fashion choice never works out for her despite it looking so great for the first 15 minutes. Now that she has a splash of Bloody Mary and someone else’s hot dog mustard on there and now that both stains have spread a little because of the frantic soaprubbing in the Royal Flushroom, which is not at all equipped for this sort of the thing, The White Pants Oopsy is just going

to have another drink, a hot dog of her own and pretend that her mother wasn’t right when she told her that some girls, cough, simply aren’t graceful enough to wear white.

The Guesser: This guy is fun. Listen closely. He’s about to “predict” where the ball is going just as it’s so very clearly headed in that direction.

The Similars: You will encounter the brightly colored Similars only in groups of four or more.

They are all wearing Lilly Pulitzer and tan wedges.

They tend to stand in circles. Sometimes they take selfies. Two of them are named Kayla. They’re kind of bored.

The Left Behind: The Left Behind is confused because it’s 7 p.m. and no one told him he was napping in Harbour Town.

Where did all his friends go? Why is his face on backward? Is Heritage already over? Is daydrinking over now that it’s dark? Man. ... Field note: Do not look at The Left Behind for too long. He will ask to use your phone and then for a ride to a street he can’t remember the name of.

The Pale Streaky Oucher: When her friends asked her yesterday, “Did you put sunscreen on?” The Pale Streaky Oucher replied, “No, but thanks for reminding me!” right before quickly and inefficiently covering her arms, shoulders and legs in SPF 30 and leaving the tube at home. Today she is candy-striped with a chinshaped white patch on her neck. But she wore the strapless dress anyway because it was $140, and she picked it out weeks ago.

The Fit Bitters: Out of the way! They’re almost at 10,000 steps.

Liz Farrell: 843-706-8140, @elizfarrell

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Staff file

Luke Donald hits the ball on the fairway at No. 18 in 2013 during the final round of the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing at Harbour Town Golf Links at Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island. Donald tied with Kevin Streelman for third place in the tournament.

Graeme McDowell won.

After 4 times as runner-up, could it be Donald’s year?

BY JEFF SHAIN

jshain@islandpacket.com

Believe it or not, there was a time when Luke Donald and Harbour Town Golf Links didn’t get along all that well.

Donald’s first three starts at what’s now the RBC Heritage Presented

by Boeing resulted in two missed cuts and a tie for 69th, so the English pro called a timeout.

“I just gave it a little break,” Donald said with a smirk. “Put it in the naughty chair, over in the corner.”

Four years off the schedule must have had some sort of effect. Returning in 2009, a runnerup finish sparked a run that has seen Donald among the top three in six of the past eight years.

At the same time, one type of frustration has replaced the other. Not one of those six top-3 finishes has been a victory.

Four have been runnerup finishes, ranging from a playoff loss to Brandt Snedeker in 2011 to Brian Gay’s 10-shot romp in 2009 in which Donald just happened to head the “B” flight. Two more editions have left Donald in third.

Is there any sort of naughty chair for being a tease?

“It’s tough to win out here,” Donald said stoically. “Our fields are very deep.”

That proved itself again last year, when Donald took a one-shot lead into the final day and 11 golfers no more than four shots back. One of those was Branden Grace, who got off to a sizzling start, posted a 5-under-par 66 and took home the jacket.

Donald shot 71 to finish with a share of second.

Again.

It marked the third time the former world No.1 held the 54-hole lead at

Staff file

Luke Donald watches his shot out of the greenside bunker on No. 18 last year during the final round of the 48th annual RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing golf tournament at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island. Donald, who led after three rounds, ended up in a tie for second place with Russell Knox, two strokes behind tournament champion Branden Grace.

Harbour Town, and the third time he’s fallen short. In fact, the last three times he’s taken a lead into the final round of a PGA Tour event have all come alongside the waters of Calibogue Sound.

“You know I’d like to turn those into a win,” he said.

For the record, Donald’s run of futility still has a way to go before approaching any sort of record. That belongs to Jack Nicklaus, who was Canadian Open runner-up seven times without winning. Phil Mickelson has finished second in six U.S. Opens, the only void keeping him from a career Grand Slam.

That doesn’t necessarily make things any less frustrating. Though Donald hasn’t necessarily played poorly on Sundays, he’s been found spinning his wheels while others have zoomed past.

In 2011, Snedeker stormed from six shots back with a 64, forcing Donald to make clutch par saves at Nos. 17 and 18 just to force a playoff.

They matched birdies the second time through Harbour Town’s iconic 18th,

. ......................................................

Most runner-up finishes in a PGA Tour event 7: Jack Nicklaus, Canadian Open 6: Phil Mickelson, U.S. Open 5: Payne Stewart, Honda Classic 5: Jack Nicklaus, Doral Eastern Open 5: Greg Norman, Western Open *4: Luke Donald, RBC Heritage *Donald is one of 14 players with four runner-up years at an event .......................................................

then pars at the par-3 17th.

A third trip through No.18, though, left Donald in a greenside bunker and unable to salvage par. The outcome denied Donald a chance to ascend to No.1 in the world rankings, though he’d get there a month later.

SEE DONALD, 13H

RBC Heritage

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2017 HERITAGE PARTICIPANTS Mark Anderson, Aaron Baddeley, Blayne Barber, Ricky Barnes, Brooks Blackburn, Zac Blair, Jonas Blixt, Jason Bohn, Steven Bowditch, Dominic Bozzelli, Keegan Bradley, Scott Brown, Wesley Bryan, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Chad Campbell, Rafael Campos, Patrick Cantlay, Roberto Castro, Bud Cauley.

Alex Cejka, Greg Chalmers, K.J. Choi, Stewart Cink, Chad Collins, Ben Crane, Bryson DeChambeau, Graeme DeLaet, Luke Donald, Jason Dufner, Ken Duke, Ernie Els, Harris English, Matt Every, Derek Fathauer, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Jim Furyk, Tommy Gainey, Robert Garrigus.

Brian Gay, Lucas Glover, Fabian Gomez,

Branden Grace, Bill Haas, Adam Hadwin, James Hahn, Brian Harman, Tyrell Hatton, David Hearn, Russell Henley, J.J. Henry, Jim Herman, Charley Hoffman, Morgan Hoffmann, Billy Horschel, Charles Howell, Mark Hubbard, John Huh. Billy Hurley III, Yuta Ikeda, Ryo Ishikawa, Freddie Jacobsen, a-Cheng Jin, Andrew Johnston, Sung Kang, Martin Kaymer, Jerry Kelly, Michael Kim, Chris Kirk, Kevin Kisner, Patton Kizzire, Russell Knox, Jason Kokrak, Kelly Kraft, Matt Kuchar, Anirban Lahiri, Martin Laird.

Danny Lee, Marc Leishman, Spencer Levin, David Lingmerth, Luke List, Andrew Loupe, Davis Love III, Shane Lowry, Hunter Mahan, Peter Malnati, Steve Marino, Ben Martin, Graeme

McDowell, William McGirt, Troy Merritt, Bryce Molder, Francesco Molinari, Grayson Murray, Kevin Na. Geoff Ogilvy, Ryan Palmer, Rod Pampling, C.T. Pan, Pat Perez, John Peterson, Carl Pettersson, D.A. Points, J.T. Poston, Ian Poulter, Chez Reavie, Kyle Reifers, Sam Saunders, Ollie Schneiderjans, John Senden, Webb Simpson, Vijay Singh, Cameron Smith, Brandt Snedeker, J.J. Spaun.

Kyle Stanley, Shawn Stefani, Brett Stegmaier, Robert Streb, Brian Stuard, Daniel Summerhays, Hudson Swafford, Hideto Tanihara, Nick Taylor, Vaughn Taylor, Michael Thompson, Tyrone Van Aswegen, Harold Varner III, Camilo Villegas, Johnson Wagner, Boo Weekley, Danny Willett. a-denotes amateur

Staff file

Luke Donald holds up his golf ball to the crowd after finishing the 18th hole during the last day of the Verizon Heritage Tournament on April 19, 2009. Donald tied for second place, losing the tournament to Brian Gay.

Staff file

Luke Donald reacts after his chip shot for birdie to force a playoff with Matt Kuchar misses on No. 18, during the final round of the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing in 2014 at Harbour Town Golf Links in Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island. Donald ended up one shot behind tournament champion Matt Kuchar.

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DONALD “I knew what was on the line, and I had to wait another month until I won at Wentworth,” Donald recalled. “Having it so close and not being able to close the deal, that was a little bit stinging.”

Likewise, Matt Kuchar also shot a Sunday 64 to

wipe out a four-shot deficit against Donald. That result was a little more sudden, with Kuchar holing a bunker shot at the 18th to nip the Englishman by a stroke.

Last year, Grace’s 66 made up a three-shot margin. Donald shot 71, unable to card even one

birdie on Harbour Town’s back nine. Afterward, he joked that he needed to figure out how to nestle himself two or three shots behind the leader heading to Sunday.

Grace, for one, thinks Donald may have a point.

“I think it might help,” the defending champ said. “You know there is a lot of trouble around every corner, pretty much. You can go out there and try to be too safe sometimes, and that’s going to cost you at the end.”

Said Donald: “Winning is never easy from the front. But if you gave me the opportunity right now, I’d still take it.”

Sunday disappointment notwithstanding, Donald still gets more good vibes from Harbour Town than bad. It’s a course where precision is rewarded over power, which plays into the short-hitting Donald’s strengths.

“Obviously, it’s not a course you can overpower,” Donald said.

“It’s a positional course, and I think that’s good for me. The easiest way to gain strokes on the field is often to hit it far, but you don’t need to hit it far that week.”

That said, he has no explanation why they got off to such a rocky start.

“Everyone told me it was going to be a good course for me, but for some reason I didn’t perform very well,” he said. “I seem to have figured it out that last six or seven years.”

For Donald, there’s really only one outcome left. Maybe the ninth time in this run will end in tartan.

Jeff Shain: 843-706-8123, @jeffshain

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RBC Heritage

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HARBOUR TOWN GOLF LINKS HOLE-BY-HOLE: 1-6 HOLE NO. 1

HOLE NO. 2

HOLE NO. 3

Yardage: 410 Par: 4 Handicap: 11 Key: Drive it straight. Easy starting hole can be made difficult by clipping a branch along the narrow chute from the tee box.

Yardage: 502 Par: 5 Handicap: 13 Key: Stay left off the tee box.

There’s no hope of reaching an otherwise accessible green in two shots from the right side of the fairway because a tree hidden from view from the tee box can come into play.

Yardage: 469 Par: 4 Handicap: 9 Key: Drive to the middle of the fairway makes for a straight-forward approach to a green guarded on the left by a bunker and on the right by a large tree.

HOLE NO. 4

HOLE NO. 5

HOLE NO. 6

Yardage: 200 Par: 3 Handicap: 15 Key: Classic risk-reward hole, particularly when the pin is cut on the front left of the green. Go for that pin only at your own peril.

There’s plenty of bail out available to the right.

Yardage: 549 Par: 5 Handicap: 5 Key: If you want to hit the green in two, you’ve got to keep it left but avoid a fairway bunker that swallows wayward drives. The green is well-guarded and cants left to right.

Yardage: 419 Par: 4 Handicap: 3 Key: Carry the fairway bunker to the right for the best angle to an open green.

Big hitters can play more safely to the left. The green tilts heavily from back to front.

RBC Heritage

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HARBOUR TOWN GOLF LINKS HOLE-BY-HOLE: 7-12 HOLE NO. 7

HOLE NO. 8

HOLE NO. 9

Yardage: 195 Par: 3 Handicap: 17 Key: Sand surrounds this hole, but the real key is avoiding tree branches that will deflect wayward shots.

Lots of tee boxes give officials plenty of options, but the far right box has been all but abandoned during recent Heritage play.

Yardage: 473 Par: 4 Handicap: 1 Key: The most difficult hole on the course also usually ranks as one of the most difficult on the PGA Tour. You must hit it long and right off the tee to have an approach unmolested by trees, bunkers and lagoons on the approach shot.

Yardage: 332 Par: 4 Handicap: 7 Key: Position your drive on this short hole to the side of the fairway opposite the side of the green to which the pin is cut. The approach requires precision to avoid a bunker in front and a pot bunker in the rear.

HOLE NO. 10

HOLE NO. 11

HOLE NO. 12

Yardage: 451 Par: 4 Handicap: 12 Key: The landing area appears wide, but only a shot to the left or middle affords a straighton approach to a well-guarded green.

Yardage: 436 Par: 4 Handicap: 6 Key: A straight drive is essential to avoid trees and water lurking on both sides of the fairway. A well-bunkered green becomes even more difficult to hit from the right side of the fairway, from which a tree near the front right of the green will have to be negotiated.

Yardage: 430 Par: 4S Handicap: 8 Key: Reaching the dogleg from the tee box is imperative to par, but the challenge doesn’t end there. Bunkers and a severe dip essentially bisect the green and make your target landing area about half the size it appears from the fairway.

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RBC Heritage

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HARBOUR TOWN GOLF LINKS HOLE-BY-HOLE: 13-18 HOLE NO. 13

HOLE NO. 14

Yardage: 373 Par: 4 Handicap: 10 Key: The drive must be to the right side of the fairway to avoid overhanging trees on the approach. The hole is short but demands precision.

Yardage: 192 Par: 3 Handicap: 18 Key: Aim for the middle of the green.

Water in front and at right and a deep pot bunker at the rear make this the prudent choice. This hole became a lot more difficult after an additional tee box was added before the 2001 tournament.

HOLE NO. 15

HOLE NO. 16

Yardage: 585 Par: 5 Handicap: 4 Key: Stay to the middle of the fairway.

Bunkers, water and waste areas abound to swallow all but the best-placed shots.

This green used to be next to impossible to hit in two, but in recent seasons, PGA Tour golfers have succeeded more often.

Yardage: 395 Par: 4 Handicap: 14 Key: Stay off the beach. The fairway dogleg is well-guarded, and the former waste area along the left of the fairway was converted to a conventional bunker before the 2006 Heritage, making a tee shot there more perilous.

HOLE NO. 17

HOLE NO. 18 Yardage: 472 Par: 4 Handicap: 2 Key: Aim your tee shot for the famed lighthouse to perfectly position your shot on the widest fairway on the PGA Tour. The approach still will be long and tricky, with the green tucked close to the water and bunkers guarding the front and back.

Yardage: 174 Par: 3 Handicap: 16 Key: Gauge the wind. It can mean a three-club difference off the tee when it blows in your face or at your back and can make alignment difficult when it quarters.

— HOLE-BY-HOLE IMAGES COURTESY OF HOLE VIEW

RBC Heritage

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PHELAN M. EBENHACK AP

Tyrrell Hatton, of England, watches his tee shot on the first hole during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament on March 19 in Orlando, Fla. Hatton will make his first appearance at RBC Heritage this year.

10 WHO CAN WIN

A list of players who can keep my streak of predictions alive

BY JEFF SHAIN

jshain@islandpacket.com

OK, my turn. And with a little bit of pressure to not drop the ball.

Logistical issues precluded me from inheriting this space last year, though I’m going to claim a certain amount of credit for tipping Wade Livingston off to Branden Grace.

Though not a familiar name to the casual golf fan, he came to Harbour Town as the second highest-ranked player in the field.

Anyway, Grace won.

And if Luke Donald had converted his 54-hole lead, we were covered there, too. That makes three consecutive years that the tartan jacket has been draped around the shoulders of someone on this list.

Before that, just three of the previous 10 attempts had picked the winner.

Can I make it four straight? Let’s just say I have experience doing this.

For the better part of 10 years, I’ve been picking tournaments for an online outlet called Prime Sports Network. Five selections, two alternates (hey, WDs happen), every week — whether it’s the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the RBC Heritage, the Shriners Hospitals Open or the Masters.

Admittedly, Dustin Johnson was making me look good before Augusta.

But I’d also nailed such lesser-known winners as Brendan Steele (Safeway Open), Hudson Swafford (CareerBuilder Challenge) and Russell Henley (Shell

Staff file

Russell Knox putts his ball on the 9th hole during the final round of the 2016 RBC Heritage.

Houston Open). It’s documented.

Conversely, I’ll also acknowledge that after becoming a little smitten with Bryson DeChambeau following last year’s fourth-place tie, he brought me no satisfaction the rest of 2016. I’m on the Jon Rahm bandwagon now, but he’s not here this week.

Ten picks? That’s a little more freedom than I’m used to. Or as fickle as we know golf can be, I may have just set myself up for ridicule. Here goes...

LUKE DONALD Heritage scoring average: 69.73 (11 starts) Best finish: 2nd (2009, 2011, 2014, 2016) 2016 finish: 2nd Why plaid suits him: There are horses for every course, and Donald fits the bill at Harbour Town like no one except perhaps five-time champ Davis

Love III once did. Whether he’s No.1 in the world rankings or threatening to fall out of the top 100, the English pro finds a comfort zone as soon as he drives through the Greenwood Gate. The only question is whether he can close the deal. At some point, you have to think he will.

JIM FURYK Heritage scoring average: 69.79 (17 starts) Best finish: Win (2010, 2015) 2016 finish: Did not play Why plaid suits him: A wrist injury prevented Furyk from defending his crown a year ago, but he showed he was fully recovered a few months later when he was runner-up at the U.S. Open and shot a historic 58 in Hartford. He isn’t shy, either, about SEE SHAIN, 18H

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RBC Heritage

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SHAIN saying Harbour Town is his favorite course on the PGA Tour schedule. Like Donald, Furyk’s strength is precision over power.

Not exactly a sizzling start to 2017, but he can get well here.

BRANDEN GRACE Heritage scoring average: 68.38 (2 starts) Best finish: Win (2016) 2016 finish: Win Why plaid suits him: Friends told the South African when he received his first RBC Heritage invitation that Harbour Town would suit his game, and they were spot-on.

Grace has broken par in all but one round he’s played at Harbour Town, and last year’s secondround 74 didn’t stop him from winning the tartan jacket. None other than countryman Ernie Els told him he’d become a multiple winner here. OK, one jacket down...

BILL HAAS Heritage scoring average: 71.31 (12 starts) Best finish: 14th (2016) 2016 finish: 14th Why plaid suits him: It’s a bit of a mystery why it’s taken so long for this former FedExCup winner to crack the top 15 at Harbour Town, considering he plays the same precision game that has worked for Donald, Furyk and Grace.

But trends are definitely pointing in the right direction. Last year also brought his first top-10 finish in a major (Open Championship), and he recently took third at the WGC Dell Match Play in Austin.

TYRRELL HATTON Heritage scoring average: First appearance Best finish: N/A 2016 finish: N/A

Why plaid suits him: Consider Hatton as this year’s version of Grace, without much of a profile on these shores but a world ranking that can’t be ignored. The English pro is playing his first extended schedule in the United States and already has a trio of top-10s to secure PGA Tour membership for the rest of this year and next. It also sent him to Augusta National at No.15 in the world rankings — up 106 spots from a year ago.

RUSSELL HENLEY Heritage scoring average: 71.58 (4 starts) Best finish: 6th (2013) 2016 finish: 23rd Why plaid suits him: The Charleston resident and former Georgia Bulldog is rising after victory in Houston, where a closing 65 pushed him past Rickie Fowler and Sung Kang. Putting is his strong suit, an advantage anywhere but perhaps moreso at places that don’t give power the advantage. He’s probably best known for winning his PGA Tour debut at the 2013 Sony Open in Hawaii — another place with small greens.

CHARLEY HOFFMAN Heritage scoring average: 70.92 (7 starts) Best finish: 6th (2013) 2016 finish: 14th Why plaid suits him: The Las Vegas pro isn’t necessarily the dice roll he was in his younger days, finding better consistency and more time on leaderboards. He took a twolead into Harbour Town’s final day in 2013 and was one shot behind Donald last year. In both cases, though, he ballooned Sunday. He’s had a decent run in the past couple of months, with a share of

Staff file

Charley Hoffman lines up his ball on the green on the 9th hole during the first round of the 2016 RBC Heritage.

fourth at Riviera and tie for second at the Arnold Palmer.

KEVIN KISNER Heritage scoring average: 70.64 (4 starts) Best finish: 2nd (2015) 2016 finish: 69th Why plaid suits him: The Aiken native’s playoff loss to Furyk two years ago gives him the distinction as the man who came closest to becoming the first South Carolinian to win his home-state event. After two more playoff losses before getting that first PGA Tour victory, he endured a long hangover in 2016 before starting to rise again.

Kisner went to Augusta with four top-11 finishes in 2017, including runner-up at the Arnold Palmer.

RUSSELL KNOX Heritage scoring average: 69.33 (3 starts) Best finish: 2nd (2016)

2016 finish: 2nd Why plaid suits him: Coming off his best season, the Scotland native shows the potential to be a horse for Harbour Town.

Each of his three visits has resulted in a top-20 finish, also including a share of ninth in his 2014 debut.

Statistical oddity: Two of his four worst rounds at the RBC Heritage came last year, and he still finished with a share of second. Though he’s scuffled a little bit in recent months, I have a hunch Knox gets well here.

MARC LEISHMAN Heritage scoring average: 71.45 (7 starts) Best finish: 9th (2013) 2016 finish: 30th Why plaid suits him: Needing more than a year to get his equilibrium back after nearly losing his wife to toxic shock syndrome, Leishman has been a model of consistency all the

Staff file

Marc Leishman tees off on the 12th hole during the second round of the 2013 RBC Heritage.

way back last fall. Just two of his past 10 starts have finished outside the top 25, and he recently won the Arnold Palmer Invitational for his second

PGA Tour victory. And if the breezes kick up at Harbour Town, there are few better wind players than the Aussie.

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RBC Heritage

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Everything you’ve ever wondered about the Heritage jackets

BY KELLY MEYERHOFER

kmeyerhofer@islandpacket.com

W

atch the closing ceremony of the RBC Heritage golf tournament this year.

Not to find out who won. Not to listen to the winner’s speech. Not even to see the shiny trophy.

Watch it for the jacket.

“If you look really closely, it doesn’t fit him perfectly,” said Heritage Classic Foundation

spokeswoman Angela McSwain.

For the few hours when all eyes are on the winner, he wears the iconic red tartan plaid jacket. But it’s not his to keep.

After the tournament ends, a coat is made specifically for the winner.

The jacket temporarily bestowed upon him by a representative of Boeing, the tournament’s presenting sponsor, is one of usually three or four backups — what Heritage officials call “locker stock” — that hang on plastic hangers in a locked storage closet at Heritage Classic Foundation headquarters in the Sea Pines Shopping Center.

A year passes, and another tournament begins.

Foundation officials move the jackets to the tournament office trailer in the Harbour Town Golf Links parking lot during competition week.

The jacket rack remains untouched until the 18th hole when a staffer, depending on which golfer is leading, plucks one or two coats off the hanger and has it ready for closing ceremonies.

The “locker stock” is never discontinued, meaning champions of the same coat size share not just the distinction of being a Heritage tournament winner, but also, for a few brief moments, the very same plaid jacket.

HOW DO I GET ONE? It’s the most common question Heritage Classic Foundation president Steve Wilmot said he fields about the plaid jackets he and other board members wear at Heritage-related events.

“You got to win it,” he tells them.

The most frequent followup question Wilmot receives — Can I get a picture with you wearing it? — is one that he happily obliges.

Winning the Heritage is the most widely known way to acquire the jacket, though it isn’t the only path to plaid.

Between last year’s tournament and this one, at least 18 jackets were cut, said Dennis Jaworski, president of Palmettoes, a clothing and accessories shop in the Sea Pines Shopping Center, which oversees construction of the coats.

So who else gets the coveted plaid jackets?

Amateur golfers who pay to compete in the pro-am event, held earlier on during tournament week, can earn a tartan jacket if they have competed in the event for 20 or more years. As of 2017, 10 amateurs have received such

DELAYNA EARLEY dearley@islandpacket.com

Heritage plaid differs from Royal Stewart plaid in that the Heritage design has one fewer yellow bar.

distinction, McSwain said.

Having certain business connections to the tournament could also help you secure a Heritage jacket. All new board members of the Heritage Classic Foundation receive a jacket. So do sponsor representatives, McSwain said.

There’s also a political path to a plaid jacket.

Become governor of South Carolina or mayor of the town of Hilton Head Island, and you’ll receive a jacket.

At the Statehouse in Columbia a couple of weekends ago, Wilmot presented a Heritage coat to Gov. Henry McMaster, who took over gubernatorial duties in late January for Nikki Haley after her appointment as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Some state senators, Wilmot noted, inquired about the jacket after the presentation.

“Here, people know the jacket and what the tartan stands for,” he said.

“Around the state, it’s not as recognized.”

(But now) it’s starting to get truly recognized like the green at Augusta,” Wilmot continued, referring to the jacket that winners of the annual Masters golf tournament receive.

RBC Heritage

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The Council of the Scottish Tartan Society accredited the plaid on Jan. 1, 1970.

TARTAN MANIA Simon Fraser, nephew of Sea Pines founder Charles Fraser, was a high school junior in 1969, the first year of the Heritage.

He remembers the first Heritage jacket was a yellow gold, not canary yellow, as some news outlets have reported.

Although Fraser couldn’t recall specifics of how the yellow color was chosen, he said it lasted only a couple of years.

Mary Fraser, Charles’ wife, decided to make the coat more festive, he continued. She thought the red plaid pattern would be fun and tie into the sport’s Scottish heritage.

Besides, he added, “The yellow gold jackets were not very attractive.”

Led by Mary Fraser, the early organizers asked Kinloch Anderson to design the tartan plaid.

The Scottish company’s slogan, according to its website, is “Tartan Mania!” Based in Edinburgh, the Scottish capital, the business sells kilts, ties, jackets, trousers, capes, scarves, stoles, skirts, blouses and accessories. The company also sells fabric by the meter or in ribbon form.

But don’t bother requesting any item of clothing to be made in Heritage plaid.

The Council of the Scottish Tartan Society accredited the plaid on January 1, 1970, and Fraser said it was a year or two later that the plaid jackets debuted at the tournament. This means the Heritage fabric is — and never was — available to the general public.

Originally called “Hilton Champion,” the name of the fabric was changed to “Heritage Plaid” on September 5, 2000.

Kinloch Anderson sells tartan plaid in in fabric options that include velvet, tweed, wool and silk. The Heritage jackets are wool, but it’s not a heavy coat by any means.

NO ONE HAS WON MORE HERITAGE JACKETS THAN DAVIS LOVE III, WHO WON HIS FIRST IN 1987 AND HIS FIFTH IN 2003.

DELAYNA EARLEY dearley@islandpacket.com

Dennis Jaworski, owner of Palmettoes in Sea Pines Resort, stands for a portrait with one of the Heritage plaid jackets in his store on Monday, April 3, 2017, on Hilton Head Island.

CONSTRUCTING THE COAT Shipped from Scotland, the 54-inch wide fabric bolts are housed in Steve Wilmot’s office on 71 Lighthouse Road.

To get the fabric from his office, however, requires a key that can only be used when a new coat needs to be cut.

“It’s a storage closet, but we call it the vault,” Jaworski said. “That is a protected piece of fabric.”

It’s also an expensive piece of fabric: A bolt of Heritage plaid costs about $2,800.

Each coat requires four to 4 1⁄2 yards of fabric, depending on the size.

Roughly 15 jackets can be cut from a bolt of fabric, he said.

Laying out the fabric and cutting out the pattern pieces take about an hour. Each size has a different pattern. Patterns for women are shorter in length and have a trimmer cut.

The pattern cutting is a job only

kmeyerhofer@islandpacket.com

Simon Fraser, nephew of Sea Pines founder Charles Fraser and a Heritage jacket

Jaworski does.

“I’m the only one that touches the fabric here,” he said.

A spokesperson for the winner of the Heritage tournament typically supplies Jaworski with the golfer’s measurements. Others who receive the coat, such as the mayor or a new Heritage Classic Foundation board member, stop by the store to have measurements taken.

Jaworski sends the cut pattern pieces via U.S. mail or UPS to the Sewell Company in Bremen, Ga. There, a worker in the sample tailor shop machine sews the coat and lining, which Jaworski described as an “olive drab” color. A center vent is cut

on the backside. Two buttons, always tortoise and supplied by Sewell, are sewn by hand, along with other finishing details.

The entire sewing process, a tedious task that requires precision in matching up plaid lines on the different coat segments, takes about 12 hours.

Palmettoes pays a set price, $400, per coat for the labor and trims. Alterations, if needed, are done by hand in Palmettoes.

Jaworski’s involvement in supplying the suit jackets goes back two decades.

Since Palmettoes opened in 2007, the store has overseen the sewing stages. Before that, Jaworski owned another shop in Sea Pines, Acorn, which handled the coat construction from 1997 until the store’s closing in 2007.

“We supply the fabric,” said Jaworski. “We make $0 on it. We do this as a pet project. The event generates a lot of business for us.”

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Heritage Plaid Jackets | By the Numbers:

$2,800

Cost of one bolt of Heritage plaid fabric

Garage sale goers, your next great treasure could be a Heritage jacket

BY KELLY MEYERHOFER

THE THREAD COUNT FOR HERITAGE PLAID IS: RED (88), BLUE (6), BLACK (12), LIGHT TAN (4), BLACK (4), LIGHT TAN (4), BLACK (20), RED (10), BLACK (4), RED (6), WHITE (4).

owner for 28 years, says he knows most of the people who possess the plaid coat.

So he recalled being baffled when he spotted a collegeaged student sporting the

2

Tortoise buttons sewn on front

tournament’s tartan jacket about four tournaments ago.

He asked the student — one of his son’s friends — if he could take a look at it.

A real Heritage jacket has its owner’s name stitched into the lining of the back collar, he explained.

Sure enough, a name he recognized was stitched inside, though he declined to share it with The Island Packet

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Hours of sewing to make a single coat

11

Full-time Heritage Classic Foundation staff with keys to the locked closet

and The Beaufort Gazette, saying only that the original owner is deceased.

“Where’d you find this jacket?” he asked the young man.

It had been retrieved from a donation bin of some sort — a bargain box, a church clothing drive — Fraser said, adding he couldn’t remember the particular explanation his son’s friend offered.

But he said the college stu-

dent graciously gave the jacket back to the Heritage Classic Foundation without being asked.

“He didn’t realize how big of a deal it was,” Fraser said.

The coat is now in storage at the foundation’s offices, he said.

Kelly Meyerhofer: 843-706-8136, @KellyMeyerhofer

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JACKETS COPYCAT COUTURE Turn on the Golf Channel a month after the Heritage and you will see the winner of the Dean & DeLuca Invitational presented with an almost-identical red tartan jacket.

Played every May in Fort Worth, Texas, at the Colonial Country Club, the professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour has a plaid history that runs deeper than Harbour Town’s Heritage tournament.

Except for a few years in the late 1960s when winners received a navy jacket, the Royal Stewart has been a fixture of the Colonial tournament since 1952, said Dean & DeLuca tournament manager Dennis Roberson.

Like the Heritage plaid, the fabric is wool and imported from Scotland.

But the design isn’t Heritage plaid, Roberson said.

Nor is it custom designed, he added.

The pattern, Royal Stewart tartan, is often made into scarves and other festive accessories around the Christmas season.

The Royal Stewart tartan served as the basis of the Heritage plaid design, said McSwain, the Heritage spokeswoman. The difference, however, is the Heritage plaid has one less yellow bar compared to the Royal Stewart design.

The PGA of America, which bills itself as the world’s “largest working sports organization, comprised of more than 28,000 dedicated men and women promoting the game of golf,” also had a historical connection to plaid.

From 1977 through 1990, the Florida-based organization offered red tartan plaid jackets to its Executive Committee volunteers, said Bob Denney, the organization’s historian.

Denney couldn’t confirm whether the red plaid was Royal Stewart tartan. He said there was no reason the plaid was discontinued, noting that tournament officers now wear a navy blazer with a PGA seal on the left pocket.

As styles change over the years, will the Heritage plaid suffer a similar fate?

That’s not planned for the 50th anniversary of the Heritage tournament next year. It hasn’t even been discussed among board members, said Wilmot, the Heritage Classic Foundation president.

“The whole theme — get your plaid on, plaid nation — that’s what we’re about,” he said.

Kelly Meyerhofer: 843-706-8136, @KellyMeyerhofer

FILE Staff photo

Boo Weekley puts on a tartan jacket after winning the 2007 tournament.

Sizing up the winner takes sharp eye

BY KELLY MEYERHOFER

kmeyerhofer@islandpacket.com

The Heritage plaid jacket isn’t a one-size-fits-all coat.

When golfers descend on the 18th hole of the last day of the RBC Heritage golf tournament, one staffer has the particularly nervewracking task of selecting the closest-sized plaid jacket among a rack of a few for the winner to wear.

The sizes of the current men’s backup jackets: 40, 42, 44 and 46, all regular; and 42 and 46 in large, said Heritage Classic Foundation spokeswoman Angela McSwain.

Some of those coats, however, are for Heritage Classic Foundation board members and Boeing sponsor representatives, so McSwain said there are only three or four extras available for the winner, and the remaining sizes change from year to year.

Sometimes, there is no

“right” fit.

Take, for example, golfer Boo Weekley, who chipped his way to his first PGA victory in 2007.

“My jacket was the only one we took out to closing ceremonies and the only one he tried,” said Heritage Classic Foundation president Steve Wilmot.

There was no need for a staffer to scramble for a coat large enough to fit Weekley’s frame.

“Like me, he’s a husky petite,” joked Wilmot, who is 6 feet tall and wears a 44-regular jacket size.

Weekley borrowed Wilmot’s jacket for the closing ceremonies and news conference.

While the pro golfer fielded questions from reporters, Weekley stumbled across something Wilmot had left behind in the jacket pocket: a handful of fortune cookies left over from the Tuesday pro-am draw party.

Wilmot said he wears his

plaid jacket only on the Tuesday of the tournament, the same day of the draw party when pro-am amateurs find out which professional they are paired with for play the next day.

Wilmot couldn’t remember if Weekley cracked open the fortune cookies or what joke he told him afterward, noting that the tournaments tend to run together after working 30 of them since 1986.

But he and other Heritage Classic Foundation officials couldn’t recall any other instance when one of the backup jackets didn’t fit a tournament winner.

“We’ll get them through the ceremony, let’s put it that way,” Wilmot said.

“No matter the stature — tall, short — we’ll get you a jacket.”

The more common conundrum, he said, is a clash of colors. Winners’ golf attire is often pastels, which don’t match well with a red tartan plaid.

“We prefer (the winner) to wear a solid white or dark shirt,” Wilmot said.

“That’s not always the case today.”

Carl Pettersson wore a grass green Polo when he won in 2012. Graeme McDowell wore an orange zip-up vest when he won in 2013. And Brian Gay sported pale yellow pants when he won in 2009.

Weekley — a man with blue-collar roots whose speech is peppered with “ain’ts” and who wore camouflage pants on golf courses earlier in his career until other tournament directors intervened — faced no difficulty with his wardrobe on April 17, 2007.

The red shirt he put on the morning of the final day of the tournament matched the plaid jacket he won that afternoon.

Kelly Meyerhofer: 843-706-8136, @KellyMeyerhofer

ti

RBC Heritage

THURSDAY APRIL 13 2017 ISLANDPACKET.COM BEAUFORTGAZETTE.COM

23H

Champs return to Harbour Town STAFF REPORTS

newsroom@islandpacket.com

These former Heritage champions are back to seek another tartan jacket: AARON BADDELEY A Heritage starts: 12 A Won: 2006 A Top-10 finishes: 4 A Tournament scoring average: 70.17 A 2016 finish: 9th STEWART CINK Heritage starts: 17 A Won: 2000, 2004 A Top-10 finishes: 4 A Tournament scoring average: 70.45 A 2016 finish: MC A Staff file

Beaufort native Mark Anderson hits his tee shot on No. 12 during the 2010 Heritage pro-am.

13 with ties to SC compete in Heritage STAFF REPORTS

newsroom@islandpacket.com

This week, 13 RBC Heritage entrants will attempt to become the first golfer with South Carolina connections to win the state’s only PGA Tour event.

MARK ANDERSON A Palmetto roots: Beaufort native; college golf at South Carolina A Turned pro: 2009 A PGA Tour wins: None A Best RBC Heritage finish: 13th (2012) SCOTT BROWN Palmetto roots: Lives in North Augusta; college golf at USC Aiken A Turned pro: 2006 A PGA Tour wins: 1 A Best RBC Heritage finish: 5th (2014) A

WESLEY BRYAN A Palmetto roots: Columbia native; college golf at South Carolina A Turned pro: 2012 A PGA Tour wins: None A Best RBC Heritage finish: First start TOMMY GAINEY A Palmetto roots: Grew up in Bishopville; now lives in Camden A Turned pro: 1997 A PGA Tour wins: 1 A Best RBC Heritage finish: 3rd (2011) LUCAS GLOVER Palmetto roots: Greenville native; college golf at Clemson A Turned pro: 2001 A PGA Tour wins: 3 A Best RBC Heritage finish: 7th (2008) A

BILL HAAS Palmetto roots:

A

Greenville native A Turned pro: 2004 A PGA Tour wins: 6 A Best RBC Heritage finish: 14th (2016) RUSSELL HENLEY Palmetto roots: Charleston resident A Turned pro: 2011 A PGA Tour wins: 3 A Best RBC Heritage finish: 6th (2013) A

MORGAN HOFFMANN Palmetto roots: Former International Junior Golf Academy student A Turned pro: 2011 A PGA Tour wins: None A Best RBC Heritage finish: 9th (2015) A

KEVIN KISNER A Palmetto roots: Aiken native A Turned pro: 2006 A PGA Tour wins: 1 A Best RBC Heritage

finish: 2nd (2015) BEN MARTIN A Palmetto roots: Greenwood native; college golf at Clemson A Turned pro: 2010 A PGA Tour wins: 1 A Best RBC Heritage finish: 3rd (2014) WILLIAM MCGIRT Palmetto roots: Boiling Springs resident; college golf at Wofford A Turned pro: 2004 A PGA Tour wins: 1 A Best RBC Heritage finish: 9th (2014, 2016) A

SAM SAUNDERS Palmetto roots: Arnold Palmer’s grandson played college golf at Clemson A Turned pro: 2009 A PGA Tour wins: None A Best RBC Heritage finish: Three MCs A

KYLE STANLEY Palmetto roots: College golf at Clemson A Turned pro: 2009 A PGA Tour wins: 1 A Best RBC Heritage finish: 33rd (2016) A

JIM FURYK Heritage starts: 17 A Won: 2010, 2015 A Top-10 finishes: 7 A Tournament scoring average: 69.79 A 2016 finish: DNP

Staff file

Boo Weekley reacts to a missed putt on No. 8 during the 2008 Heritage.

Weekley went on to win.

A

BRIAN GAY Heritage starts: 16 A Won: 2009 A Top-10 finishes: 2 A Tournament scoring average: 71.33 A 2016 finish: MC A

BRANDEN GRACE Heritage starts: 2 A Won: 2016 A Top-10 finishes: 2 A Tournament scoring average: 68.38 A 2016 finish: Win A

MATT KUCHAR Heritage starts: 13 A Won: 2014 A Top-10 finishes: 4 A Tournament scoring average: 70.26 A 2016 finish: 9th A

DAVIS LOVE III Heritage starts: 28 A Won: 1987, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2003 A Top-10 finishes: 11 A

Tournament scoring average: 70.26 A 2016 finish: 59th A

GRAEME MCDOWELL Heritage starts: 7 A Won: 2013 A Top-10 finishes: 1 A Tournament scoring average: 71.25 A 2016 finish: MC A

CARL PETTERSSON Heritage starts: 14 A Won: 2012 A Top-10 finishes: 3 A Tournament scoring average: 70.87 A 2016 finish: 81st A

BRANDT SNEDEKER Heritage starts: 11 A Won: 2011 A Top-10 finishes: 1 A Tournament scoring average: 71.21 A 2016 finish: MC A

BOO WEEKLEY Heritage starts: 10 A Won: 2007, 2008 A Top-10 finishes: 3 A Tournament scoring average: 70.18 A 2016 finish: 39th A

24H

RBC Heritage

THURSDAY APRIL 13 2017 ISLANDPACKET.COM BEAUFORTGAZETTE.COM

2016 FINAL LEADERBOARD

THE HERITAGE RECORD BOOK

At Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island; purse: $5.9 million; yardage: 7,099; par: 71. Note: FedEx Cup points in parentheses FINAL Branden Grace (500), $1,062,000.....................................................66-74-69-66—275 -9 Luke Donald (245), $519,200 ...........................................................66-71-69-71—277 -7 Russell Knox (245), $519,200 ...........................................................72-65-73-67—277 -7 Bryson DeChambeau, $259,600.........................................................70-69-72-68—279 -5 Kevin Na (123), $259,600 .................................................................73-71-66-69—279 -5 Whee Kim (92), $197,650.................................................................71-72-68-69—280 -4 Jason Kokrak (92), $197,650v71-68-68-73—280 -4 Bryce Molder (92), $197,650 ............................................................70-70-73-67—280 -4 Aaron Baddeley (70), $147,500.........................................................71-69-73-68—281 -3 Ricky Barnes (70), $147,500.............................................................71-68-74-68—281 -3 Kevin Chappell (70), $147,500 ..........................................................68-68-75-70—281 -3 Matt Kuchar (70), $147,500 .............................................................67-71-72-71—281 -3 William McGirt (70), $147,500..........................................................69-71-72-69—281 -3 Ernie Els (53), $88,631 .....................................................................72-71-73-66—282 -2 Tyler Aldridge (53), $88,631 .............................................................71-73-67-71—282 -2 Graham DeLaet (53), $88,631...........................................................69-70-72-71—282 -2 Bill Haas (53), $88,631 .....................................................................69-72-69-72—282 -2 Charley Hoffman (53), $88,631v68-68-71-75—282 -2 Si Woo Kim (53), $88,631 .................................................................68-72-71-71—282 -2 Patton Kizzire (53), $88,631 .............................................................69-68-71-74—282 -2 Colt Knost (53), $88,631...................................................................73-70-70-69—282 -2 David Toms (53), $88,631 .................................................................69-73-71-69—282 -2 John Senden (45), $49,729 ...............................................................71-73-74-65—283 -1 Chad Campbell (45), $49,729............................................................71-69-73-70—283 -1 Jason Day (45), $49,729 ...................................................................67-69-79-68—283 -1 Russell Henley (45), $49,729 ............................................................72-67-71-73—283 -1 Morgan Hoffmann (45), $49,729 ......................................................70-69-74-70—283 -1 Charles Howell III (45), $49,729 ......................................................69-75-70-69—283 -1 Chris Kirk (45), $49,729....................................................................72-66-71-74—283 -1 Adam Hadwin (41), $39,235...............................................................71-73-73-67—284 E Marc Leishman (41), $39,235 .............................................................71-72-68-73—284 E Shawn Stefani (39), $36,580............................................................71-71-69-74—285 +1 David Lingmerth (36), $31,172 ........................................................67-71-76-72—286 +2 Chez Reavie (36), $31,172 ...............................................................70-74-71-71—286 +2 Kyle Stanley (36), $31,172 ...............................................................72-70-71-73—286 +2 Will Wilcox (36), $31,172.................................................................72-70-72-72—286 +2 Lucas Glover (36), $31,172 ..............................................................72-67-72-75—286 +2 Zach Johnson (36), $31,172.............................................................71-68-70-77—286 +2 Bronson Burgoon (30), $23,600 .......................................................70-69-74-74—287 +3 Tony Finau (30), $23,600 .................................................................67-73-73-74—287 +3 Luke List (30), $23,600 ....................................................................73-68-78-68—287 +3 George McNeill (30), $23,600 ..........................................................68-70-73-76—287 +3 Johnson Wagner (30), $23,600 ........................................................68-73-74-72—287 +3 Boo Weekley (30), $23,600 ..............................................................70-71-76-70—287 +3 Ben Crane (24), $16,874 ..................................................................74-68-71-75—288 +4 Fabian Gomez (24), $16,874 ............................................................68-76-73-71—288 +4 Jerry Kelly (24), $16,874..................................................................70-69-77-72—288 +4 Spencer Levin (24), $16,874 ............................................................68-74-71-75—288 +4 Ben Martin (24), $16,874.................................................................70-74-74-70—288 +4 Francesco Molinari (24), $16,874 .....................................................69-74-73-72—288 +4 Daniel Summerhays (19), $14,199 ...................................................72-68-80-69—289 +5 Jim Herman (19), $14,199 ...............................................................72-71-73-73—289 +5 Seung-Yul Noh (19), $14,199 ...........................................................72-69-75-73—289 +5 Jason Dufner (15), $13,452 .............................................................76-67-73-74—290 +6 Billy Horschel (15), $13,452.............................................................74-66-74-76—290 +6 Geoff Ogilvy (15), $13,452...............................................................72-69-74-75—290 +6 Ian Poulter (15), $13,452 ................................................................72-72-76-70—290 +6 Mark Wilson (15), $13,452...............................................................72-72-73-73—290 +6 Zac Blair (10), $12,862 ....................................................................69-71-75-76—291 +7 Justin Leonard (10), $12,862 ...........................................................73-71-72-75—291 +7 Davis Love III (10), $12,862 ............................................................73-69-77-72—291 +7 Will MacKenzie (10), $12,862...........................................................73-71-71-76—291 +7 Tyrone Van Aswegen (10), $12,862..................................................72-70-73-76—291 +7 Scott Brown (7), $12,449.................................................................71-73-76-72—292 +8 Vaughn Taylor (7), $12,449..............................................................70-74-75-73—292 +8 Webb Simpson (5), $12,213 .............................................................73-70-75-75—293 +9 Vi ay Singh (5), $12,213...................................................................71-71-75-76—293 +9 Harold Varner III (3), $12,036.......................................................72-70-78-74—294 +10 Jason Bohn (2), $11,859 ................................................................74-69-75-77—295 +11 Kevin Kisner (2), $11,859...............................................................72-71-75-77—295 +11 Derek Fathauer (1), $11,505 ..........................................................71-73-76-76—296 +12 Ryan Palmer (1), $11,505 ..............................................................71-73-76-76—296 +12 Camilo Villegas (1), $11,505 ..........................................................71-72-77-76—296 +12 Steve Wheatcroft (1), $11,505.......................................................72-68-75-81—296 +12 Justin Thomas (1), $11,210............................................................72-70-77-82—301 +17 Made cut-did not finish Andres Gonzales (1), $10,915 ................................................................71-72-78—221 +8 Michael Kim (1), $10,915.......................................................................75-69-77—221 +8 Greg Owen (1), $10,915 ........................................................................72-71-78—221 +8 Nick Taylor (1), $10,915 ........................................................................73-71-77—221 +8 Chris Stroud (1), $10,620 ....................................................................71-73-79—223 +10 Carl Pettersson (1), $10,502 ...............................................................71-69-84—224 +11 Hiroshi Iwata (1), $10,384 ..................................................................71-73-83—227 +14

Best 72-hole score 264: Brian Gay (2009) Best 54-hole score 197: Justin Leonard (2002) Best 36-hole score 129: Jack Nicklaus (1975); Phil Mickelson (2002) Best 18-hole score (any round) 61: David Frost (2nd round, 1994), Troy Merritt (2nd round, 2015).

Best 9-hole scores 28: Craig Barlow (front, 2003), Troy Merritt (back, 2015) Most wins 5: Davis Love III (1987, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2003) 3: Hale Irwin (1971, 1973, 1994) Largest 54-hole lead 8: Tom Watson (1979) Largest 36-hole lead 6: Johnny Miller (1974), Jack Nicklaus (1975), Darren Clarke (2005) Best comebacks After 18: 6 shots, Davis Love III (1987), Graeme McDowell (2013) After 36: 7 shots, Stewart Cink (2004) After 54: 9 shots, Stewart Cink (2004) Low start by winner 62: Peter Lonard (2005) High start by winner 74: Bob Goalby (1970) Low finish by winner 63: Jim Furyk (2015) High finish by winner 75: Peter Lonard (2005) Largest margin of victory 10 shots: Brian Gay (2009) Highest score by a winner 283: Arnold Palmer (1969) Lowest rounds First: 62, Davis Love III (2002), Peter Lonard (2005).

Second: 61, David Frost (1994), Troy Merritt (2015).

Third: 62, Gil Morgan (1995) Fourth: 62, Loren Roberts (1994) Holes in one Richard Crawford (1971), Johnny Miller (1974), Lanny Wadkins (1979), Bob Wynn (1979), Tom Kite (1981), Tom Purtzer (1986), Greg Norman (1990), Bob Gilder (1992), David Edwards (1994), Gil Morgan (1995), Blaine McCallister (1996), Jeff Sluman (1996), Jerry Kelly (2007), Robert Allenby (2008), Ben Curtis (2008), Tommy Armour III (2009), Lee Janzen (2009), Jerry Kelly (2010), Davis Love III (2010), Daniel Summerhays (2011) Low 36-hole cut 142 (even par): 1996, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2015 High 36-hole cut 152 (10-over): 1971 Smallest number making cut 70: 1973, 1976, 1986 Largest number making cut 92: 2013 Most cuts made 24: Hale Irwin 23: Jay Haas 22: Lanny Wadkins Most consecutive cuts made 15: Chip Beck, Fred Funk, Peter Jacobsen Most years played 30: Jay Haas 28: Davis Love III 27: Brad Faxon, Lanny Wadkins Most consecutive years played 30: Jay Haas International winners Graham Marsh (Australia, 1977), Nick Faldo (England, 1984), Bernhard Langer (Germany, 1985), Greg Norman (Australia, 1988), Nick Price (Zimbabwe, 1997), Jose Coceres (Argentina, 2001), Peter Lonard (Australia, 2005), Aaron Baddeley (Australia, 2006), Carl Pettersson (Sweden, 2012), Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland, 2013), Branden Grace (South Africa, 2016).

First-visit winners Arnold Palmer (1969), Bob Goalby (1970), Stewart Cink (2000), Jose Coceres (2001), Boo Weekley (2007).

DELAYNA EARLEY Staff photo

Jim Furyk celebrates after making his putt in the sudden death playoff against Kevin Kisner on the green on the 17th hole during the final round of the 2015 RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing at Harbour Town Golf Links in Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island.

THE CHAMPIONS Past champions at Harbour Town Golf Links and their winning totals:

HERITAGE CLASSIC 1969: Arnold Palmer (283) 1970: Bob Goalby (280)

SEA PINES HERITAGE CLASSIC 1971: Hale Irwin (279) 1972: Johnny Miller (281)* 1973: Hale Irwin (272) 1974: Johnny Miller (276) 1975: Jack Nicklaus (271) 1976: Hubert Green (274) 1977: Graham Marsh (273) 1978: Hubert Green (277) 1979: Tom Watson (270) 1980: Doug Tewell** (280) 1981: Bill Rogers (278) 1982: Tom Watson** (280) 1983: Fuzzy Zoeller (275) 1984: Nick Faldo (270) 1985: Bernhard Langer** (273) 1986: Fuzzy Zoeller (276)

MCI HERITAGE CLASSIC 1987: Davis Love III (271) 1988: Greg Norman (271) 1989: Payne Stewart (268) 1990: Payne Stewart** (276) 1991: Davis Love III (271) 1992: Davis Love III (269) 1993: David Edwards (273) 1994: Hale Irwin (266)

MCI CLASSIC 1995: Bob Tway** (275) 1996: Loren Roberts (265) 1997: Nick Price (269)

1998: Davis Love III (266) 1999: Glen Day** (274) 2000: Stewart Cink (270)

WORLDCOM CLASSIC THE HERITAGE OF GOLF 2001: Jose Coceres** (273) 2002: Justin Leonard (270)

MCI HERITAGE 2003: Davis Love III** (271) 2004: Stewart Cink** (274) 2005: Peter Lonard (277)

VERIZON HERITAGE 2006: Aaron Baddeley (269) 2007: Boo Weekley (270) 2008: Boo Weekley (269) 2009: Brian Gay (264) 2010: Jim Furyk** (271)

THE HERITAGE 2011: Brandt Snedeker** (272)

RBC HERITAGE PRESENTED BY BOEING 2012: Carl Pettersson (270) 2013: Graeme McDowell** (275) 2014: Matt Kuchar (273) 2015: Jim Furyk** (266) 2016: Branden Grace (275) * First two rounds split between the Sea Pines Ocean Course and Harbour Town Golf Links ** Won in playoff

Most years between wins 21: Hale Irwin (1973 to 1994) Oldest winner Hale Irwin, 1994 (48 years, 10 months, 14 days) Youngest winner Davis Love III, 1987 (23 years, 6 days) Longest tournament 77 holes: 2001, 2004 (5 playoff holes) Defending champions who missed cut Tom Watson (1983), Nick Faldo (1985), Davis Love III (1988, 1993), Greg Norman (1989) Top-10 finishes 11: Davis Love III 10: Tom Kite 9: Hale Irwin Best finish by amateur 2nd: Lanny Wadkins, 1970 (284) 3rd: Ben Crenshaw, 1972 (283) Fewest putts, 72 holes 92: David Frost (2005) – PGA Tour record 93: Kenny Knox (1989) Fewest putts, 18 holes 18: Kenny Knox (1989), Blake Adams (2010) – matches PGA Tour record Fewest putts, 9 holes 8: Kenny Knox (1989), John Inman (1994) Sudden-death playoffs 1980: Doug Tewell def. Jerry Pate (1st hole) 1982: Tom Watson def. Frank Conner (3rd hole) 1985: Bernhard Langer def. Bobby Wadkins (1st hole) 1990: Payne Stewart def. Larry Mize, Steve Jones (2nd hole) 1995: Bob Tway def. Nolan Henke and David Frost (2nd hole) 1999: Glen Day def. Payne Stewart and Jeff Sluman (1st hole) 2001: Jose Coceres def. Billy Mayfair (5th hole) 2003: Davis Love III def. Woody Austin (4th hole) 2004: Stewart Cink def. Ted Purdy (5th hole) 2010: Jim Furyk def. Brian Davis (1st hole) 2011: Brandt Snedeker def. Luke Donald (3rd hole) 2013: Graeme McDowell def. Webb Simpson (1st hole) 2015: Jim Furyk def. Kevin Kisner (2nd hole) Career scoring average (at least two career appearances) Player .................rounds .................average Branden Grace ................8 ................68.38 Brad Elder ...................8 ...................69.25 Russell Knox.................12.................69.33 Jordan Spieth................12................69.58 Anthony Kim .................8 .................69.63 Luke Donald.................40.................69.73 Tom Lehman.................56.................69.75 Mike Sposa...................8...................69.75 Jim Furyk ...................62 ...................69.79 Carlos Franco ................12 ................69.83 Troy Merritt .................10 .................69.90 Payne Stewart ...............44 ...............69.95 Heritage career money leaders Player ...................years ...................dollars Jim Furyk ..............17 ..............$3,853,802 Luke Donald ............11 ............$3,063,520 Davis Love III...........28...........$2,651,328 Boo Weekley............10............$2,463,656 Stewart Cink............17............$2,037,638 Matt Kuchar ............13 ............$1,806,005 Aaron Baddeley..........12..........$1,939,767 Carl Pettersson..........14..........$1,590,390 Ernie Els ...............17 ...............$1,381,920 Brian Gay ..............16 ..............$1,349,545 Brandt Snedeker.........11.........$1,285,345 Billy Mayfair ............23 ............$1,270,656 Consecutive rounds in the 60s 9: Nick Price (1996-98) 7: Greg Norman (1994-96), Boo Weekley (2007-08) Consecutive rounds under par 11: Luke Donald (2009-11), Larry Nelson (1985-88*) 10: Nick Price (1996-98) Consecutive rounds par or better 18: Payne Stewart (1984-92*) 17: Ernie Els (2002-07*) * years not consecutive

RBC Heritage

THURSDAY APRIL 13 2017 ISLANDPACKET.COM BEAUFORTGAZETTE.COM

A LOOK BACK AT THE 2016 HERITAGE

Branden Grace claims his first PGA Tour win

LOCAL

FRIDAY APRIL 15 2016

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THE ISLAND PACKET ANOTHER ROUND,

48TH RBC HERITAGE PRESENTED BY BOEING

DONALD, GRACE TIED FOR LEAD

A special edition of

RBC HERITAGE SATURDAY APRIL 16 2016

THE 2-MINUTE RUNDOWN

After the first round of play, Luke Donald and Branden Grace are 5-under. For the full story, go to Sports, 1B.

What you need to know about the day at the Heritage: A THE LEADERS: Jason Day, Charley Hoffman and Kevin Chappell are at 6-under, but 17 other golfers are within three shots of the lead.

ANOTHER TIE

THE 2-MINUTE RUNDOWN

RBC HERITAGE SUNDAY APRIL 17 2016

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FIRST ROUND Though a late bogey kept world No. 1 Jason Day from joining the gathering, a familiar name still graced the top of the leaderboard.

Luke Donald, whose seven previous visits to Harbour Town had resulted in five top-3 finishes, was up there again after a 5-under-par 66 left him sharing the lead with South Africa’s Branden Grace.

“I would obviously love to win this tournament,” Donald said, “and I’ve come very close before. But it’s nice to get off to a good, solid start.”

Day had a chance to join them but bogeyed No.18 after his second shot plugged in a greenside bunker, forcing him to declare an unplayable lie. Three other players joined him with opening 67s, including 2014 Heritage champion Matt Kuchar.

Bryson DeChambeau, making his pro debut after winning the NCAA and U.S. Amateur titles the previous year, was four shots back.

SECOND ROUND Jason Day overcame blustery conditions off Calibogue Sound and his own mental fatigue to move into a share of the lead, joined by Kevin Chappell and Charley Hoffman.

Day shook off an out-ofbounds drive to fashion a 2under-par 69, though the chilly

THIRD ROUND Luke Donald put himself in position to make another run at a tartan jacket, using a 69 to take a one-shot advantage into the final round in the hope that maybe the sixth time in contention around Harbour Town would be the charm.

“Again, I’ve put myself in a great position, and that’s all you can ask,” the former world No.1 said. “Hopefully the chips will fall my way.”

Charley Hoffman (71) and Jason Kokrak (68) were Donald’s nearest pursuers, with nine others within four shots of the English pro.

Not among that list was the standing world No.1, as Jason Day imploded with a 79 — his worst score ever at Harbour Town and fourth-worst anywhere.

“My chipping and putting were nonexistent today,” Day said.

What you need to know about the day at the Heritage: A THE LEADERS: Luke Donald found his way back to the front Saturday at -7, one shot ahead of Charley Hoffman and Jason Kokrak.

WIRE THEY GO

THE BIG NAMES: Zach Johnson stands at -4 and Bryson DeChambeau is five shots off the lead. The biggest name of all, Jason Day, went, in technical terms, kablooey.

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KEY TEE TIMES: Play starts at 8:10 a.m. The leaders tee off at 2 p.m. If you want to watch the No. 1 player in the world instead, Day is paired with Justin Leonard at 10:13 a.m.

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KEY TEE TIMES: Day and Chappell tee off at 2:05 p.m.

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THE BIG NAMES: No. 1 in the world Jason Day (67) is among a group of four only one shot behind. Other notables: Bryson DeChambeau (70), Zach Johnson (71) and Ernie Els (72).

THE WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the 60s most of the day with little to no chance of more rain.

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THE WEATHER: It’s Hilton Head. In April. Just say thank you.

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TV AND WEB: Follow our live blog at islandpacket.com for up-to-the-minute updates throughout the day. The Golf Channel will have coverage from 1-2:30 and CBS will broadcast from 3-6 p.m.

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TV AND WEB: Follow our live blog at islandpacket.com for upto-the-minute updates throughout the day. The Golf Channel will have coverage from 1-2:30 p.m., and CBS will broadcast from 3-6 p.m.

A

KEY TEE TIMES: Johnson, Kevin Kisner and Justin Thomas go off as a group at 12:40 on the 1st tee; they’ll be followed at 12:50 by Davis Love III, Jason Dufner and Matt Kuchar. Day starts at 8:10 on the 10th tee, and Donald begins at 12:20 on 10th tee.

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GOOD TO KNOW: Go USA. Nine of the 12 golfers atop the leaderboard are Americans.

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GOOD TO KNOW: The first group on the course starts at 7:45 a.m.

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THE WEATHER: Strong chance of rain in the morning, and chance of rain hovers around 40 percent all afternoon. Umbrellas, minus their cases, are OK to bring.

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DELAYNA EARLEY dearley@islandpacket.com

A round-by-round recap of the 48th RBC Heritage Presented

by Boeing:

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THE ISLAND PACKET DOWN TO THE

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TV AND WEB: Follow our live blog at islandpacket.com for up-to-the-minute updates throughout the day. The Golf Channel will have coverage from 3-6 p.m. today.

A

jshain@islandpacket.com

Sunny

THE 2-MINUTE RUNDOWN

THE BIG NAMES: Luke Donald remains close at 5-under. Other notables include Matt Kuchar (-4), Bryson DeChambeau (-3) and Zach Johnson (-3).

THE LEADERS: Luke Donald and South African Branden Grace posted 5-under 66s to take the lead going into the today’s second round.

A

DAVID LAUDERDALE dlauderdale@islandpacket.com

BY JEFF SHAIN

HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON

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What you need to know about the day at the Heritage:

Sir Willie the Younger poses with young fans at the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing on Thursday.

conditions seemed to magnify the fatigue he felt after 72 holes at Augusta National the previous week.

“I was standing on the green on 5, and it felt like it took the wind out of my sails a little bit,” the Aussie said. “I started feeling tired behind my eyes and saying to myself, ‘Stop thinking about it, just focus on what you need to do.’

“After I holed the putt, then it kind of went away.”

Both Chappell and Hoffman posted 68s, with three more golfers within two strokes of the lead. Luke Donald and Russell Knox were one shot back, with 2014 champion Matt Kuchar two behind.

25H

RBC Heritage mascot shaves the years away

BY DAVID LAUDERDALE

Do they make plaid diapers?

It looks like we’re going to need them soon for Sir Willie Innes.

The official mascot of the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing is starkly younger this year.

We should be calling him Wee Willie.

PGA Tour fans who have flocked to Hilton Head Island want to know what happened to the Scottish-clad golfer of yore who has roamed the grounds of Harbour Town for the past six years.

Is this his love child? Has the

time machine that invented him in the first place spun out of control?

I asked Sir Willie the Younger himself.

He doesn’t give straight answers.

Well, I take that back.

He asked if I knew why he is now going around advising men to shave with a straight razor.

“It shaves the years right off,” he said.

So there I stood — in line with little girls with plaid bows in pigtails waiting to be photographed with Sir Willie — serving as the straight man for ter-

Golf pro Ben Crane helps pull off Hilton Head prom proposal . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. .

Crane helped Hilton Head Christian senior with prom invite at RBC Heritage . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. .

Kaera Handy said ‘yes’ to Matt Lehman, academy golfer and RBC Heritage volunteer . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. .

TOP STORIES STAY CONNECTED

BY REBECCA LURYE

rlurye@islandpacket.com

Hilton Head Christian Academy senior Matt Lehman led his girlfriend down to the driving range at Harbour Town Golf Links on Thursday and the couple posted up in front of the bleachers.

And then by the golfers’ en-

trance, the fence by the 10th hole, the fence by the driving range, behind the bleachers and in front of them again.

After an hour and a half at the range, one of the slower spots at RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, 18-year-old Kaera Handy was beginning to wonder why she and Lehman didn’t walk somewhere new, though she didn’t say a thing.

rible jokes about straight razors.

I asked the marketing director for the Heritage Classic Foundation who this new Wee Willie is, but Angela McSwain was no help. She said, “He is the spirit of the RBC Heritage.”

We all know who he is supposed to be.

Sir William Innes was the captain of the Society of Golfers at Blackheath in England in 1778. Or so declared Charles E. Fraser of Hinesville, Ga., when he produced the first Heritage golf tournament in 1969 to draw attention to the Sea Pines development he created.

Golf historian Charles Price, the excellent golf writer who helped assemble the first field of the Heritage, joined South Carolina historian George C. Rogers Jr. in producing a book for Fraser. It proved beyond all reasonable doubt that the brand new SEE MASCOT, 11A

GOOD TO KNOW: If you’re thinking of parking at Coligny today, know that the lots there were full by 1 p.m.

Thursday.

A

OPINION

LOWCOUNTRY LIFE

QUOTE OF THE DAY

U.S. needs a better strategy to counter cyberwarfare

Sesame Street has a new resident — an Afghan puppet

To find a man’s true character, play golf with him.

PAGE 10B

PAGE 3C

P.G. WODEHOUSE

SEE PROM, 11A

Business Opinion Classified Features Local

Charley Hoffman, Kevin Chappell also atop leaderboard on Hilton Head Island . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . .. .

Usual contenders hanging around . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .

BY STEPHEN FASTENAU

SCHEDULE TODAY A Donate Life Day: Patrons are encouraged to wear green or blue.

A Second round, all day: Morning tee times begin at 7:20 a.m., with groups sent off both the first and 10th tees.

The afternoon groups will begin at 11:50 a.m.

A Schedule for rest of the week: 11A PAGE 3A What’s inside your purse?

A look at clear handbags

A

And then golf pro Ben Crane turned from his warm-up tee and walked straight toward them.

“Hey, Matt. Hey, Kaera.

How’s Clyde?” the five-time PGA tour winner asked, naming Handy’s beloved dog. After she answered, Crane asked his real question.

“So, will you go to the prom with Matt?”

Handy said she was shocked by the surprise, which Lehman, also 18, had just put together this week after attending Wednesday’s Christian Heritage

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sfastenau@beaufortgazette.com

MORE ON HERITAGE

PAGE 11A Information on parking, what you can bring A Heritage notebook A

SPORTS Bryson DeChambeau makes his pro debut 1B A look at Jason Day’s first round 1B Tee times, leaderboard 2B Leaders’ scorecards 3B

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Jason Day slipped his arms in a gray Adidas pullover and tugged it over his head, warming up after a trying day.

Day likened the Masters last week to a marathon championship fight and was dreading the mental battle he expected Friday at Harbour Town Golf Links with an early tee time and poor weather

BY DAVID LAUDERDALE

Heritage sponsor sales set record

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ONLINE For photos, video, updates and more, go to islandpacket.com/heritage.

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FINAL ROUND Branden Grace became the latest man to deny Luke Donald a tartan jacket, firing a 6-underpar 65 to zoom past the former world No. 1 and claim his first PGA Tour victory.

Grace erased a three-shot deficit with four birdies in his first six holes, then birdied twice more on the back nine to finish two shots ahead of Donald and Russell Knox.

“This week puts the cherry on top of the cake,” said Grace, who already had 10 career wins overseas and a pair of top-5 finishes in majors.

It was a too-familiar ending for Donald, whose runner-up finish was his fourth at Harbour Town, along with a pair of thirdplace finishes. He never really gained any Sunday momentum, closing with an even-par 71.

“Leading doesn’t seem to be working out for me,” said Donald, who has taken 54-hole leads into the final day three times and come up short each time.

Bryson DeChambeau turned in one of the best professional debuts in PGA Tour history with a share of fourth, turning in a Sunday 68.

predicted.

But Day felt conditions were better than expected and he shook off a potential mental meltdown late in the round to grab a share of the lead at 6 under par after two rounds of the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing.

Day fired a second 2under 69, overcoming an out-of-bounds drive on No. 5 to salvage a bogey and shelving a moment threatening to derail his round.

The world’s top-ranked player is 6 under for the tournament and shares the lead with Charley Hoffman and Kevin Chappell headed to the weekend.

“I was standing on the green on 5, and it felt like it took the wind out of my sails a little bit,” Day said.

“I started feeling tired behind my eyes and saying to myself, ‘Stop thinking about it, just focus on what you need to do.’

After I holed the putt then it kind of went away.”

Familiar names will be chasing Day. And some new faces are sprinkled with old.

Luke Donald is 5 under, along with Russell Knox, whose 6-under 65 was the day’s low round. Matt Kuchar, who won in 2014,

Luke Donald tees off on No. 9 during the third round of the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing on Saturday at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island. Donald shot a 69 and is 7-under for the tournament. He leads by a shot entering today’s final round.

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Today’s schedule

Former World No. 1 is just focused on getting back inside the top 50 . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . .

Plaid Nation Day: Patrons are encouraged to wear plaid.

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Third round, all day: Tee times will run from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with all golfers to begin at the first tee.

MORE ON HERITAGE

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Plaid Nation contests, noon: Heritage Lawn, between the 17th and 18th holes, for contests and chances to win prizes, including tickets to the 2017 RBC Heritage

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Concert on the Lawn, approx 8 p.m.: The second annual Saturday night concert features Whitley Deputy and the B-Town Project.

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Sunday’s schedule: 8E

is two shots behind with 36 holes to play.

Hoffman has contended here in the past, with a two-shot lead entering the final round in 2013. He

A talk with Tommy Gainey, who has to sit out the rest of the tournament out due to injury A Leaders’ scorecards

PAGE 3E Profile of one of Friday’s leaders, Kevin Chappell

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has been in the mix in other tournaments this year before fading late.

His final-round scoring

PAGE 6E Volunteers say goodbye to straw hats, hello to blue caps Popularity of fantasy golf on the rise Sports Notebook

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SEE HERITAGE, 3E

TOP STORIES STAY CONNECTED

Bill Wagner has seen the best of times and the worst of times at the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing.

As he retires this year after 12 years as the tournament sales director, he sees the best of times.

Ticket sales are up 5 percent over last year’s record year, when fan visits hit 110,000.

Non-title sponsor sales are up 11 percent over last year’s record. That includes the booked-up skyboxes, hospitality tents, the Calibogue Club venue at the 18th tee, and expo tents in three locations around Harbour

Town on Hilton Head Island.

The retention rate for sponsors was 93 percent this year, compared to a PGA Tour average closer to 60 percent, Wagner said.

“Sixteen of our sponsors collectively total more than 315 years of sponsoring this tournament,” he said.

Wagner said 37 percent of the non-title sponsorship dollars come from Hilton Head Island and Beaufort County. Another 35 percent comes from across South Carolina.

That reservoir of local support helped during the

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PAGE 7E A

YOU HAD TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. MY CAREER HAS ALL BOILED DOWN TO RELATIONSHIPS. Bill Wagner

Has long history of success — but no wins — in Hilton Head’s PGA Tour event . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . .

Others lined up to try and win Sunday at Harbour Town . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . .

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Scoreboard, tee times

PAGE 8E Info on parking, what to bring

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PAGE 1A Using FitBit at Heritage: How to walk 11,000 steps

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BY STEPHEN FASTENAU

sfastenau@beaufortgazette.com

As Luke Donald strode to the 18th green on Sunday, the public address announcer introduced him as the former No. 1 player in the world.

The line might have stung a few years ago, but Donald has accepted his place in the game and is working to improve it.

BY JEFF SHAIN

Donald tries to kick down the door

PAGE 13A tournament’s darkest hours in the recession of 2008 and 2009. After a record year in they 2007, the bottom fell out instantly. Suddenly, fewer businesses could afford a $50,000 skybox or $30,000 hospitality tent.

But in 2011, when the tournament had no title

NATION

OPINION

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Parole recommended for ex-Manson family member

Why the “Clintonism” of the 1990s can’t be revived

Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated.

PAGE 7A

PAGE 14A

ARNOLD PALMER

sponsor, the local sponsorship and ticket sales set at record.

“I really feel that RBC saw that,” Wagner said.

“They had to see that the community and state of South Carolina were behind the tournament. I SEE SALES, 8E

2A Business 15A Lottery Opinion 14A Obituaries 4A 1B Classified 13C Sports Features 3C Puzzles 4C, 6C 5C Local 1B Comics

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Today’s schedule Sunrise Service, 7:30 a.m.: Conducted on Harbour Town’s 18th green, the service features a local minister, music and nondenominational prayer, along with an invited PGA Tour professional. Aaron Baddeley will deliver the sermon this year. For more on parking for the service, see 3E.

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Final round, all day: Tee times will run from approximately 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with all golfers to begin at the first tee.

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2A 11A Lottery 4A 10A Obituaries 8C Sports 1B 3C Puzzles 4C, 6C 3A Comics 5C

JAY KARR jkarr@islandpacket.com

From left, Kevin Chappell chips his ball onto the green of the ninth hole; Jason Day putts his ball on the ninth hole; and Charley Hoffman and the gallery watch his chip shot to the green on No. 15 during the second round of the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing on Friday. . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .

No. 1 Jason Day nears breakdown after shaky hole at Harbour Town

Heritage Notebook

PAGE 1C A full page of Heritage photos

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ONLINE A For photos, video, updates and more, go to

islandpacket.com/ heritage.

TOP STORIES STAY CONNECTED

Now, he’d just like to work his way back into the top 50.

He has a chance Sunday. In tough conditions during the third round of the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, Donald shot a 2-under-par 69 and is 7 under, a shot clear of Jason Kokrak and Charley Hoffman.

Eleven players are within four shots of the lead to start the final round. All are within reach of Donald, whose past three

Trophy presentation, immediately after play: The presentation of the champion’s trophy and tartan jacket takes place on Harbour Town’s 18th green.

MORE ON THE HERITAGE

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54-hole leads have each been at Harbour Town Golf Links. None resulted in victory, however.

He is trying to close this one and certify some of the work on

his game in recent years. No. 1 is in the rear view, at least for now.

man. Knock, knock.

Dig a little deeper, too, and you discover the previous two occasions Donald has taken a lead into the final round came at ... Harbour Town. Two years ago, and before that 2011.

KNOCK, KNOCK. Somebody get the guy a sledgehammer.

“I would love to put that tartan jacket on,” Donald said.

“And again, I’ve put myself in a great position, and that’s all you can ask. Hopefully the chips will fall my way.”

To be sure, Donald is far from the only guy on the leaderboard who’s had to deal with sore knuckles, at Harbour Town or somewhere else.

Hoffman had his chance in 2013, taking a two-stroke lead into the final round in similarly wind-blown conditions. He had those scraggly curls then, setting up one of the classic Heritage

front pages in this publication.

There was Hoffman, locks flowing in the breeze, underneath the headline “Good Hair Day” — right next to a stickynote coupon for Great Clips.

Hoffman got clipped, all right — a final-day 77 that dropped him into a tie for sixth, four shots out of the playoff that crowned Graeme McDowell over Webb Simpson.

Earlier this month, Hoffman led at the midway point of the Shell Houston Open but shot 74-76 on the weekend. Two weeks earlier, he was third after three rounds of the Valspar Championship outside Tampa, then tumbled out of the top 10 with a closing 75.

Knock, knock.

“Struggling is a nice way to put it,” Hoffman said. “I’ve

PAGE 2E A Jason Day goes from top of the leaderboard to 40th. What happened?

A Leaders’ scorecards PAGE 3E Heritage notebook

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SEE WIRE, 3E

PAGE 6E Fashion trend of Heritage so far has been white pants for women Sports notebook

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eep knocking on the door long enough, that adage says, and it’s just a matter of time before you finally break through.

At this point, you’d think Luke Donald might be beyond knocking. For the mild-mannered Englishman, a small explosive might be the implement of choice.

Twice in the past five years, Donald has taken the lead into the final round of the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing. Neither resulted in victory. Nor have the other two opportunities in which he was close enough to make a Sunday run.

And there he was again Saturday, battling gusty Harbour Town winds for a 2-under-par 69, with just one bogey on the back nine. He’ll enter the final round with a one-shot lead over Jason Kokrak and Charley Hoff-

WORLD

LOWCOUNTRY LIFE

QUOTE OF THE DAY

British royal couple invokes nostalgia in visit to Taj Mahal

They’re back: It’s the season for those gross palmetto bugs

I regard golf as an expensive way of playing marbles.

PAGE 7A

PAGE 9C

GILBERT K. CHESTERTON

SEE DONALD, 6E

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PAGE 7E Leaderboard, tee times Info on parking, what to bring

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PAGE 1A Health problems can’t stop 30-year PGA Tour volunteer Charles Perry

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PAGE 3A Local couple proudly promotes the plaid on Plaid Nation Day, plus photos of folks clad in plaid

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PAGE 1C Feeling fashionable for Heritage: A full page of photos

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ONLINE A For photos, video, updates and more, go to islandpacket.com/heritage.

2A Business 6B, 7B Lottery Opinion 13A Obituaries 4A 1B Classified 9D Sports 4C Features 1C Puzzles Local 3A Comics inside

26H

RBC Heritage

THURSDAY APRIL 13 2017 ISLANDPACKET.COM BEAUFORTGAZETTE.COM

TOURNAMENT TIMELINE

Heritage, island grow together STAFF REPORTS

newsroom@islandpacket.com

NOV. 27-30, 1969 THE FIRST TOURNAMENT The first tournament was played Thanksgiving weekend at Harbour Town Golf Links, a just-completed, demanding golf course in middle-of-nowhere Hilton Head Island.

The island had a fulltime population of about 2,000 and four hotels that could accommodate about 300 guests. Brothers Charles and Joe Fraser hoped their creation of the tournament would showcase their emerging yearround golf resort, Sea Pines Plantation.

There was not much else to showcase on the island. There was no harbor at Harbour Town, no shops and no Harbour Town Lighthouse.

“There was nothing down there then. Hell, you’d step on alligators,” said the late golf writer Charles Price, who worked as an adviser to Fraser and Sea Pines during the first few years of the Heritage.

The Frasers named their new tournament the Heritage Golf Classic. It commemorated the re-issue of a charter to the South Carolina Golf Club, which was organized in 1786 and was the first organized golf club in America.

Arnold Palmer won the tournament, ending a personal 14-month victory

drought and helping to put the tournament, Sea Pines and Hilton Head Island on the map.

1970-75 ROOMS WITH A VIEW The villas along the 18th fairway were built in the early 1970s, giving golf enthusiasts views of golfers Johnny Miller and Hale Irwin, who dominated the Heritage in the early part of the decade.

The villas remained a popular vantage point during each year’s tournament.

MARCH 21-24, 1974 A SPRING AFFAIR The tournament moved to a March date, offering a testing ground for the game’s top players preparing for the Masters in Augusta.

Tournament officials penned a network television contract with NBC, gaining national exposure for the event.

MARCH 27-30, 1975 CBS SIGNS ON; SOCIAL SCENE GROWS CBS began broadcasting the tournament. Jack Nicklaus’ play that Thursday and Friday attracted a record crowd of 40,000 despite fears of a fuel shortage caused by the Arab oil embargo.

The tournament was evolving into something more than just a sporting event: “By the late ’70s, the Heritage had become much more than a golf

AP file

Jack Nicklaus blasts from the trap on the 10th green on the way to continuing his lead in the 1975 Heritage Golf Classic on Hilton Head Island. CBS began broadcasting the tournament in 1975. Nicklaus’ play that Thursday and Friday attracted a record crowd of 40,000.

tournament. It had become THE social event of the year in the state, “ wrote former Island Packet sports editor Terry Bunton in his book, “The History of the Heritage 1969-1989.”

APRIL 14-17, 1983 ANOTHER DATE CHANGE The tournament moved to April, the week after the Masters. Hilton Head’s resort businesses, which had come to depend on March as a lucrative month following the slow winter months, were in an uproar about the date change.

To appease them, community leaders created SpringFest, a month-long festival of arts, crafts, food and sporting events.

1986 A NEW FOUNDATION Hilton Head Holdings, the parent company of the Sea Pines Co. and seven other subsidiaries, filed for bankruptcy and threatened to take the Heritage down.

More than $100 million was owed to about 2,000 creditors, many of them local companies. And Harbour Town Golf Links had fallen into disrepair.

The PGA Tour considered pulling the tournament.

A group of community leaders — including former S.C. Gov. John West, Joe Fraser and Sea Pines executive John Curry — set up a nonprofit to take over administration of the tournament and shore up its financial future.

The nonprofit, the Heritage Classic Foundation, soon secured a $1 million

line of credit and a title sponsor in long-distance company MCI. To this day, the foundation runs the tournament, collecting revenue from sponsorships, pro-ams and ticket and concession sales, and distributing it throughout the year to charities and other organizations that have submitted grant requests.

APRIL 14-17, 1988 MUTUAL INSPIRATION Seventeen-year-old Jamie Hutton of Wisconsin was scheduled for a bone marrow transplant the day after the tournament.

But before the leukemia-stricken boy went to the hospital, he went to Harbour Town Golf Links, hoping to see his favorite golfer, Greg Norman, and perhaps even meet his

idol.

He not only met him, but the two formed an instant bond, spending much time together. Norman even chartered a jet for Hutton and his family to return home in, allowing them to stay long enough to watch the final round.

Trailing by four strokes going into the final round, Norman ate breakfast with Jamie, who gave him this simple advice: “Shoot a 64.”

With Hutton following him in the gallery and CBS telling the touching story of his new friend, Norman shot a 66, and that was enough to edge David Frost and Gil Morgan by one stroke.

Norman presented the winner’s trophy to Hutton, SEE TIMELINE, 27H

RBC Heritage

THURSDAY APRIL 13 2017 ISLANDPACKET.COM BEAUFORTGAZETTE.COM

27H

APRIL 17-20, 2014 RETURN OF THE YACHT BASIN Tournament sponsors, yacht owners and party goers took advantage of the newly dredged Harbour Town Yacht Basin.

The privately funded project allowed bigger boats to access Harbour Town and put a prestigious oomph back into the tournament’s sails.

Staff file

The wrath of Hurricane Matthew: The iconic Harbour Town Lighthouse rises above the rubble left by Hurricane Matthew in this photo taken on Oct. 10. Matthew hit Hilton Head as a Category 2 storm in the early morning hours of Oct. 8.

File

Hale Irwin, 48, became the tournament’s oldest winner in 1994 and broke Payne Stewart’s tournament record in the process.

FROM PAGE 26H

TIMELINE who wore a tartan blazer to the closing ceremonies.

art’s tournament record in the process.

1989-90 HISTORIC FINISH Payne Stewart became the tournament’s first back-to-back champion.

He broke the tournament scoring record on the way to victory in 1989, then won again in 1990.

APRIL 18-21, 1996 ANOTHER SCORING MARK Loren Roberts used a Saturday 63 to drop the tournament record another notch, completing 72 holes at 19-under-par 265.

APRIL 14-17, 1994 HISTORIC FINISH II Hale Irwin, 48, became the tournament’s oldest winner and broke Stew-

APRIL 15-18, 1999 A VISIT FROM TIGER 1999 was the only year Tiger Woods played in the tournament, then called WorldCom Classic – The

Heritage of Golf. He finished tied for 18th behind winner Glen Day. Woods’ gallery was the largest in recent history, requiring officials to rerope the course at certain points to spread the crowds out and security personnel to create windows around Woods to stop spectators from getting any closer than 10 feet.

2000 COURSE RENOVATIONS Harbour Town Golf Links, the course where the tournament had been held since the start, closed for months to undergo a $3.5 million renovation.

It included the reworking of tee boxes, bunkers and fairways, the installation of an extensive drainage system and a new strain of Bermuda grass on the greens, making them faster.

2002 SPONSOR WOES The Heritage Classic Foundation dropped WorldCom as its title sponsor after the company declared bankruptcy in the wake of an accounting scandal.

2003-05 OFF YEARS For three straight years, tickets didn’t sell out in advance.

And 2005 was a particularly off year for the tournament. Conditions were unseasonably cold and windy, and none of the biggest names in golf played.

APRIL 16-19, 2009 GAY’S SUNDAY STROLL Brian Gay turned in the most dominating performance in Heritage history, becoming the first man to finish at 20-under par.

That was 10 shots clear of anyone else in the field.

2010-11 VERIZON OUT; RBC AND BOEING IN The tournament lost Verizon as its sponsor.

Gov. Nikki Haley, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and other state leaders set out to save the Heritage, citing the tournament as an iconic S.C. event and an important economic development tool.

In 2011, they convinced Royal Bank of Canada to sign on as the new title sponsor and airplane manufacturer Boeing to become the presenting sponsor.

2015 CLUBHOUSE REBORN Sea Pines’ owner, the RiverStone Group, unveiled the new $23 million Harbour Town Clubhouse to meet the needs of Heritage players and help secure the tournament’s future in Sea Pines. The clubhouse replaced the original one from 1969.

Harbour Town itself underwent another upgrade after the RBC Heritage, tearing out every blade of grass to lay down a fresh covering in late spring. The irrigation system also was replaced with the latest technology.

2016 CHRISTMAS IN JULY, MATTHEW IN OCTOBER Both RBC and Boeing agreed to long-term extensions of their sponsorship deals, securing the tournament’s place through the 2023 edition. With those, the RBC Heritage faces its longest outlook of sponsorship peace.

Three months later, Hurricane Matthew slammed into Harbour Town and the rest of Hilton Head Island on its path up the Eastern seaboard. Though initial reports raised concerns about how long the island would need to recover, all three Sea Pines courses were operational again within a month. Harbour Town lost 268 trees, with Sea Pines importing more than a dozen to replace strategic losses.

28H

RBC Heritage

THURSDAY APRIL 13 2017 ISLANDPACKET.COM BEAUFORTGAZETTE.COM

TOP 10 MEMORABLE MOMENTS

Tourney produces enduring moments on and off course STAFF REPORTS

newsroom@islandpacket.com

10. Davis’ penalty boosts Furyk Former U.S. Open winner Jim Furyk has the precision game tailored for Harbour Town Golf Links. He posted four top-10 finishes from 2003-08, but it took an act of honesty and sportsmanship from another player to vault Furyk to his first Heritage victory in 2010.

On the first hole of a sudden-death playoff, opponent Brian Davis ticked a loose reed with his backswing — an act imperceptible without slow-motion television replay and so slight that Davis himself was not sure he had nicked it. The result was a two-stroke penalty and a win for Furyk.

Davis’ violation cost him a chance at his first PGA Tour victory and a stunning comeback — he had rolled in a clutch 18-footer for birdie on his final regulation hole to catch Furyk and force the playoff.

9. Cink wins playoff amid controversy Stewart Cink came from nine shots back in the final round to win the 2004 Heritage, the biggest comeback on the PGA Tour since Paul Lawrie’s win from 10 down in the 1999 Open Championship. Cink also became the

eighth golfer to win the Heritage more than once.

His win isn’t remembered for either of those things, however.

Cink and Ted Purdy battled in a five-hole playoff that’s tied for longest in tournament history.

After driving into a waste bunker tucked in the turn of a dogleg at the par-4 16th, Cink hit a miraculous wedge shot close to the pin to set up birdie and secure his second tartan jacket.

After the closing ceremonies and unknown to fans, Cink was whisked away to a CBS television production truck to watch replays of his bunker shot.

The legitimacy of Cink’s win was in question after several fans watching on television called the tournament because they suspected him of illegally removing debris from behind his ball and illegally marking the line of his shot or illegally grounding his club in a hazard.

Cink’s victory stood when tournament rules official Slugger White determined he wasn’t guilty of the first offense.

And though Cink did ground his club and remove loose impediments from around his ball, both were allowable because he was in a “waste area” and not a bunker.

8. Kuchar’s bunker shot saves Sunday Coming into the 2014 Heritage, a stretch of three solid weeks of golf

before Harbour Town yielded no victories for Matt Kuchar. Though he was playing well, his Sundays left room for questions.

Kuchar insisted there were no issues with his final-round performances.

Circumstances kept him from victory the previous three weeks, when he shared the lead at each tournament. And so on the Heritage’s final day, after a three-putt from 4 feet on the par-3 17th, when everyone thought the doubt had again sneaked in, he was calm.

Kuchar quieted the doubters with one of the most memorable shots in tournament history, holing out for birdie from the front bunker on No. 18 to complete a 7-under par 64, clipping Harbour Town’s perpetual bridesmaid, Luke Donald, by a shot.

After the shot dropped, Kuchar snapped the cap from his head and feigned throwing it down. He pumped his fist to encourage the fans in the skybox crowing “Kuuuuuch, “ and he gave a CBS camera a thumbs-up.

7. Stewart 1st to win back-to-back titles It was arguably the most dominant stretch by a professional golfer at Harbour Town Golf Links — Payne Stewart, who eschewed the course for five years because of what he deemed poor conditioning, returned to the

Staff file

Matt Kuchar reacts after his chip shot for birdie from the bunker on No. 18 finds the hole to clinch the 2014 championship of the RBC Heritage.

Heritage in 1989 only because Harbour Town would host the seasonending Nabisco Championships later that year.

Stewart broke the tournament scoring record on the way to a win in his return, then won again in 1990 to become the tournament’s first back-toback champion.

In between, Stewart lost a playoff to Tom Kite to finish second in the Nabisco. He then tied for

fourth in the 1991 Heritage.

6. Love’s miraculous chip leads to win Davis Love III was as inconspicuous on the final-round leaderboard of the 2003 Heritage as a four-time champion could be.

He hadn’t led any of the first three rounds and seemed out off contention when his approach on the 18th hole landed well right

of the green. But from 66 feet away, Love chipped in for birdie, setting off a wild celebration and setting up a playoff with Woody Austin.

Love shot a 4-under-par 67 on a day in which, at one point, there was an eight-way tie for first.

An hour after his miraculous shot, Love and Austin arrived back at No. 18 for the third time that day.

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MOMENTS Love pulled off another near miracle — his 6-iron approach hit the flagstick and stopped within feet of the hole. He made an easy birdie, and Austin missed a 19-footer to hand another tartan jacket to Love.

5. Langer models green and tartan Days before arriving at Sea Pines in 1989, Bernhard Langer became the first German to win on the PGA Tour when he won the Masters.

The media had been relentless in the days following Langer’s Masters victory, but he found refuge on the golf course, shooting 68-66-69-70 in his first Heritage appearance since tying for 59th in his 1982 debut.

Langer three-putted just once en route to a green jacket and didn’t threeputt at all on the way to a tartan jacket. He needed a 5-footer for par on the 72nd hole to force a playoff with Bobby Wadkins, who closed with a 68.

On the first extra hole, Wadkins pushed his 8-iron approach into the bunker on the par-4 16th. The ensuing bogey made Langer the only golfer to win the Masters and Heritage in consecutive weeks.

4. RBC, Boeing end year of uncertainty In September 2009, Verizon Business announced it would not renew its sponsorship after the 2010 Heritage, ending a 14-year relationship that began when the company went by MCI. With the economy in recession, finding a replacement was no easy task.

The tournament actually went without a title sponsor in 2011, dipping into its reserve funds to underwrite the prize pool

and other expenses. It was a temporary fix, but even as Brandt Snedeker was crowned champion no one knew if he’d be the last.

Salvation finally arrived two months later, when the Royal Bank of Canada and Boeing teamed up to breathe life into South Carolina’s only PGA Tour stop. The partnership has been so successful, in fact, that both companies signed long-term renewals in the summer.

3. Foundation saves the Heritage In 1986, Hilton Head Holdings, the parent company of the Sea Pines Co., filed for bankruptcy and threatened to take the Heritage down with them.

More than $100 million was owed to about 2,000 creditors. What’s more, Harbour Town Golf Links had fallen into disrepair, and the PGA Tour considered pulling the tournament from the circuit’s smallest market.

That’s when a group of community leaders, including former South Carolina Gov. John West; Joe Fraser, brother of Sea Pines founder Charles Fraser; and Sea Pines executive John Curry formed the Heritage Classic Foundation, a charitable organization that would take over administration of the tournament and shore up its financial future.

The foundation soon secured a $1 million line of credit and a title sponsor in MCI. 2. Norman dedicates win to new friend Seventeen-year-old Jamie Hutton was scheduled for a bone marrow transplant the day after the 1988 Heritage, but before the leukemia-

Staff file

Payne Stewart celebrates his 1989 Heritage win.

AP file

Davis Love III reacts after chipping in for a birdie on 18 to put him in a playoff with Woody Austin during the final round of the 2003 Heritage. Love won the playoff on the fourth hole.

stricken boy went to the hospital, he came to Harbour Town Golf Links hoping to see his favorite golfer, Greg Norman, and perhaps even meet his idol.

As it turned out, he did more than that. The group Thursday’s Child, similar to the Make-a-Wish Foundation, sponsored a trip for Hutton and his family from their home in Wisconsin and arranged for the teenager to meet Norman on Saturday.

The two enjoyed an instant rapport, and although the Huttons had planned to leave town Sunday on a commercial flight, Norman chartered a jet for them so that they could stay long enough to watch the final round.

Trailing by four shots, Norman ate breakfast with Jamie, who gave him this simple advice: “Shoot a 64.” With Hutton follow-

ing him in the gallery and CBS telling the touching story, Norman shot a 66 — enough to edge David Frost and Gil Morgan by a single stroke.

Norman presented the winner’s trophy to Hutton, who wore the tartan blazer of a tournament committee member.

1. The King was the 1st, and still No. 1 John Gettys Smith could barely stand to watch.

With the first Heritage Classic approaching a nail-biting finish on Thanksgiving weekend in 1969, Arnold Palmer threatened to cough up his third-round lead on the tournament’s final day, as lesser names Richard Crawford and Bert Yancey gained ground.

So Smith, the Heritage’s first tournament chairman, stood nervously beside a mucky hole that

would become Harbour Town’s Yacht Basin, kicking dirt clods into the water as Palmer’s group played its way up the final fairway a few hundred yards away.

Just then, Charles Fraser, Sea Pines’ developer, came strolling past. Fraser had commissioned a study on American golf’s South Carolina roots, but Smith said the man that founded the Heritage wasn’t as well-versed in the modern game.

“He asked me, ‘Is something wrong?’ ” Smith recalled. “I said, ‘Do you have any idea that if he wins what a super story it will be ... and what will happen if he loses and the winner is not a superstar?’

“He just said, ‘Oh,’ and wandered away.”

Braving the suspense, Smith made his way to the 18th green for a closer look and watched Palmer

sink a putt to secure the championship.

“Palmer made a putt to take the first Heritage crown and saved us,” Smith said.

There’s no doubt Palmer’s victory underpinned many of the fawning tributes paid to the PGA Tour’s newest event in national publications.

And Palmer’s victory was big news for another reason: Palmer’s career was being written off before he arrived at Sea Pines.

Smith recalled the November 1969 issue of one national golf publication featured a cover story on the King entitled “The End of an Era.” Indeed, after averaging four victories a season over a 13year period, Palmer had gone 14 months without a win — at the time, the longest drought of his career.

So when Palmer led the Heritage wire to wire, it became worldwide news.

Palmer also won the Danny Thomas Diplomat Classic the next week and capped his year by being named the Associated Press Athlete of the Decade, the first professional golfer to win the award.

Harbour Town was ground zero for one of the biggest “feel-good” stories of the year.

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HONOR ROLL: PAST HERITAGE CHAMPIONS 1969 Arnold Palmer Score: 68-71-70-74–283 Earnings: $20,000 A His score of 1-under-par 283 is the highest winning score in tournament history.

A The win was the first of four straight top-10 finishes in the Heritage for Palmer.

A Palmer won 62 PGA Tour events in his career, including seven majors. The Heritage was his 55th win.

1970 Bob Goalby Score: 74-70-70-66–280 Earnings: $20,000 A The win was the 10th of Goalby’s 11 PGA Tour wins, which include the 1968 Masters.

A Goalby’s first-round 74 is the highest opening round by a Heritage winner.

1971 Hale Irwin Score: 68-73-68-70–279 Earnings: $22,000 A The victory was the first of Irwin’s career and the first of his three Heritage wins.

A The 1971 Heritage saw a first: A hole-in-one. Richard Crawford had an ace.

1972 Johnny Miller Score: 71-65-75-70–281 Earnings: $25,000 A The win was the second of Miller’s 25 PGA Tour wins, including the 1973 U.S. Open and the 1976 Open Championship.

A The 1972 Heritage saw a first: Monday play. Saturday’s play was rained out.

1973 Hale Irwin Score: 69-66-65-72–272 Earnings: $30,000 A Irwin became the first to win the Heritage more than once, and his second Heritage victory was also the second win of his career.

A The win was the second of his nine top-10 Heritage finishes, third all-time.

1974

Johnny Miller Score: 67-67-72-70–276

Earnings: $40,000 A The second multi-time winner in as many years, Miller’s two wins were his only top-20 finishes in 12 tries.

A Miller became the first Heritage winner with a hole-in-one, the second ace in Heritage history.

1975 Jack Nicklaus Score: 66-63-74-68–271 Earnings: $40,000 A Nicklaus’ win was one of three in five weeks, including the 1975 Masters two weeks later.

A The victory was one of 73 on the PGA Tour for Nicklaus, third all-time.

1976 Hubert Green Score: 68-67-66-73–274 Earnings: $43,000 A At the time, Green’s fivestroke win tied for the largest margin of victory in Heritage history.

A The Heritage win, the 11th of his 19 PGA Tour wins, was Green’s third in as many weeks.

1977 Graham Marsh Score: 65-72-67-69–273 Earnings: $45,000 A Despite having 70 professional wins, including two senior majors, this was Marsh’s first and only PGA Tour win.

A Marsh, an Australian, became the first foreign-born Heritage winner in his second tournament appearance.

1978

Hubert Green Score: 70-70-70-67–277 Earnings: $45,000 A Green made the cut in 19 of his 23 Heritage appearances.

A The win marked the second straight year the Heritage champion had not held the 54-hole lead.

1979 Tom Watson Score: 65-65-69-71–270 Earnings: $54,000 A The victory was the first of two Heritage wins and one of five wins during the 1979 season for Watson, then the No. 1 player

in the world.

At the time, Watson’s winning score of 14-under 270 was a Heritage record.

A Watson’s 54-hole lead of eight strokes remains the largest in Heritage history.

A

1980 Doug Tewell Score: 69-66-72-73–280 Earnings: $54,000 A The victory was the first of Tewell’s four PGA Tour wins and the first Heritage to go to a playoff. Tewell’s par on the first extra hole was enough to defeat Jerry Pate.

A Tewell made the cut in 19 of his 23 Heritage starts and had four top-10 finishes.

1981 Bill Rogers Score: 71-69-68-70–278 Earnings: $54,000 A The win was the second of Rogers’ six career PGA Tour victories and the first of four in 1981.

A Rogers, who won the British Open and finished second at the U.S. Open that year, was the 1981 PGA Player of the Year.

1982 Tom Watson Score: 69-68-72-71–280 Earnings: $54,000 A It took Watson three playoff holes to defeat Frank Conner, denying Conner what would have been his only PGA Tour win.

A This was the second of Watson’s two Heritage wins and the second of his four wins in 1982, including the U.S. Open and the Open Championship.

1983 Fuzzy Zoeller Score: 67-72-65-71–275 Earnings: $63,000 A The two-stroke victory was the first of Zoeller’s two Heritage wins and the second of his five top-10 finishes.

A The 1983 Heritage was the first in which the defending champion missed the cut. Tom Watson shot 74-76.

A Later in his career, Zoeller would have a streak of eight straight under-par rounds at the Heritage from 1992-1994. However, he didn’t win during that span.

Staff file

Brandt Snedeker lines up his putt on the 17th green during final round of the 2011 Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island. Snedeker beat Luke Donald on the third hole of a playoff for the second of his five PGA Tour wins.

1984 Nick Faldo Score: 66-67-68-69–270 Earnings: $72,000 A Faldo was the first to shoot four rounds in the 60s at the Heritage. Eleven players have won the Heritage with four rounds in the 60s.

A At the time of this win, Faldo had 10 European Tour wins, but this was his first PGA Tour victory. The Englishman’s next five PGA Tour wins were majors.

1985 Bernhard Langer Score: 68-66-69-70–273 Earnings: $72,000 A Despite 42 European Tour wins, Langer has just three PGA Tour wins – the Heritage and two Masters championships.

A Langer, the third international player to win the Heritage, remains the only Heritage champion to follow up a Masters win one week earlier.

A Langer won on the first hole of a playoff with Bobby Wadkins.

Wadkins never won on the PGA Tour, but had six runner-up finishes.

1986 Fuzzy Zoeller Score: 68-68-69-71–276

Earnings: $81,000 A The one-stroke victory was the second of Zoeller’s two Heritage wins and the third of his five top-10 finishes.

A The 1986 Heritage had the highest first-round scoring average in tournament history 73.496.

1987 Davis Love III Score: 70-67-67-67–271 Earnings: $117,000 A The win was the first of Love’s 21 career PGA Tour victories and the first of his Heritage-record five victories and 11 top-10 finishes.

A Love set the Heritage record by coming back to win from a six-shot deficit after Round 1.

A At 23 years and six days, Love was the youngest Heritage winner.

1988 Greg Norman Score: 65-69-71-66–271 Earnings: $126,000 A Inspired by Jamie Hutton, a 17-year-old leukemia patient, Norman befriended the boy who had come to see him play. Norman had breakfast with Hutton prior to his-final-round 66, which sealed the one-stroke lead, and presented Hutton with the

championship trophy.

1989 Payne Stewart Score: 65-67-67-69–268 Earnings: $144,000 A The win was the first of Stewart’s two Heritage wins and five top-10 finishes.

A Stewart became the second golfer to win the Heritage with four rounds in the 60s. Those rounds were part of 18 consecutive rounds at par or better, still a Heritage record.

A Kenny Knox tied the PGA Tour record with just 18 putts in one round, and set a PGA Tour record (since broken) with 93 putts in 72 holes.

1990 Payne Stewart Score: 70-69-66-71–276 Earnings: $180,000 A Stewart became the first man to win back-to-back Heritage titles, requiring two extra holes to best Larry Mize and Steve Jones.

A Like 1989, Stewart’s four rounds in 1990 were part of a Heritage-record run of 18 straight rounds at or under par.

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HONOR ROLL 1991

1995

Davis Love III

Bob Tway

Score: 65-68-68-70–271 Earnings: $180,000 A The win was the second of Love’s Heritage-record five victories and 11 top-10 finishes.

A Love’s four rounds were the first of what would be nine consecutive rounds under par.

A At the time, Love’s total of 271 was tied for fourth lowest in Heritage history.

Score: 67-69-72-67–275 Earnings: $234,000 A Tway won a playoff, the fifth in Heritage history, over Nolan Henke and David Frost with a par on the second playoff hole.

A In the four appearances before his win, Tway had finished 37th and missed three cuts.

A Tway’s victory was the first Heritage win in 12 years – since Fuzzy Zoeller’s 1983 victory – to feature an over-par round.

1992

Davis Love III Score: 67-67-67-68–269 Earnings: $180,000 A Love became the tournament’s first three-time winner and its second back-to-back winner, immediately following Payne Stewart’s achievement in 1989-1990.

A Love became the third golfer to shoot four rounds in the 60s at the Heritage. All three had won.

A The win was the third of Love’s Heritage-record five victories and 11 top-10 finishes.

1993 David Edwards Score: 68-66-70-69–273 Earnings: $202,500 A The win was the last of Edwards’ four PGA Tour victories. He would win his first tournament on the Champions Tour more than 13 years later.

A His four rounds under par were part of a streak of 14 rounds par or under.

1994

Hale Irwin Score: 68-65-65-68–266 Earnings: $225,000 A Irwin’s 266 was the lowest total score in Heritage history at the time and remains the third-best total all time.

A Irwin, who made the cut in 24 of 25 Heritage tournaments he played in, joined Davis Love III as the only three-time Heritage champions.

A The 21 years between Irwin’s second win in 1973 and his third win in 1994 is the longest between Heritage victories. At 48 years, 10 months, he remains the oldest Heritage winner.

1996 Loren Roberts Score: 66-69-63-67–265 Earnings: $252,000 A The win was the third of eight PGA Tour victories in Roberts’ career.

A Roberts is one of 11 Heritage winners to shoot all four rounds in the 60s.

A The 1996 event had the lowest 36-hole cut in Heritage history – even-par 142.

1997

Nick Price Score: 65-69-69-66–269 Earnings: $270,000 A Price became the 11th golfer to shoot all four Heritage rounds in the 60s and the sixth to win. Price’s four rounds in the 60s were the first four in his Heritage-record nine straight.

A A native of Zimbabwe, Price became the fifth international winner of the Heritage and the first in nine years.

1998 Davis Love III Score: 67-68-66-65–266 Earnings: $342,000 A Love become the first golfer to win more than three Heritage championships.

A By shooting all four rounds in the 60s, he became the third Heritage winner in a row to accomplish the feat and the 12th golfer overall.

A The 1998 event had more golfers make the cut (84) than any other Heritage.

1999

Glen Day Score: 70-68-70-66–274 Earnings: $450,000 A The win is the only PGA Tour win of Day’s career.

A Day birdied the first hole of a three-way playoff to beat Jeff Sluman and deny Payne Stewart a third Heritage victory.

A Day won in 1999 a year after finishing second in 1998. He has no other top-10 finishes in 19 Heritage appearances and has missed the cut six times.

2000 Stewart Cink Score: 71-68-66-65–270 Earnings: $540,000 A Cink’s win in his first appearance at the Heritage was the second of his six PGA Tour wins.

A Cink was the third golfer to win in his first Heritage appearance and the first since the first two years of the tournament.

2001

Jose Coceres Score: 68-70-64-71–273 Earnings: $630,000 A The win was the first of Coceres’ two PGA Tour wins, both coming in 2001.

A The 2001 Heritage is tied for the longest at 77 holes. After two Sunday playoff holes, play was suspended. Coceres defeated Billy Mayfair after three more playoff holes on Monday.

A At even-par 142, the 2001 Heritage tied for the lowest 36-hole cut.

2002 Justin Leonard Score: 67-64-66-73–271 Earnings: $720,000 A The 2002 Heritage was on pace for a record until the final round. Davis Love had shot the lowest score after one round, 62. After 36 holes, Phil Mickelson tied the two-round mark of 129. And after three rounds, Leonard’s 197 was the all-time low.

A At even-par 142, the 2002 Heritage tied for the lowest 36-hole cut.

A Leonard won the Heritage after back-to-back missed cuts at the event.

2003 Davis Love III Score: 66-69-69-67–271 Earnings: $810,000 A The win was the last of

Love’s Heritage-record five victories. He has 11 top-10 finishes and still ranks third on the tournament’s all-time money list.

A Love won a playoff over Woody Austin on the fourth extra hole.

A Love was one of six golfers in the 2003 Heritage to shoot all four rounds in the 60s.

2004 Stewart Cink Score: 72-69-69-64–274 Earnings: $864,000 A Cink turned in a record 36and 54-hole comeback on the way to his second Heritage title. He was seven strokes back through 36 and nine back through 54.

A Cink’s final-round 64 set the Heritage record for lowest finish by a winner.

A The 2004 event matched 2001 for the longest at 77 holes. Cink outlasted Ted Purdy on the fifth playoff hole.

2005 Peter Lonard Score: 62-74-66-75–277 Earnings: $936,000 A The 2005 Heritage remains Lonard’s only PGA Tour victory.

A Lonard’s first-round 62 is tied for the lowest opening round in Heritage history and is the lowest start by a winner.

A At the 2005 Heritage, David Frost set the PGA Tour record for the fewest putts (92) in 72 holes.

2006 Aaron Baddeley Score: 66-67-66-70–269 Earnings: $954,000 A The win was the first of Baddeley’s four PGA Tour victories. It marked the second year in a row that Harbour Town was someone’s first PGA Tour win.

A Baddeley won the tournament after speaking at the Easter Sunrise service that morning.

A The 2006 Heritage tied the tournament mark for lowest 36-hole cut at even-par 142.

2007 Boo Weekley Score: 67-69-66-68–270 Earnings: $972,000 A The 2007 Heritage was Weekley’s first PGA Tour win, the third consecutive champion to make that distinction.

A

The $972,000 winner’s prize is the most money any golfer has won at their first Heritage.

A The 2007 Heritage saw the tournament’s third Monday finish when the final round was suspended because of high winds.

2008 Boo Weekley Score: 69-64-65-71–269 Earnings: $990,000 A Weekley’s back-to-back Heritage wins are the only two PGA Tour wins of his career.

He’s the last golfer to win back-to-back Heritages.

A Weekley is one of only five golfers to win the Heritage on his first try and one of nine to win on his second try. But he’s the only golfer on both lists.

2009 Brian Gay Score: 67-66-67-64–264 Earnings: $1,026,000 A Gay set the Heritage record for lowest score with his 20under-par 264.

A Gay’s 10-stroke win is the largest margin of victory in Heritage history.

2010 Jim Furyk Score: 67-68-67-69–271 Earnings: $1,026,000 A Furyk won in a playoff with Brian Davis on the first extra hole.

A The 2010 Heritage tied the tournament mark for lowest 36-hole cut at even-par 142.

2011 Brandt Snedeker Score: 69-67-72-64–272 Earnings: $1,026,000 A Snedeker beat Luke Donald on the third hole of a playoff for the second of his five PGA Tour wins.

A His final-round 64 ties for the lowest finish by a winner.

He overcame a five-stroke deficit.

2012

Carl Pettersson Score: 70-65-66-69–270 Earnings: $1,026,000 A The 2012 Heritage remains the most recent of Pettersson’s five PGA Tour wins.

A Pettersson became the 12th international winner at the RBC Heritage.

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2013 Graeme McDowell Score: 71-67-68-69–275 Earnings: $1,044,000 A McDowell’s win marked the third time in four years the RBC Heritage was decided in a playoff.

A McDowell was six strokes back after the first round, tying Davis Love III for the largest 18-hole deficit overcome to win the RBC Heritage.

A With the win, McDowell became the 10th U.S. Open winner to also don the tartan jacket.

2014 Matt Kuchar Score: 66-73-70-64–273 Earnings: $1,044,000 A The victory was Kuchar’s seventh PGA Tour win.

A Kuchar’s bunker shot for birdie on 18 sealed a comefrom-behind win after opening the final round four strokes back. He had either opened Sunday play with the lead or led at some point on Sunday the previous three weeks, but did not win.

2015 Jim Furyk Score: 71-64-68-63–266 Earnings: $1,062,000 A Victory ended a 4 1/2-year victory drought going back to the 2010 Tour Championship.

Furyk went 100 starts between wins.

A Furyk’s closing 63 set an RBC Heritage record for lowest finish by a winner, one shot better than Stewart Cink (2004), Brian Gay (2009) and Brandt Snedeker (2011).

A At age 44, Furyk became the second-oldest winner in Heritage annals behind Hale Irwin (1994, age 48).

2016 Branden Grace Score: 66-74-69-66–275 Earnings: $1,062,000 A The South African scored his first PGA Tour victory. He already owned 10 international wins, including the Qatar Masters earlier in the year.

A Grace began the final round three shots behind leader Luke Donald, but four birdies in his first six holes erased the deficit.

Back-to-back birdies at Nos. 12-13 pushed the South African to the front, as Donald made no birdies after the turn.

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