RBC Heritage: All You Need to Know

The RBC Heritage is the 26th event of the 2022-23 PGA TOUR Season and sixth designated event, featuring seven of the top 10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking (38 of top 50), 28 of the top 30 players in the FedExCup standings, and 19 of the 20 players that have won on TOUR this season.

47 players in the 143-player field competed at last week's Masters Tournament, including 10 players who finished T10 or better, highlighted by winner Jon Rahm. J. Rahm (Won) R. Henley (T4) J. Spieth (T4) V. Hovland (T7) C. Young (T7) S. Theegala (9th) M. Fitzpatrick (T10) C. Morikawa (T10) X. Schauffele (T10) S. Scheffler (T10).

Rahm marks the first reigning Masters Tournament winner to play the following week on TOUR since Jordan Spieth in 2015. Rahm won his first two victories of the season in back-to-back starts (Sentry Tournament of Champions, The American Express) and with a win at Harbour Town Golf Links, Rahm would become the first player to win consecutive tournaments including a major since Rory McIlroy in 2014.

Speaking ahead of the tournament, Rahm reflected on his win and the subsequent celebrations. "I know it's a few days after the Masters, but it feels a little bit different," he admitted.

"I slept terrible. Night after wins, I don't know if it's the adrenaline or whatever it is, I've never been able to sleep good at all. The next night, Monday night, I slept great and still woke up tired."

He also admitted he did contemplate pulling out of the tournament, but decided against it after speaking with his wife Kelley. "It did cross my mind, but I made a commitment earlier in the year, and I want to honour that commitment."

"I also, talking to Kelley, I put myself in the shoes of not only the spectators, but the kids as well. If I was one of the kids, I would want to see the recent Masters champion play, good or bad, just want to be there," he added.

If his late rally on the final day of The Masters tournament is anything to go by, 2022 RBC Heritage winner Jordan Spieth will be hoping to retain his title. Spieth, who is making his seventh start at Harbour Town Golf Links, has yet to retain any PGA Tour titles. The 13-time PGA TOUR winner has played in 11 TOUR events to date as the defending champion and has never successfully defended a TOUR title (three top-fives in those 11 starts).

World No. 4 Patrick Cantlay has only finished outside the top 10 once in five starts at the RBC Heritage. Cantlay, the 2021 FedExCup Champion, fell to 2015 FedExCup Champion Jordan Spieth on the first extra hole (No. 18) of the 2022 RBC Heritage, marking the first playoff in the FedExCup era between two FedExCup Champions.

World No. 2 and reigning PGA TOUR Player of the Year Scottie Scheffler will be making his tournament debut. Scheffler has eight top-10s in 11 starts this season, including four as the defending champion in a nine-week stretch. Scheffler successfully defended his title during the first opportunity (WM Phoenix Open), then finished T4 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and fourth at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play. He concluded his fourth title defence attempt with a T10 at last week’s Masters Tournament. 

Three PGA TOUR players ranked in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking will be making their second start at RBC Heritage this week and first since the tournament was the second one played following the PGA TOUR’s COVID-19 shutdown in 2020. 

OWGR Rank - Player - Finish at the 2020 RBC Heritage 

Players with multiple wins at the RBC Heritage in the field this week: Davis Love III (5) 1987, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2003 Stewart Cink (3) 2000, 2004, 2021 Jim Furyk (2) 2010, 2015.