rbc heritage arrives this week at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, with an expanded field and a fresh setup that changes the feel of the event. The tournament is the fourth Signature Event of the season, and 82 qualifiers are in the field for the 58th edition. Among them are 53 players fresh off the Masters and 10 who earned entry through 2025 victories.
Rbc Heritage opens a packed stretch
The timing matters. rbc heritage begins a run of three Signature Events across four weeks, with no cut in any of those tournaments, making every opening round especially valuable. The week also stands out because the PGA TOUR reallocated exemptions from The Sentry, which was canceled this season, and those spots now help fill this field.
That adjustment makes this the only tournament this season affected in that way. Originally built for 72 golfers, the field now includes 10 players who would not have gotten in without the change. If anyone withdraws before the opening round, he will not be replaced.
Harbour Town’s renovation raises the precision test
Harbour Town Golf Links has undergone a six-month renovation that replaced all grasses while keeping the same strains that previously covered the property. The Bermudagrass greens have been restored to the size and specifications of Pete Dye’s original 1969 work, and the greens still average just 3, 700 square feet, among the smallest targets seen on TOUR all year.
New tee markers on the par-4 first, sixth and 18th holes have stretched the course by 30 yards to 7, 243 yards. Par remains 71, and two of the three par 5s still sit on the outward nine. Overseeded Bermudagrass rough remains 1 1/4 inches tall, keeping the challenge tied closely to accuracy off the tee and precision on approach.
What the field is facing now
The context for rbc heritage is different from its first two turns as a Signature Event. This year’s setup combines a larger field, a renovated layout and a crowded schedule that follows the Masters, giving players a quick chance to reset and contend again at a course that demands discipline more than power.
Davis Love III’s experience and acumen were part of the renovation process, and the course now has fresh contouring and new hole locations. That means approach play matters even more than usual, and the event’s narrow margins could shape the early week conversation inside the field.
What comes next
With the opening round ahead, all eyes now turn to who handles the renovated Harbour Town best and who can turn this rbc heritage into momentum for the stretch that follows. The combination of no cut, a compact target layout and a loaded field should make the first two days decisive in setting up the tournament’s contenders.
