Tour News
RBC Heritage Preview
By Pete Pappas
GolfWRX Staff Writer
The PGA Tour leaves the picturesque Magnolia Lane (and thrilling finish of the 76th Masters) and travels southeast to the magnificent scenery of Hilton Head, S.C., for the 44th RBC-Heritage (and 17th tournament of the Tour season).
With no “Green jacket” at stake, 10 of the past 11 winners at Augusta National have skipped Harbour Town the week following their Masters victory. But a $5.7M purse and (somewhat less famous) “Plaid jacket” for the RBC winner will be up for grabs just the same.
Perennially ranked as one of the nation’s finest courses, Harbour Town Golf Links will host a field of 17 major winners, eight previous RBC champions, and seven conquerors on Tour in 2012.
World No. 1 player Luke Donald will be teeing it up at Hilton Head looking to avenge his sudden-death playoff loss last year to defending champion Brandt Snedeker.
Snedeker held off Donald in sudden death to win the 2011 RBC Heritage (and is looking to become the first back-to-back winner of this event since Boo Weekly in 2008).
Ernie Els will also be in the field and is looking for his first victory of the 2012 season. Els came close in 2007 when Weekly chipped-in on the last two greens to defeat Els by just one stroke. “I can’t wait to tee it up this week,” Els said. “I’m really looking forward to it.”
The Pete Dye designed (and Jack Nicklaus assisted) Harbour Town course doesn’t require “Bubba-Long” power at only 6,973 yards long. But it absolutely obligates precision shot-making, touch and imagination (ranked second in hardest to hit greens-in-regulation this millennium behind only the prominently wicked U.S. Open greens). Small misses result in walloping consequences.
“You really have to shape shots; you really have to think your way around, said Camilo Villegas. “Risk-reward is a very good challenge over here.”
Harbour Town has been referred to as a course featuring 17 hidden gems and one very famous one. The iconic red and white lighthouse positioned as the backdrop for the 18th hole paints a perfectly serene picture heading up the final fairway.
However, treacherous winds off Calibogue Sounds can wreck havoc on players second shots (with a 4.2 stroke average No. 18 is ranked as the second most difficult hole on the course), and in a moments notice turn the photographically charming hole into a hideous nightmare.
The first RBC Heritage was won by Arnold Palmer (283, one-under) in 1969. First time RBC champion Brian Gay established the new tournament record for lowest winning score (264) and lowest 72-hole score (20-under) in 2009. And Davis Love III tops a list of nine men who have won the Heritage multiple times (Love has 5 victories, his last coming in 2003).
Perfect Pairings
Mark Wilson, Kevin Na, Jim Furyk
Luke Donald, Kyle Stanley, Brandt Snedeker
Bill Haas, Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington
Camilo Villegas, Henrik Stenson, Justin Leonard
Webb Simpson, Zach Johnson, Bud Cauley
Lucas Glover, Matt Kuchar, Geoff Ogilvy
John Daly, Rickie Fowler, Ricky Barnes
Charlie Hoffman, Bo Van Pelt, Jerry Kelly
George McNeill, Fredrik Jacobson, Carl Pettersson
Notes
Television Coverage
Thursday and Friday: Golf Channel 3:00 -6:00 pm ET
Saturday and Sunday: NBC 3:00 -6:00 pm ET
Radio Coverage
Thursday through Sunday: SiriusXM Satellite Radio 12:00 -6:00 p.m. EST
Click here for more discussion in the “Tour Talk” forum.
You can follow Pete on twitter @TheGreekGrind
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.
As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.
General Albums
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Thorbjorn Olesen – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ben Silverman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jesse Droemer – SoTX PGA Section POY – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- David Lipsky – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Martin Trainer – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Zac Blair – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jacob Bridgeman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Trace Crowe – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Daniel Berger – WITB(very mini) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Chesson Hadley – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Callum McNeill – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Rhein Gibson – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Patrick Fishburn – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Raul Pereda – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Gary Woodland WITB (New driver, iron shafts) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Padraig Harrington WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Pullout Albums
- Tom Hoge’s custom Cameron – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Piretti putters – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ping putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Kevin Dougherty’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Bettinardi putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Erik Barnes testing an all-black Axis1 putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Tony Finau’s new driver shaft – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Players Championship
On the heels of Scottie Scheffler’s dominant victory at Bay Hill, the PGA Tour heads a little farther north in Florida to TPC Sawgrass this week for The Players Championship. And of course, GolfWRX is on site to get a look at what the players are playing.
We’ve already spotted a new Titleist mini driver this week, and there’s plenty more.
Check out our photos below!
Pullout Albums
- New Titleist 2 wood – 2024 The Players Championship
- Cam Young testing Titleist’s new 2-wood – 2024 THE PLAYERS Championship
- Hole Nos. 17 and 18 – 2024 THE PLAYERS Championship
- Toulon Small Batch Texas putter – 2024 The Players Championship
- Swag Golf custom headcovers – 2024 The Players Championship
- New Ping PLD staff bags – 2024 The Players Championship
- SuperStroke St. Patrick’s Day putter grip – 2024 The Players Championship
- Taylor Montgomery using PuttView X training goggles – 2024 The Players Championship
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
GolfWRX is on the ground in Orlando ahead of the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge.
We’re assembling our usual collection of WITB photos, general galleries, and of course, gear inspired by the King himself.
We’ll continue to add to the photos below as more flow in from Florida.
General Albums
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #1
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #2
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #3
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #1 (thanks, bvmagic!)
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #3 (bvmagic)
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #2 (bvmagic)
WITB Albums
- Matt (LFG) Every – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Sahith Theegala – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Scottie Scheffler – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Luke List – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Taylor Moore – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- David Ford – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
Pullout Albums
- New Cameron putters (and new “LD” grip) – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- New Bettinardi MB & CB irons – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Custom Bettinardi API putter cover – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Custom Swag API covers – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- New Golf Pride Reverse Taper grips – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- New PXG putters – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Scottie Scheffler putter change – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Sepp Straka – shaft change to new Ventus blue – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Rickie Fowler’s new Cobra Darkspeed X driver and Denali shaft (and Radspeed 3-wood) – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Justin Rose testing Srixon Z Forged II irons – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Gifted Golfer
Apr 12, 2012 at 10:43 pm
Thanks for the information. I will be watching!
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