Opening ceremony for the 54th annual RBC Heritage

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (WTOC) - The opening ceremony for the 54th annual RBC Heritage on Hilton Head Island was Tuesday.

From the 18th hole, defending champion Stewart Cink hit a ball into the Calibogue Sound while the ceremonial cannon was fired.

“I remember it being really taken aback by how loud and how much compression that cannon produces when you’re hitting the ball from 15 feet away, so I was ready for it this time… had the earplugs really screwed in,” Cink said.

It’s the third time Cink has kicked off this tournament, whose economic impact to the area is clear.

“This event brings in over a hundred million dollars a year to the Lowcountry in terms of our economy and it’s just fantastic to see people from all over the world - not just the Lowcountry - here to watch some of the greatest golf our nation has to offer,” Rep. Nancy Mace said.

Members of the tournament committee took to the podium to speak about how special this tournament is.

“Hospitality is the number one thing. I hope you enjoy the whole week. The field is great and last year’s champion is amazing,” Hilton Head Island Mayor John McCann said.

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