Golf’s top players competing at the 2023 RBC Heritage

HILTON HEAD, S.C. (WTOC) - The RBC Heritage is taking place the week after the Masters, in years past, some of golf’s top players have skipped it to take a break.

This year, however, it’s going to be different.

The PGA Tour is implementing “designated events” so top players are required to play at the RBC Heritage.

Designated events are part of the PGA’s response to LIV Golf, a professional golf tour financed by Saudi Arabia.

The idea is to get golf’s top players in the world at the same tournaments more often.

Players who finished in the top 20 of last year’s player impact program are required to play in all of the PGA’s designated events, except for one of their choice.

Because of these new rules, purses- or prize money- for the designated events have gone up.

This year, the RBC Heritage carries a 20 million purse and some of golf’s top names- like Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, and reigning champ Jordan Spieth, will compete for it.

“We can’t just sit back and pat ourselves on the back and say, ‘Okay, great, we’re designated.’ Now we need to really step up our game, and we want those guys, whether it’s the players or the tour, or additional CBS support, or if it’s the families, we want them to go ‘Oh, you know what, that three hour trip from Augusta is fine, we are going to continue to come back,’” Steve Wilmot said.

Because of the star power that this year’s tournament has, RBC Heritage organizers are expecting record crowds here at Harbour Town Golf Links.

Copyright 2023 WTOC. All rights reserved.