The First Look: RBC Heritage

• COURSE: Harbour Town Golf Links, 7,099 yards, par 71. Now approaching its 50th anniversary, the Pete Dye/Jack Nicklaus venture remains a timeless test despite its status as one of the shortest layouts on the PGA TOUR schedule. Narrow fairways and small, deftly contoured greens combine to offer a strategic challenge, requiring well-positioned shots to generate birdie chances. Hundreds of live oaks and pines await to torment those who drive out of position – though last fall’s hurricane has left those areas slightly less claustrophobic. Harbour Town’s iconic red-and-white lighthouse behind the 18th green still helps vessels navigate Calibogue Sound. • FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 points. • CHARITY: The Heritage Classic Foundation, which has given more than $35 million to outlets in South Carolina and Georgia since its 1987 start. The foundation’s Scholar Program awards nearly 30 Beaufort County college students with up to $22,000 in aid. Other recipients include the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry and the Child Abuse Prevention Association. • FIELD WATCH: Branden Grace, defending his first title on U.S. soil, and former Heritage champions Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker head a field that features eight of the top-30 in the world rankings. … England’s Tyrrell Hatton is the highest ranked player in the field at No. 15. Departing Masters champion Danny Willett is next. … The lineup does include four of the past five PGA TOUR winners heading to Augusta: Adam Hadwin (Valspar Championship), Marc Leishman (Arnold Palmer Invitational), D.A. Points (Puerto Rico Open) and Russell Henley (Shell Houston Open). … Five-time Heritage champion Davis Love III was a late addition to the roster, making just his second start since New Year’s. He missed 12 weeks with a broken collarbone from a snowboarding mishap. • 72-HOLE RECORD: 264, Brian Gay (2009). • 18-HOLE RECORD: 61, David Frost (2nd round, 1994), Troy Merritt (2nd round, 2015). • LAST YEAR: Grace overcame a three-shot deficit on the final day with a 5-under-par 66, grabbing his first PGA TOUR victory and becoming the latest to deny Luke Donald a tartan jacket. Donald took a one-stroke lead into Sunday, but spun his wheels while Grace posted five birdies on Harbour Town’s front nine. Two more from the South African pushed him to the front, while Donald went without a birdie after the turn. It marked the third consecutive time that Donald failed to close out a 54-hole lead – all coming at Harbour Town. He also was caught in Sunday charges by Snedeker in 2011 and Kuchar three years later. • STORYLINES: It’s the coming-back-out party for Harbour Town and Hilton Head Island, which suffered the worst damage from Hurricane Matthew’s tear up the southeastern coast last October. Thousands of trees were felled by the storm, and cleanup still can be seen on parts of the island. … Luke Donald, who owns six top-3 finishes at Harbour Town in the past eight years, once again pursues that elusive first Heritage victory. He has played those eight editions in a combined 63-under par. … Jim Furyk gives the event two defending champions, teeing it up at Harbour Town for the first time since his 2015 win. He missed last year’s edition after undergoing wrist surgery. • SHORT CHIPS: Since the Heritage moved into the post-Masters slot in 1983, just six men have won without spending the prior week at Augusta National. Four, though, have come in the past 11 years – Aaron Baddeley (2006), Boo Weekley (’07), Brian Gay (’09) and Carl Pettersson (’12). … Monday’s traditional opening ceremony overlooking Calibogue Sound will include a moment of silence and second cannon shot to honor Arnold Palmer, whose win at the inaugural Heritage is credited with putting Hilton Head Island on the map. … Five of the past six winners also happen to be RBC ambassadors: Furyk (2010, ’15), Kuchar (’14), Graeme McDowell (’13) and Snedeker (’11). • TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS). • PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. ET (featured groups), 3-6 p.m. (featured holes). • RADIO: Thursday-Friday, noon-6 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 1-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.COM).

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