RBC Heritage: Payouts, Cut Line & Fascinating Facts

Updated January 4, 2024
Players and caddies walk up the 18th at the RBC Heritage
  • DESCRIPTION
    Players and caddies walk up the 18th at the RBC Heritage
  • SOURCE
    Streeter Lecka
  • PERMISSION
    getty image license

The RBC Heritage has been a part of the PGA Tour schedule since 1969, and in its 54-year existence it has only been played at one course, Harbour Town Golf Links at the Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island.

Some of the biggest names in the game have won the RBC Heritage, including Jordan Spieth, Davis Love III, Payne Stewart, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer.

The RBC Heritage takes place during an interesting time on the PGA Tour schedule. For starters, it’s held the week after the Masters, and spectators often enjoy watching how the newly crowned major champion performs. In addition, the event is part of a swing that runs through the Carolinas and Louisiana prior to the PGA Championship.

In 2024, the RBC Heritage will take place April 18-21 and  as a Signature Event, the purse is set to be $20 million.

Advertisement
Joel Dahmen tees off on the 18th hole at Harbour Town at the 2022 RBC Heritage
  • DESCRIPTION
    Joel Dahmen tees off on the 18th hole at Harbour Town at the 2022 RBC Heritage
  • SOURCE
    Jared C. Tilton
  • PERMISSION
    getty image license

Harbour Town has strategic, and sometimes diabolical, bunkers guarding greens. When the wind is calm, high ball hitters can feast on the pin positions. Being located right on the ocean, however, makes for some breezy rounds.

The finishing hole is one of the most famous in golf, a par-4 where players take aim at the famed white and red striped lighthouse in the distance. The hole moves from right to left and the green is buried right against the water, forcing players to earn their win all the way to the very end.

When you go through the list of the best courses in the U.S., let alone the state of South Carolina, Harbour Town Golf Links at Sea Pines Resort is one of the premier places to play. Located on Hilton Head Island, it’s a public course that anyone can play, which is not always the case for PGA Tour host courses. Speaking of, all three courses on the property are incredible but it’s Harbour Town Golf Links that’s tour-worthy.

RELATED: Hilton Head's 8 Greatest Public Golf Courses

The great golf course architect, Pete Dye, designed the course which opened in 1967, along with a consultant by the name of Jack Nicklaus. The course is a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary and it’s as challenging as it is visually spectacular. When the PGA Tour tees up, the course plays 7,191 yards with a 75.6 rating and 148 slope.

Advertisement

RBC Heritage Cut Line

The top 65 players, plus ties, through 36 holes make the cut at the RBC Heritage. Over the past 10 years, the RBC Heritage cut line has shifted dramatically. From 2012 to 2016, even par or over par could get you to the weekend. Since 2016, however, scores have gone way down and the lowest so far came in 2020, when the cut line was -4 with 75 players advancing.

Year Cut (Total) Players to Make Cut
2023 -2 (140) 73
2022 E (142) 71
2021 -2 (140) 65
2020 -4 (138) 75
2019 E (142) 70
2018 E (142) 77
2017 -1 (141) 74
2016 +2 (144 82
2015 E (142) 76
2014 +4 (146) 78

RBC Heritage Fun Facts, Results and Payouts

  • The event had operated under the name The Heritage Classic for many years and is still put on by the Heritage Classic Foundation.
  • Other names the tournament has held include the Verizon Heritage, MCI Heritage, WorldCom Classic - The Heritage of Golf, and the Sea Pines Heritage.
  • Webb Simpson’s win in 2020 is both the lowest to par in tournament history (-22) and the lowest aggregate (262) in tournament history
  • Arnold Palmer won the inaugural RBC Heritage in 1969
  • The RBC Heritage is one of only five tournaments on the PGA Tour with invitational status
  • The 2020 tournament was rescheduled from April to June because of the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Davis Love III has won the event more than any other player, with five wins (1987, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2003).
  • Hale Irwin and Stewart Cink each have three RBC Heritage wins and seven players have won twice
  • Irwin’s win in 1971 was his first PGA Tour victory
  • Luke Donald has five runner-up finishes in the event
  • The RBC Heritage winner has been decided in a playoff 15 times, including in 2022, when Jordan Spieth defeated fellow American Patrick Cantlay.
Year Winner Score Purse Winner's Share
2023 Matt Fitzpatrick -17 (267) $20,000,000 $3,600,000
2022 Jordan Spieth -13 (271) $8,000,000 $1,440,000
2021 Stewart Cink  -19 (265) $7,100,00 $1,278,000
2020 Webb Simpson -22 (262) $7,100,000 $1,278,000
2019 Pan Cheng-tsung -12 (272) $6,900,000 $1,242,000
2018 Satoshi Kodaira -12 (272) $6,700,000 $1,206,000
2017 Wesley Bryan -13 (271) $6,500,000 $1,170,000
2016 Branden Grace -9 (275) $5,900,000 $1,062,000
2015 Jim Furyk -18 (266) $5,900,000 $1,062,000
2014 Matt Kuchar -11 (273) $5,800,000 $1,044,000
2013 Graeme McDowell -9 (275) $5,800,000 $1,044,000
2012 Carl Pettersson -14 (270) $5,700,000 $1,026,000
2011 Brandt Snedeker -12 (272) $5,700,000 $1,026,000
2010 Jim Furyk -13 (271) $5,700,000 $1,026,000
2009 Brian Gay -20 (264) $5,700,000 $1,026,000
2008 Boo Weekley -15 (269) $5,500,000 $990,000
2007 Boo Weekley -14 (270) $5,400,000 $972,000
2006  Aaron Baddeley -15 (269) $5,300,000 $954,000    
2005 Peter Lonard -7 (277) $5,200,000 $936,000
2004 Stewart Cink -10 (274) $4,800,000 $864,000
2003 Davis Love III -13 (271) $4,500,000 $810,000
2002 Justin Leonard -14 (270) $4,000,000 $720,000
2001 José Cóceres -11 (273) $3,500,000 $630,000
2000 Stewart Cink -14 (270) $3,000,000 $540,000
1999 Glen Day -10 (274) $2,500,000 $450,000
1998 Davis Love III -18 (266) $1,900,000 $342,000
1997 Nick Price -15 (269) $1,500,000 $270,000
1996 Loren Roberts -19 (265) $1,400,000 $252,000
1995 Bob Tway -9 (275) $1,300,000 $234,000
1994 Hale Irwin  -18 (276) $1,250,000 $225,000
1993 David Edwards -11 (273) $1,125,000 $202,500
1992 Davis Love III -15 (269) $1,000,000 $180,000
1991 Davis Love III -13 (271) $1,000,000 $180,000
1990 Payne Stewart -8 (276) $1,000,000 $180,000
1989 Payne Stewart -16 (268) $800,000 $144,000
1988 Greg Norman -13 (271) $700,000 $126,000
1987 Davis Love III -13 (271) $650,000 $117,000
1986 Fuzzy Zoeller  -8 (276) $450,000 $81,000
1985 Bernhard Langer -11 (273) $400,000 $72,000
1984 Nick Faldo -14 (270) $400,000 $72,000
1983 Fuzzy Zoeller -9 (275) $350,000 $63,000
1982 Tom Watson -4 (280) $300,000 $54,000
1981 Bill Rogers -6 (278) $300,000 $54,000
1980 Doug Tewell -4 (280) $300,000 $54,000
1979  Tom Watson -14 (270)  $300,000 $54,000
1978 Hubert Green -7 (277) 225,000 $45,000
1977 Graham Marsh -11 (273) $225,000 $45,000
1976 Hubert Green -10 (274) $215,000 $43,000
1975  Jack Nicklaus -13 (271) $200,000 $40,000
1974 Johnny Miller -8 (276) $200,000 $40,000
1973 Hale Irwin -12 (272) $150,000 $30,000
1972 Johnny Miller -3 (281) $125,000 $25,000
1971 Hale Irwin -5 (279 $110,000 $22,000
1970  Bob Goalby -4 (280) $100,000 $20,000
1969 Arnold Palmer -1 (283) $100,000 $20,000