Long before he slipped on the tartan jacket Sunday at Harbour Town as the most recent champion of the RBC Heritage, Matt Fitzpatrick would attend the longtime PGA Tour stop frequently as a kid during family vacations in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
And he would always wonder why Tiger Woods never was in the field.
“I always remember coming here and saying to my dad, ‘Is Tiger going to be in it here?’ And my dad is like, ‘No, Tiger is not playing this week,’” Fitzpatrick recalled. “I seem to remember that happening a lot. … I was always looking for Tiger.”
While Woods has played the Heritage just once, in 1999, Harbour Tour has attracted its fair share of stars over the years despite the event’s week-after-the-Masters positioning on the schedule, a spot it’s held since 1983. Back in the day, Masters champs such as Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer would go from winning the green jacket to teeing it up the following week. And last year, the tournament drew 12 of the top-25 players in the world.
But as far as field depth goes, nothing compares to this year. The Heritage’s designated status and $20 million purse – more than the Masters – ensured that all but one eligible (and non-injured) top-20 player showed up, with Rory McIlroy being the lone exception. Fitzpatrick outdueled Jordan Spieth in a playoff while Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler all were in contention at some point. Even Masters champ Jon Rahm fought fatigue and gutted out a T-15 finish at Harbour Town.
Fitzpatrick is obviously a tad biased, considering his affection for Harbour Town, but with the Tour likely not holding designated events the week after majors moving forward, the Englishman argues the Heritage should by whatever means necessary maintain its elevated status.
“I think it deserves a good field,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think the fact that Jon Rahm came after winning the Masters, I think, is probably a testament to the tournament as well as a testament to himself for doing that. Yeah, really hope it is an elevated event next year, and I think it’s a great place to have one.”
Harbour Town is somewhat of a unicorn in the Tour rota, which is comprised mostly of courses that heavily favor distance and require little creativity. The Pete Dye design is a tight, tree-lined layout that makes players think more off the tee and demands a variety of short-game shots around its tiny greens.
Now, the Tour shouldn’t go to a Harbour Town every week, but considering the winners – Fitzpatrick, Jordan Spieth, Webb Simpson, Jim Furyk, Matt Kuchar and Graeme McDowell all in the past decade – the Heritage is a nice change-of-pace that gives the non-bombers a rare opportunity to dominate while also requiring the long-hitters play a different game for once, one that isn’t just about pounding a dozen drivers a round.
“You’ve seen the crowds out there this week,” Fitzpatrick added. “I feel like they’ve been really good. I feel like ticket sales probably are also really good. It’s a great town to have a golf tournament. The golf course is fantastic. It really is a true test, and it’s different to what we play week in and week out. It really is.”
If the Heritage is indeed tabbed as a designated event again in 2024, it will have a decidedly different look, most notably an 80-player field and no cut after 36 holes. And would it also move a week or two back in the calendar to avoid the Masters hangover and assure the Tour the cadence it desires?
Fitzpatrick, at least personally, doesn’t see a huge issue with making the short drive from Augusta to Hilton Head to play for $20 million each year.
“I think it’s a great time in the year to have it here weather-wise, golf course condition-wise,” Fitzpatrick said. “I have to admit previously, I feel like it’s been a heavier toll on me than it has this week. I’m not really sure why that is. I always probably before winning the U.S. Open -- before last year really, probably got maybe overworked over majors, that desperate to try and win one, just changing things, trying a bit harder, probably made myself tired from that, and then you come to this week and you just feel tired from the week before.
“I think sometimes it can be tough, particularly if you really had a grind, if you had a good result. I think it can be difficult to get yourself up for it. But for me, it is a little bit different. It’s a week that I enjoy.”
Little kids likely won’t see Tiger at Harbour Town in the years to come, but the young Fitzy fans are certainly in luck.