By Sean ODonnell
Following Jordan Spieth's dominating victory at the 2015 Masters, the PGA Tour reconvenes April 16 with the RBC Heritage at the storied Harbour Town Golf Links.
Although many of the tour's top players are just one week removed from participating in the year's first major, most will still take part in the upcoming Hilton Head, South Carolina, tournament. This year's star-studded field includes Spieth, the world's new No. 2 player, defending champion Matt Kuchar, 2014 FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel and golf legend Tom Watson.
Harbour Town is a breathtaking track with one of the most recognizable finishing holes—a 472-yard par four overlooking the Calibogue Sound with a red-and-white striped lighthouse in the distance. While the course is truly a sight to behold, wiry Bermuda grass, narrow fairways, lurking pines, well-placed bunkers and natural hazards make playing Harbour Town a treacherous endeavor.
As we anxiously await the tournament to commence, let's take a look at all of the essential viewing information, prize money and some notable Thursday tee times for the 2015 RBC Heritage.
2015 RBC Heritage
Dates: Thursday, April 16 - Sunday, April 19
Where: Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina
Purse: $5.9 million (winning share: $1.062 million)
FedEx Cup Points: 500 to winner
TV Info:
Thursday and Friday: 3-6 p.m. ET, Golf Channel
Saturday and Sunday: 3-6 p.m. ET, CBS
Notable Thursday Tee Times
2015 RBC Heritage: Notable Thursday Tee Times
Golfer Tee Time (ET)
Charley Hoffman 7:50 a.m.
Billy Horschel 8 a.m.
Jim Furyk 8 a.m.
Zach Johnson 8:10 a.m.
Ian Poulter 8:10 a.m.
Tom Watson 8:20 a.m.
Kevin Streelman 8:20 a.m.
Jordan Spieth 12:40 p.m.
Matt Kuchar 12:40 p.m.
Patrick Reed 12:40 p.m.
Webb Simpson 12:50 p.m.
Ernie Els 12:50 p.m.
PGATour.com
Full tee times can be viewed at PGATour.com.
Stars to Watch
While plenty of the tournament's participants are certainly worthy of being placed in this category, one Thursday tee time has a very good chance of producing this year's winner. That trio consists of Spieth, Kuchar and Patrick Reed.
What more can really be said about Spieth?
The 21-year-old phenom captivated the world during his brilliant run through the Masters, setting multiple records and earning the coveted green jacket in the process. After shooting, 64, 66, 70 and 70 to finish 18 under par for the tournament, earning his first major victory, Spieth was asked about the new addition to his wardrobe during an interview with Steve DiMelgio of USA Today:
It has spent very little time away from me. It's just been a whirlwind the last 24 hours. … I really don't think it has sunk in yet. Walking up 18 after the second shot, I knew I was going to win the Masters. But for it to really soak in in its entirety is going to take some time.
Apparently, Spieth isn't giving himself time off to let it soak in, as just four days after his triumphant march up the 18th fairway at Augusta National, he's back in action looking to continue his tremendous 2015 campaign.
Before the Masters, Spieth was already in brilliant form, winning the Valspar Championship before two consecutive runner-up finishes in the Valero Texas Open and Shell Houston Open. Now, with a major under his belt, he enters the RBC Heritage with a great deal of momentum and confidence. It may be foolish to consider him anything but the favorite at Harbour Town.
While Spieth may be considered the favorite by many spectators, he must get past the tournament's defending champion to continue his winning streak. In 2014, Kuchar won the RBC Heritage in dramatic fashion, holing a chip on the final hole to earn a one-stroke victory over Luke Donald. That finish capped a final-round 64, leaving Kuchar with fond memories of the track.
Kuchar was playing well early in 2015, finishing tied for third in the Sony Open and tied for second in the Humana Challenge; however, his play dropped off, as he only recorded two top-25 finishes—no better than a tie for 15th—in his next six appearances.
The world No. 17 is coming off a tie for 46th in the Masters after shooting two over for the tournament. He may not be playing his best golf right now, but returning to a familiar track where he's won in the past could be just what he needs to spark a return to form and get back inside the world's top 10.
Reed rounds out the trio and should be considered one of the favorites at Harbour Town. He enters the tournament ranked No. 14 in the world after a solid start to his 2015 season that included a win in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and a runner-up finish in the Valspar Championship—where he was just edged out by Spieth.
Following rounds of 70, 72, 74 and 70 at Augusta National, Reed finished the Masters tied for 22nd, good enough to move him up one spot in the world golf rankings. That may not seem like an overly impressive finish, but considering he earned a spot in the top 25 after missing the tournament's cut just one year prior, Reed's recent progress is suddenly very significant.
Expect to see some fireworks from this trio at Harbour Town before the cut is made. There's a fair chance one of these three players will post some low numbers early and go on to notch another PGA Tour victory.
