Former Open Championship winner is among newest Heritage additions

Former Open Championship winner Louis Oosthuizen, who tied for seventh in his only previous visit to Harbour Town Golf Links, headlines the latest trio of international players to join the lineup for next month’s RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing.

The list also includes England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick, a former U.S. Amateur champion and part of last year’s European Ryder Cup squad, and Japanese standout Yuta Ikeda.

They join a list now surpassing 40 confirmed participants, including two-time RBC Heritage champion Jim Furyk, defending champion Branden Grace and recent PGA Tour winners Adam Hadwin (Valspar Championship) and Marc Leishman (Arnold Palmer Invitational).

The 49th Heritage Week begins April 10 with Grace hitting the traditional opening tee shot during ceremonies fronting Calibogue Sound. The tournament begins April 13.

Daily tickets, priced at $65, along with weeklong badges and clubhouse packages, can be purchased online at RBCHeritage.com, at Kroger locations on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton or by calling the tournament office at 843-671-2448.

All prices will increase by $20 starting April 1 and may be purchased only in person after April 7.

In addition, tournament officials announced Tuesday that ticket packages for Doc’s BBQ Club 15 are sold out.

“Due to a record number of sales, we have decided to suspend Doc’s BBQ Club 15 ticket sales,” tournament director Steve Wilmot said. “We want all ticketholders to enjoy their time at the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing and do not want any of our venues to be overcrowded.”

Oosthuizen made his only previous Harbour Town start two years ago, breaking 70 all four days to finish with a share of seventh. The South African will attempt to duplicate the success of countryman Grace, who also tied for seventh in his debut before winning in his second attempt.

Though Oosthuizen owns 12 victories worldwide, including the 2010 Open Championship at St. Andrews, he’s still seeking his first on U.S. soil. He was runner-up at last year’s WGC Dell Match Play, one of four runner-up finishes on these shores.

Fitzpatrick first teed it up at Harbour Town in 2014, following his U.S. Amateur victory the previous summer. He finished 23rd in his Heritage debut, but missed the cut last year.

Ikeda will not only make his RBC Heritage debut, but it’ll be his first U.S. start in something other than a major championship since the 2012 Northern Trust Open. He owns 16 career wins, all coming on the Japan Tour, which has him at No.42 in this week’s world rankings.

This story was originally published March 28, 2017 at 7:35 PM with the headline "Former Open Championship winner is among newest Heritage additions."