RBC Heritage waits to hear fate as Masters postponed, PGA Tour events canceled
It’s a lot less likely that South Carolina’s only PGA Tour event will be played this year after golf officials’ latest announcement that the storied Masters Tournament is postponed.
The PGA Tour late Thursday announced it would cancel golf tournaments through at least April 5. That’s all of the tournaments leading up to the Masters, golf’s first major and a tournament not overseen by the PGA Tour. Friday morning, Masters chairman Fred Ridley announced Friday the tournament will be postponed.
The RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing on Hilton Head Island is the following week, April 13-19. No announcement has been made as of Friday afternoon.
Other major professional and amateur sports organizations have chosen to suspend and cancel seasons in recent days. The tour’s decision Thursday halted the Players Championship after one round.
“We have pledged from the start to be responsible, thoughtful and transparent with our decision process,” the PGA Tour said in a statement. “We did everything possible to create a safe environment for our players in order to continue the event throughout the weekend, and we were endeavoring to give our fans a much-needed respite from the current climate. But at this point — and as the situation continues to rapidly change — the right thing to do for our players and our fans is to pause.”
Heritage tournament director Steve Wilmot said he spoke with the PGA Tour on Friday morning and planned to again in the afternoon and that no decision had been made. Tents and bleachers are going up at Harbour Town and utility workers are on the property, he said.
Tournament officials talked with the tour again Friday afternoon.
The RBC Heritage has been played each year on Hilton Head since 1969. The tournament reported an economic impact of more than $100 million due to visitors spending during the event in 2019.
The PGA Tour’s decision also affects the organization’s Korn Ferry Tour and Champions Tour. That means the Savannah Golf Championship, a Korn Ferry event planned at the end of March, has been called off.
Another major professional sports event in South Carolina has been canceled.
The Volvo Car Open, the professional women’s tennis tournament in Charleston formerly known as the Family Circle Cup, announced it was canceling the event scheduled April 4-12.
In a release, the tournament cited international concern over spread of the coronavirus and the ban on travel to the U.S. from Europe. Ticket-holders will be refunded or receive credit to next year’s tournament.
This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 10:20 AM.
