RBC Heritage on Hilton Head has revamped security, safety amid COVID-19. Here’s how
If anyone thinks they can sneak between houses in Sea Pines to snap a photo of golfer Rory McIlroy at this week’s RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, the tournament’s director, Steve Wilmot, has a simple message:
“We’ll be monitoring — extremely closely — the exterior of the course,” he told The Island Packet in an interview Monday.
The 2020 Heritage, which kicks off Wednesday with a small opening ceremony, will be much different than years past. No spectators will be allowed on the grounds amid the coronavirus pandemic. That means less of a headache for staff members handling traffic, but tournament officials still face challenges, including keeping fans away from the fairways.
If adjacent homeowners want to have parties, that’s their choice, Wilmot said.
“We hope they abide by the best conduct,” he said, adding that the tournament has encouraged everyone around the course to practice social distancing.
But for those not invited to patio get-togethers — or spectators who couldn’t book a rental property in time — the Golf Channel and CBS are likely the closest they’ll get to the action, unless they drop anchor off the 18th hole.
Security will be patrolling the Harbour Town Golf Links and surrounding areas, Wilmot said, including the Sea Pines Security Department. Pre-approved credentials will also be required to access the course.
And for people who can get in, the Heritage has a barrage of new safety measures in place, he added.
Hundreds of people will be tested for COVID-19 before Thursday — the start of the four-day event. Wilmot said he expects Sanford Health, a PGA Tour-hired health care system, to administer 400 to 500 nasal swab or saliva tests this week.
Players, caddies, tour officials and some tournament staff and volunteers are being tested, among others.
Another tour-hired company is setting up a thermal camera at the course’s front entrance to monitor attendees’ temperatures.
Anyone with a fever above 100.4 will be turned away. And those who test positive for the coronavirus will be isolated and “directed to medical care if necessary.”
The tour is asking players and caddies to restrict their movement off the course and practice social distancing while on it.
Angela McSwain, marketing and communications director at the Heritage Classic Foundation, said the tour is providing masks to personnel on site. People have to wear masks if they can’t stay six feet apart, she said.
The event has secured 3,800 masks, 1,000 individual bottles of hand sanitizer, 30 one-gallon jugs of hand sanitizer and 200 hand-sanitizing stations for the course and clubhouse.
“We’re in tournament mode,” Wilmot said Monday, as he and McSwain drove south to greet pros at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. “We’re ready to go.”
The Heritage was initially canceled in March as the pandemic hit, along with several other tournaments. It was later rescheduled after the PGA Tour asked if Heritage officials would be interested in the June 18-21 slot vacated by the U.S. Open, which has been pushed to September.
Pros returned to the tour late last week at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas. No players there tested positive for COVID-19.
The top five pros in the world rankings — McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson — are playing at the Heritage.
This story was originally published June 16, 2020 at 11:36 AM.
