‘A blessed place’: Golfers like changes at Harbour Town, prepare for RBC Heritage
The first round of the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing begins Thursday at Hilton Head’s Sea Pines Resort, a week after a Masters that saw Scottie Scheffler win his first major tournament and two golfers hit back-to-back birdies on the final hole.
Two holes at Harbour Town Golf Links — two and five — have been lengthened to address big-hitting players who dominate today’s game, said John Farrell, director of sports operations. But Farrell calls the changes modest.
“They’re usually the least difficult holes on the golf course related to par,” Farrell said of second hole, which has been lengthened by 40 yards, and hole 5, which is now 20 yards longer.
At 17, a hospitality area and sky box have been moved that will allow the option of lengthening the hole by 20 yards.
The changes have received positive feedback from players, Farrell said.
The PGA Tour event will feature 42 of the 90 players in last week’s Masters field, including seven players who finished in the top 10 at Augusta National Golf Course: Shane Lowry (T3), Cameron Smith (T3), Collin Morikawa (5th), Corey Conners (T6), Justin Thomas (T8), Sungjae Im (T8) and Charl Schwartzel (T10).
Scheffler, the world No. 1, is not in the tournament, leaving Morikawa, second in the world, as the top-ranked player in the field.
Morikawa shared one of the most memorable moments at the Masters when both he and Rory McIlroy scored birdies on the final hole. Morikawa, speaking Wednesday at Harbour Town Golf Links, recalled the crowd roars and chaos that followed the first, then second birdie, describing the moment as “indescribable.” The tournament, he said, took a lot out of him.
“After a major, you’re drained,” said Morikawa, second in the world behind Scheffler, who’s the top-ranked player on the planet. “When you win, you’re drained even more.”
But Morikawa is eager to get back in the winner’s circle and believes Harbour Town and its small greens and narrow fairways – in contrast to the large greens and expansive fairways at Augusta National Golf Course — fits his game.
“Out here,” Morikawa said, “30 yards off line might be OB (out of bounds).”
Patrick Cantlay, who is ranked 6th in the world, said short games will be especially important this week with Harbour Town’s small greens.
“It demands that you be very precise,” Cantlay said.
Davis Love III, a five-time Heritage champion, celebrated his 58 birthday Wednesday at Harbour Town. Even tennis great Stan Smith, a Hilton Head resident, stopped by to wish Love a happy birthday.
“This place has been a blessed place for me,” Love said of the Heritage.
Another veteran player, Stewart Cink, won last year, the sixth time since 1960 when a player 47 years and older had won multiple times in a season on tour. At the time, Cink was 47 years 10 months and 28 days old and was the second oldest winner at the Heritage behind Hale Irwin, who was 48 years and 10 months and 14 days old when he won in 1994.
But it’s a young crop of young rising stars such as Morikawa and Sheffler, both 25, who are dominating the game.
Younger players, says Love, are “coming out ready to play,” compared to his early years when he was intimidated by veterans such as Raymond Floyd, Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite.
Youth movement in full swing
The youth movement, Cantlay says, seemed to start when Jordan Spieth started winning a few years ago. He expects the trend to continue because of the improved technology and coaching. When he was in high school, Cantlay says, he had no sense of how the ball was spinning or how to hit it farther.
“I just had a feeling if I swung harder it would go farther,” Cantlay says, “but that’s not necessarily the case.”
Today’s young players, he said, swing harder, hit it high and straight and aim for the flag.
Wednesday was about having fun, not fierce competition, as amateurs teamed with pros for the Pro-Am tournament.
Andrew Guizetti tee’d up his ball, prepared to give it a ride, only to watch as it landed in the water several feet from the tee box.
You couldn’t blame the Toronto man’s case of the yips. Not only were fans watching his first shot. So was world No. 9 Dustin Johnson, his playing partner.
“Very nervous,” Guizetti said later about his state of mind during his first tee shot. But fans told him to “shake it off” and soon he was chatting with DJ on the fairway like they were old golf buddies.
“It’s incredible,” Guizetti said of the experience of playing with Johnson. “He’s a wonderful ambassador for the sport.”
Golf fans from across the world had the opportunity to watch the stars and get autographs Wednesday during the Pro-Am. A few, like Guizetti, were able to play golf with the world’s best.
“It means a lot for somebody from here,” Travis Altizer, of Hardeeville, said after getting an autograph from Johnson at the first hole. “I love the atmosphere. I like to see people form all over the world come and see the best players play.”
Jennifer Mead, of Bluffton, was taking photographs but not of Dustin Johnson, but rather her daughter, Ashleigh, a sophomore at the University of South Carolina Beaufort who is on the golf team.
“She texted me this morning: ‘9 o clock, Dustin Johnson,’” Mead said. “She’s super excited because he’s one of her favorite golfers.”
This story was originally published April 13, 2022 at 2:56 PM.
