Clash of Generations in the RBC Heritage at Sea Pines

By: David Wood


The RBC Heritage will be a clash of generations this week. The field for the PGA Tour event at Pete Dye's classic Harbour Town Golf Links at Sea Pines Resort includes multiple major winners, Tom Watson and Nick Faldo, as well as 20-year-old Jordan Spieth, who's fresh off an impressive Masters debut.

18th Hole at Harbour Town Golf Links

Among other players vying to don the champion's tartan jacket late Sunday is last year's winner Graeme McDowell, Brandt Snedeker, Hunter Mahan, Davis Love III, Luke Donald and Jim Furyk. Two recent "young gun" winners on the PGA Tour, Patrick Reed and Matt Every, are also teeing it up this week.

Both Watson and Faldo have fond memories of the event. 2014 U.S. Ryder Cup captain Watson is a two-time winner (1979, 1982) and six-time major champion Faldo was the victor in 1984.

"Harbour Town is in my top-five courses," said Watson, making his 24th start in the tournament. "I loved it right from the beginning and have great memories here."

Plantation Club

Playing for the first time in a U.S.-based PGA Tour event since 2006, Faldo said, "My best goal is to make the cut. I want to just go and play and not scare myself."

As many of the participants and their families stay "on-campus" at Sea Pines for the week, they will find several upgrades at the resort. The 23,000-square-foot Plantation Golf Club clubhouse and golf learning center at the Heron Point and Ocean courses was unveiled March 26. Slated to open this summer is the new Sea Pines Beach Club.

At the conclusion of the tournament, construction will begin on a new 19,000-square-foot Harbour Town Golf Links clubhouse. Located on the site of the existing structure and with a completion date of spring 2015, the interior will pay homage to the RBC Heritage with a gallery showcasing the tournament's long history and displays of past champions.

Five-time RBC Heritage winner David Love III said of the enhancements, "The Sea Pines group is really stepping it up with the facilities."

For more information about Sea Pines Resort, visit www.seapines.com.