HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC (WTOC) – The first round of the 58th annual RBC Heritage is Thursday. Some of the best golfers in the world are on Hilton Head Island to compete in the tournament.
16 of the top 20 players in the world are part of the competing group to tee off in South Carolina’s one and only Signature Event on the PGA TOUR.
Round One’s first players, David Lipsky and Chandler Blanchet, started off the event on Hole 1 at 7:05 a.m.
Tournament play is supposed to last all day. Rounds Two, Three and Four will be played Friday, Saturday and Sunday respectively.
The RBC Heritage is one of eight limited-field, high purse events on the PGA TOUR.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is scheduled to hit the course at 1:50 p.m. This week, he will attempt to avenge his one-shot defeat at the Masters last week.
Reigning Heritage champion Justin Thomas is also vying for the tartan jacket and 20-million-dollar purse. Thomas tees off at 10:05 a.m.
Harbor Town is expected to be packed during the event as fans line up to watch the game unfold while enjoying the beautiful scenery and unmatched atmosphere.
Something unique at the Heritage, is the mobile barber shop run by Barbers of the Lowcountry. It’s been a staple set-up at the Heritage for nearly half a decade, making sure players, caddies and support staff stay looking sharp.
The barber shop is open through Friday to offer haircuts, beard trims and even shaves.
Brent Nelson, co-owner of the business, says their set up is unlike any other on the PGA TOUR.
“I don’t think any tournaments have what we have with the mobile shop, and it’s pretty unique. And like I said, this is the fourth year doing it. A lot of the golfers, caddies and even the support staff remember us from year to year and look forward to us being here,” said Nelson.
Not only is the competition going to be heating up later this week, but so is the temperature.
WTOC spoke with an emergency physician with Novant’s Hilton Head Hospital to find out how fans can stay safe during the tournament.
Dr. Mason Mendenhall says his advice includes applying sunscreen, finding shade and drinking plenty of water.
“One of the more frequent things that we see is going to be like dehydration, heat related complaints. You know again, it’s really warm out here, a lot of walking, a lot of people even with the breeze can feel nice, but you’re still losing a lot of water when you’re sweating and walking,” said Dr. Mendenhall.
Stick with WTOC on-air and online for more coverage of the 2026 RBC Heritage. Click here for more information on the tournament.