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Tiger Woods finished 60th in the Masters Tournament with a score of +16. With the event over, the eyes of the golf world turn to the RBC Heritage, the next stop on the PGA Tour, but Woods will not be in the field.
The RBC Heritage is the fifth Signature Event of the 2024 season, so it has special requirements for player qualification. Tiger Woods does not meet any of them, nor has he received a sponsor exemption.
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The RBC Heritage field qualified the Top 50 of the FedEx Cup rankings from the previous season, as well as all tournament winners during 2024 (except for additional tournaments).
Another group of qualifiers is the so-called AON Next 10, i.e., the Top 10 of the 2024 FedEx Cup ranking not otherwise exempt, and the AON Swing 5, which are the top five FedEx Cup point winners between one Signature Event and another, not otherwise exempt.
Finally, members of the Top 30 in the world rankings, not otherwise exempt, also have a place in the field. The same goes for sponsors' exemptions, which in the case of the RBC Heritage, are four.
As of Monday, April 15, the RBC Heritage field has 69 players, including Tiger Woods, who does not meet any of the categories described above. Woods could receive a sponsors' exemption, but it is known that the 15-time Major champion has set a monthly tournament schedule due to his recent injuries.
Tiger Woods at the RBC Heritage
The RBC Heritage was first played in 1969 as the Heritage Classic. Since its founding it has always been played at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Tiger Woods has played in only one edition of the tournament. It was in 1999, when the event was called the MCI Classic. On that occasion, Woods finished T18, with a score of 4 under 280. He played four rounds under par (70 - 70 - 69 - 71). This is also Woods' only experience at Hilton Head playing on the PGA Tour.
The year Tiger Woods was in the field for the tournament now known as the RBC Heritage, Glen Day took the title with a score of 10 under. Day defeated Jeff Sluman and Payne Stewart in the playoff.
This tournament has always been played the week after The Masters, which may have influenced Tiger Woods not to have it more often as part of his schedule.
However, other players with a long history at Augusta National have also played and won at Hilton Head. These include Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer.
The event has been considered a Signature Event since last season. For this reason, it has a purse of $20 million, with $4 million and 750 points for the FedEx Cup ranking for the winner.
