This will be the 48th renewal of the PGA Tour event held on the Harbour Town Golf Links. The tournament had lost its sponsor and was contested in 2011 as just the Heritage until RBC came to the rescue in 2012.

It is normally held the week after the Masters and provides a much needed respite from the rigors of major championship golf.

Hilton Head provides the perfect laid-back atmosphere for the professionals to decompress after fighting Rae’s Creek and the severe undulation of Augusta National’s lightning-quick greens.

It has had various names over the years, but has maintained its identity as a premier event held in one of the best vacation spots in the country.

The course was designed by Pete Dye in 1969, with the help of Jack Nicklaus. It features narrow fairways with overhanging Oaks, Palmettos and dark swampy lagoons.

Small greens demand precise iron play to score well at Harbour Town. Because the course demands precision, not only from the tee, but with the irons, many past champions also have U.S. Open trophies on their mantles.

Graeme McDowell is the defending champion and will look to get his season back on track with a high finish this week.

132 players will compete for the total purse of $5.8 million with $1.044 going to the winner.

Matt Kuchar (6), Jordan Spieth (9), Zach Johnson (12), Graeme McDowell (14) and Charl Schwartzel (17), head the list of the 20 players inside the top 50 in the world in the field this week.

Past winners here include, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson and Nick Faldo. The late Payne Stewart won here twice and Davis Love III has won the RBC Heritage five times.

For many in the northern climes the Masters signals the start of spring and the beginning of the golf season.

The RBC Heritage is another annual renewal of the rites of spring and has produced great champions over the years.