Bubba Watson donates a big chunk of his $1.26 million Travelers payday to the tournament’s main charity

Click here to read the full article…

When you think about fashion at the RBC Heritage, the first thing that comes to mind is likely the plaid jacket that is presented to the winner of the event. In 2019, an additional layer of style will be added to the festivities as lifestyle and apparel brand Southern Tide is now the official style sponsor of the tournament. Based in Greenville, South Carolina, Southern Tide is known for its laidback coastal vibe, which is a perfect complement for the Harbour Town Golf Links’ seaside location on Hilton Head Island. This marks the first time the Heritage Classic Foundation, the general sponsor of the tournament, has partnered with a lifestyle apparel brand. “The Heritage Classic Foundation is grateful to be partnering with this elite lifestyle brand,� said Steve Wilmot, President of the Heritage Classic Foundation. “We are proud of our South Carolina heritage as we celebrate fifty-one years and jumped at the chance to be styled by this well-known Palmetto State brand.� The partnership will kick off efforts in 2018 leading up to and beyond the tournament. As part of the partnership, RBC Heritage staff will be outfitted in pieces from Southern Tide’s high-performance T3 golf collection. RBC Heritage volunteers will also wear the newest performance tops from Southern Tide, including the Jack (for men) and Jackee (for women) polos. To honor the tradition of the tournament, Southern Tide is also launching a custom Heritage-inspired design with a fun take on the tournament’s signature tartan plaid. Southern Tide will also be extending some southern hospitality to patrons of the tournament. The brand is expected to host the “Southern Tide Experience� on the Heritage Lawn with complimentary swag. Advertising and participation in the Pro-Am shopping spree are also included in the partnership. “The RBC Heritage is a celebrated tradition among golf enthusiasts and a must-experience event in the Southeast,� said Christopher Heyn, CEO of Southern Tide. “In all that we do, our goal is to have fun with family and friends while looking great. Golf is a pastime enjoyed by many of our fans and has played a special role in the Southern Tide identity throughout the years. We’re excited to bring our fresh take on coastal lifestyle sportswear to the PGA TOUR and to embrace what we are all about.� Founded in 2006, Southern Tide is known for its effortless good looks. Its Skipjack Polo epitomizes the brand’s DNA. The classically styled shirt features a two-button placket, a rib knit collar and cuffs, and pique fabric. Laser engraved logo buttons, signature taping at the neck, and a hint of stretch add a modern touch. The 51st annual RBC Heritage will be played the week following the Masters, April 15-21, 2019, at the famed Harbour Town Golf Links.

Click here to read the full article…

While Justin Rose chased the lowest round in TOUR history and Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas dueled down the stretch of a prestigious national championship, PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan appeared on CBS’ Sunday broadcast of the RBC Canadian Open to answer questions about the recent suspensions of a group of players and to reiterate his optimism about the future of the PGA TOUR. Commissioner Monahan addressed the first event of the LIV Golf Invitational Series, which was played earlier this week, but the difference between that “exhibition,” as Monahan called it, and what was occurring in the final round of the RBC Canadian Open provided the perfect contrast to illustrate the strength of the PGA TOUR. “Why do they need us so badly?” Commissioner Monahan asked, referring to players who wanted to compete in the Saudi-backed series and still have an option to play some events on the PGA TOUR. “Those players have chosen to play in a series of exhibition matches against the same players over and over again. You look at that versus what we see here today, and that’s why they need us so badly. You have true, pure competition with the best players in the world here at the RBC Canadian Open with millions of fans watching. “And in this game, it’s pure and true competition that creates the profile of the world’s greatest players and that’s why they need us. That’s what we do. But we aren’t going to allow players to free ride off our loyal members, the best players in the world.” Monahan said questions about how the major championships and Official World Golf Ranking would treat the new series would need to be answered by those respective organizations and that his focus is on the TOUR’s membership and the full TOUR schedule. The makeup of the TOUR’s membership – which features young, talented, established players from across the globe – is one reason the Commissioner said he is bullish on his organization’s future. The top 20 players in the world ranking represent nine different countries on four continents. The FedExCup is shaping up to be a race between two 25-year-olds experiencing breakout seasons, Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns, with stars like THE PLAYERS champion Cameron Smith and former FedExCup champions Patrick Cantlay, Thomas and McIlroy in the mix. “Life is all about meaning and purpose and we are an organization with meaning and purpose,” Commissioner Monahan said. “The best players in the world make wonderful things happen on this platform day in and day out, week in and week out.” The LIV Golf Invitational Series features players with guaranteed contracts playing in 54-hole, no cut events, trading large paychecks for compelling competition. The funding of that circuit has drawn criticism, including from a group of 9/11 survivors and families who lost loved ones in the tragedy. While the Commissioner did not directly address those criticisms, he did ask, “Have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA TOUR?” Being aligned with the TOUR means being aligned with an organization that will undergo unprecedented growth in the next decade and continue to make an impact in each community it visits, he emphasized. “This organization is going to continue to evolve … and we are going to continue to advocate for and grow this game in the right way and continue to make meaningful contributions as an organization,” Commissioner Monahan said. “I couldn’t be more excited about the future, the future we all have together.”

Click here to read the full article…