Fresh from his triumphant Masters victory, Rory McIlroy has opted to sit out the prestigious RBC Heritage tournament, forgoing the chance to claim its £2.7million winner’s prize.
The Northern Irishman’s emotional victory at Augusta National marked the culmination of over a decade’s worth of anticipation, pressure, and heartache, as he finally donned the revered green jacket and completed an illustrious career Grand Slam.
Such a monumental achievement not only solidified McIlroy’s status as a golfing legend but also propelled his season earnings to a staggering sum of around £10m. Having already secured two Tour victories in 2025 – at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Players Championship – the 35-year-old will be giving the next event on the calendar a miss.
The RBC Heritage in South Carolina boasts a lucrative £15m total prize pot, but McIlroy won’t be vying for another multi-million-pound prize at Harbour Town Golf Links.
Although McIlroy hasn’t publicly explained his reasons for skipping the tournament, his comments after the Masters suggested he may return to Northern Ireland to celebrate with his family.
“It feels incredible. This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time,” McIlroy revealed during his Butler Cabin debrief.
“The last 10 years coming here with the burden of the Grand Slam on my shoulder and trying to achieve it. I wonder what we’re going to talk about going into next year.
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“I’m absolutely honoured, thrilled, and proud to be able to call myself a Masters champion. I want to say hello to my mum and dad, they’re back in Northern Ireland, and I can’t wait to celebrate this next week with them.”
Regardless of his victory at the Masters, McIlroy might have given the Heritage a miss as he has done for many years. Since turning pro in 2007, McIlroy’s only teed off three times at the Heritage event – in 2009, 2020, and lastly in 2024.
Despite his exceptional talent, he hasn’t found much success there, never breaking into the top 20 and finishing an underwhelming T33 just last year, possibly swayed by the event being promoted to a Signature Event in 2024.
Simply put, the course layout at the Heritage doesn’t suit McIlroy’s powerful driving game. The short, tree-lined links are more forgiving to those with precision in their approach shots.
Having typically expended much of his energy at Augusta National, it’s no wonder he has tended to bypass this particular challenge, reports the Express.
One golfer who does revel on the South Carolina greens is reigning champion Scottie Scheffler. After clinching a three-stroke victory at the Heritage in 2024, and coming off a strong fourth-place performance at Augusta, Scheffler is a hot favourite to defend his title this time around.
Most of the Tour’s top players will also be present, including Ludvig Aberg, who seemed set for another high Masters finish until a stumble on the 18th hole resulted in him finishing the event in seventh place.
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