2026 RBC Heritage preview, expert predictions: Viktor Hovland, Scottie Scheffler head to Harbour Town in form
Another signature event is slated to take place this week on the PGA Tour
Crack open that Gatorade and get moving, because there is no time to nurse that major hangover. A busy stretch on the PGA Tour calendar gets even busier this week as the fourth of eight signature events takes place at refreshed and restored Harbour Town Golf Links for the 2026 RBC Heritage.
An additional 30 yards has been added to the official scorecard while some trees have been added around No. 10 and No. 16 to make an already tight golf course more claustrophobic. The restoration led by Davis Love III looked at the finer details of Harbour Town and included replacing bulkheads and defining edges of greens and bunkers
Viewers at home may not be able to identify the changes without an eagle eye, but the players surely will with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler headlining the field. In addition to those who qualified for the signature events this season, the field at the RBC Heritage includes winners from 2025 since the Sentry was not held at the beginning of January.
Scheffler arrives off a bogey-free weekend at Augusta National and looks to win his second tournament title in the last three years. He is not the only former champion to be trending, though, as Matt Fitzpatrick found the winner's circle at the Valspar Championship and Jordan Spieth finished T12 at the Masters.
The next step for Spieth would be to play himself into weekend contention as he has been without a late weekend tee time in awhile. Defending champion Justin Thomas continues to make in-roads on his path back from injury. The two-time major champion has made three straight cuts including his top-10 finish at the Players Championship.
The RBC Heritage marks the first of three signature events between the Masters and the PGA Championship. The Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral and the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow are next up to bat, meaning inclusion in the events is of the utmost importance in terms of major preparation.
RBC Heritage will be a nice off-speed pitch compared to those based on the venue. A place that requires precision instead of brute strength as well as a sharp mind, Harbour Town welcomes eight of the top-10 players in the world this week for what should be a world-class event.
2026 RBC Heritage schedule
Dates: April 16-19
Location: Harbour Town Golf Links -- Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Par: 71 | Yardage: 7,243 | Architect: Pete Dye
Purse: $20,000,000
2026 RBC Heritage field, odds
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
- Scottie Scheffler (9/2): The world No. 1 snapped his streak of three straight finishes outside the top 10 with his runner-up result at the Masters. While many will look to the improved iron play and the driving accuracy that the world No. 1 is back, the routine and preparation cannot be overlooked. A man who hardly tinkers was working through different drivers and welcoming his second child to the world. The weekend at the Masters brought back the Scheffler that prides himself on preparation and being a creature of habit. A big summer is in store.
- Xander Schauffele (15-1)
- Matt Fitzpatrick (16-1): The Englishman was among the popular picks for the Masters, but he never got out of the blocks. Playing from his back foot, Fitzpatrick failed to contend. He now returns to a happy hunting ground where he has been visiting since his childhood. He won here a few years ago, at Innisbrook a few weeks ago and still remains one of the hottest players in this field.
- Cameron Young (16-1): Speaking of hot! Young is en fuego at the moment with three straight podium results that have come via close calls at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Masters along with his win at the Players Championship. He is doing everything well at the moment, but his game has not translated to this golf course lately. Since his T3 finish in 2022, Young is without a top-50 result in three tries. My guess is that changes this week.
- Russell Henley (18-1): A few inches here or there, and Henley could have been your Masters winner. The Georgia Bulldog settled for a T3 finish at Augusta National where his iron play starred, especially on Sunday when he accessed hole locations with long and mid irons. His lack of pop won't hinder his chances this week as Harbour Town is a perfect fit on paper. The recent run of finishes suggest the same as he has four top 20s in his last five trips.
- Tommy Fleetwood (20-1)
- Ludvig Åberg (22-1)
- Patrick Cantlay (22-1)
- Collin Morikawa (25-1): Despite being in pain for most of the week, Morikawa mustered up the courage and the game to finish T7 at the Masters. He remains in the field as of now, which comes as a little bit of a shocker, but if the putter is anything like last weekend he could still run the table despite not being 100%. Morikawa has a couple of top 10s and four finishes outside the top 25 in six trips to Harbour Town.
- Jordan Spieth (30-1)
- Si Woo Kim (30-1)
2026 RBC Heritage picks
| Winner (35-1): Hovland does this thing every now and again where he disappears from the spotlight only to win on the PGA Tour shortly after. While his hard launch during the par-3 contest and final-round 67 brought headlines, Hovland's game will carry that weight this week. His iron play remains incredible and the ability to scale back off the tee should help the former FedEx Cup champion attack from the short grass more often than not. If he keeps things in front of him, he should be playing with his name in front of the rest of the field's on the leaderboard this week. | |
| Contender (50-1): Somewhat of a head-scratching number, but it will be taken in stride. The Genesis Invitational winner made the cut in his Masters debut despite his super power (the putter) never showing up. Expect Bridgeman to find his touch on the greens this week at a golf course where he rolled the rock beautifully a season ago. While that club gets all the shine, Bridgeman's tee-to-green acumen is catching up by the week. | |
| Sleeper (80-1): A player who appreciates the nuances of golf courses like Harbour Town, Gerard appears primed to bounce back from his final round at the Masters. Despite the 77 on Sunday, Gerard acquitted himself nicely in his first stroll around Augusta National and did his fair share of damage on the greens. He plays golf beyond his age of 26 and will have a strategy to pick apart this place from tee-to-green. | |
Who will win the 2026 RBC Heritage, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard, all from the model that's nailed 17 golf majors heading into the weekend, including the past five Masters, and find out.
