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Weeks of speculation became fact Thursday as the Royal Bank of Canada was introduced as the new title sponsor for The Heritage — now The RBC Heritage. The announcement ended more than 18 months of searching to replace Verizon, which announced in late 2009 that it would end its 20-year relationship with Hilton Head’s signature PGA Tour event.
In addition, Boeing, which recently opened a plant in Charleston, was announced as a local presenting sponsor of the tournament, also through 2016. PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem also confirmed — after a quick joke about the Christmas season — that the tournament would return to its traditional spot on the schedule one week after the Masters.
“This is a great day for South Carolina,” said Gov. Nikki Haley, who was instrumental in bringing about the new partnership between RBC, Boeing, the PGA Tour and the Heritage Foundation, which operates the tournament. “It’s a day to celebrate.”
The announcement, which came in front of an overflowing and enthusiastic room of media, business leaders and community members overlooking the Harbour Town Golf Links, was the culmination of a search that at times seemed tenuous, but ultimately secured the future of the 42-year-old event for the next five years.
“This is a great day, and a long time coming,” said Simon Fraser, chairman of the Heritage Foundation. “But it was well worth the wait.”
With the deal, RBC significantly upgraded its presence in American professional golf, while saving an event that has donated more than $20 million to charity and pumps some $82 million into the state and regional economy each year. Since its inception in 1969, the tournament has been played at the famed Harbour Town layout on the shores of the Calibogue Sound.
Celebration was certainly in the air on Thursday. The 2011 tournament, won by Brandt Snedeker, operated without a sponsor, surviving through the use of a $4 million rainy-day fund by the foundation and another $1 million from both the Town of Hilton Head and Beaufort County.
“It’s good news for our players, because as you know, our players love this course,” said Finchem, who also helped negotiate the deal. “I can tell you personally as a fan that this is one of my favorite tournaments to watch because of the uniqueness of the golf course and the amount of short-game shots you get to see. It’s just been a fantastic part of the PGA Tour.”
In addition to sponsoring the Canadian Open, RBC is represented on Tour by a trio of top players — world No. 1 Luke Donald, three-time major champion Ernie Els and Matt Kuchar — and supports the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup. Adding The Heritage to that list was a natural fit, a company official said.
“We are big into golf, because golf really works for our brand and the target market we’re trying to attract,” said Jim Little, chief brand and communication officer at RBC. “We are thrilled at the reaction to our involvement, we hope to be here for a very long time and we look forward to being your guest at this event.”
For Steve Wilmot, longtime Heritage tournament director, Thursday was as much about relief as it was satisfaction. Wilmot and his staff have been at the center of the sponsor search since the beginning, while at the same time staging the 2010 and 2011 tournaments. Now, at least the next five years guaranteed, Wilmot can relax, watch his son’s basketball games and maybe, just maybe, get some sleep. He’ll also have a moment or two to consider the one major lesson he learned from the experience of the past two years.
“I learned I don’t want to have to go through this ever again,” Wilmot said.
Haley took a more lively view. "This is a great day for South Carolina," she said. "All I can say is God bless the Heritage, because that's going to be one party next year."
