Rory McIlroy pulls out of PGA Tour’s latest $20m Signature Event at RBC Heritage.
Masters champion and golf legend Rory McIlroy has decided to skip this week’s PGA Tour Signature Event at the RBC Heritage.
Masters champion Rory McIlroy has decided to pull out of this week’s $20m RBC Heritage, the latest Signature Event on the PGA Tour.
McIlroy, 35, achieved golf immortality on Sunday after winning The Masters for the first time.
The World No.2 now joins fellow golf legends Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen as the sixth player in the modern era to capture the career grand slam.
McIlroy defeated his European Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose with a birdie on the first extra hole.
The PGA Tour superstar has won three times in 2025 following victories at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The Players Championship and The Masters.
McIlroy, now a five-time major champion, won a record $4.2m for winning The Masters.
Rory McIlroy chooses to bypass the 2025 RBC Heritage.
McIlroy’s name is not down to compete in this week’s $20m Signature Event on the PGA Tour schedule.
The 2025 RBC Heritage marks the fifth of eight Signature Events on the PGA Tour this season.
McIlroy has typically bypassed the RBC Heritage at iconic Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
The limited-field event will feature 72 players.
Scottie Scheffler is back to defend his title as he goes in search of his first PGA Tour title of 2025.
Runaway World No.1 Scheffler presented the coveted Masters Green Jacket to McIlroy on Sunday.
Scheffler did not have his best stuff out there in his title defence at Augusta National, but he still finished a highly respectable solo fourth, finishing three shots out of the playoff.
Why has Rory McIlroy pulled out of the RBC Heritage?.
To be honest, it was never entirely clear if the RBC Heritage was part of Rory McIlroy’s plans for this PGA Tour season.
The Harbour Town Golf Links course, with its narrow, tree-lined fairways, has never really suited McIlroy’s style—especially since it follows right after The Masters each April.
McIlroy’s strength off the tee with powerful drives isn’t particularly advantageous at Harbour Town, where precision and placement are more important than distance.
He did opt to play the event last year after it gained Signature Event status.
However, his T33 finish—12 shots behind Scottie Scheffler—served as a reminder of why this tournament has never ranked high on his preferred stops.
While players can withdraw from these limited-field Signature Events, they must provide a legitimate reason to PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan.
The Tour hasn’t officially clarified how many Signature Events players are allowed to miss, though the series was designed to gather the top players in one place—something sponsors and fans alike expect heading into 2025.
Although McIlroy’s camp hasn’t announced a reason for skipping the 2025 RBC Heritage, it’s easy to speculate—he’s coming off the biggest win of his career at The Masters.
McIlroy is set to return at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans from April 24–27, teaming up again with Shane Lowry for the Tour’s only team event.
The duo won the Zurich Classic in 2024 in their first outing together.
Lowry also came to McIlroy’s defense ahead of the 2025 Masters, criticizing those who doubted him.
Just last week, McIlroy, Lowry, and Tommy Fleetwood participated in the traditional Par-3 Contest at Augusta National.
