As the only PGA Tour stop in South Carolina, the RBC Heritage has been a staple of the golf calendar since 1969. Played each year at the iconic Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island, the tournament follows immediately after the Masters.
This scheduling, however, often leads to unpredictable results. With no cut and a field of just 82 players, everyone gets four rounds, creating opportunities for stars and lesser-known players to make moves on the leaderboard.
Round 1 Recap at RBC Heritage
Round 1 of the 2026 tournament offered an unpredictability that fans often expect. Leading the group is Ludvig Åberg, who continued his red-hot season with a stunning 8-under-par. Åberg has already been one of the most consistent players this year, and his opening round suggests he’s ready to contend again.
Just one shot back at 7-under are Harris English and Viktor Hovland, both of whom looked sharp throughout their rounds. A tightly packed group sits at 6-under, including Gary Woodland, Rickie Fowler, and Matt Fitzpatrick, showcasing depth in the field.
Further down the leaderboard, notable names like Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler, and Jordan Spieth are within striking distance but will need to build momentum heading into Round 2. With no cut looming, there’s still plenty of time for movement, making every round crucial.
The Full Leaderboard With Åberg at the Top
Here’s the full leaderboard at RBC Heritage:
1 L. Åberg -8
T2 H. English -7
T2 V. Hovland -7
T4 M. Brennan -6
T4 G. Woodland -6
T4 R. Fox -6
T4 R. Fowler -6
T4 A. Novak -6
T4 M. Fitzpatrick -6
T10 R. MacIntyre -5
T10 S.J. Im -5
T10 J. Straka -5
T10 D. Berger -5
T10 S.W. Kim -5
T15 J. Highsmith
T15 A. Potgieter
T15 K. Bradley
T15 C. Conners
T15 C. Morikawa
T20 B. Campbell
T20 W. Mouw
T20 S. Välimäki
T20 W. Clark
T20 B. Cauley
T20 R. Henley
T20 S. Scheffler
T27 M. Wallace
T27 J. Smith
T27 S. Fisk
T27 P. Rodgers
T27 L. Glover
T27 M. McCarty
T27 N. Taylor
T27 B. Griffin
T27 J. J. Spaun
T27 J. Spieth
T27 S. Theegala
T27 J. Keefer
T27 P. Coody
T27 M. Kim
T27 K. Kitayama
T27 P. Cantlay
T27 X. Schauffele
T44 K. Vilips
T44 M.W. Lee
T44 M. Thorbjornsen
T44 C. Gotterup
T44 S. Stevens
T44 H. Hall
T44 S. Lowry
T44 S. Burns
T44 J. Day
T44 M. Homa
T54 C. Blanchett
T54 J. T. Poston
T54 T. Hoge
T54 B. Harman
T54 C. Young
T54 B. Horschel
T54 A. Putnam
T54 J. Knapp
T62 D. Lipsky
T62 G. Higgo
T62 R. Castillo
T65 R.Gerard
T65 M. Penge
T65 N. Højgaard
T65 A. Norén
T65 A. Bhatia
T70 A. Schenk
T70 D. McCarthy
T70 T. Pendrith
T70 A. Smotherman
T70 M. McNealy
T70 S. Yellamaraju
T76 R. Hisatsune
T76 T. Finau
T76 J. Bridgeman
T76 N. Echavarria
T80 J. Thomas
T80 T. Fleetwood
81 J. Vegas
Some Surprises at Hilton Head
As always, the week after Augusta can result in some unexpected turns. Several players who performed well at the Masters have struggled to find their place at RBC Heritage. Among them are Max Homa, Sam Burns, and Cameron Young.
This, however, isn’t a surprise. The Masters is not just physically demanding but mentally exhausting. It requires intense focus over four days on one of golf’s biggest stages. Transitioning from a pressure filled environment to a tighter, more strategic layout at Harbour Town Golf Links can be difficult. Players must quickly reset both mentally and physically, something easier said than done.
Additionally, Harbour Town’s unique design favors precision over power. It gets rid of some of the advantages that longer hitters see at Augusta. That change can expose even the smallest inconsistencies in a player’s game.
With three rounds still to play, the leaderboard is far from set. The no-cut format ensures that even those with a slow start have a chance to rebound. Still, if Round 1 is any indication, Ludvig Åberg may be the player everyone is chasing this weekend.
RBC Heritage Round 1: Åberg Leads as Big Names Fall Behind