Afternoon thunderstorms prompted an 84-minute delay and prevented six golfers from completed the first round at the 2023 RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, and two of the golfers who have to finish their first 18 holes are within a shot of the top of a crowded leaderboard.
A week after holding the 18-hole lead at the Masters, Norway’s Viktor Hovland fired a bogey-free 7-under-par 64 to claim the early lead, and it was still holding up when play was suspended due to darkness at Harbour Town Golf Club. Savannah native and 2005 Players Amateur champion Brian Harman is one shot back along with Clemson alum Jimmy Walker and Englishman Aaron Rai, who will complete their rounds beginning at 8 a.m. Friday.
The second round will resume on schedule at 7 a.m.
Defending champion Jordan Spieth shot 3-under-par 68 and is tied for 15th along with Scottie Scheffler and Hall of Famer Ernie Els.
We broke down what happened Thursday at the RBC Heritage with a live recap show. Subscribe to the Lowco Media YouTube channel to ensure you don’t miss our tournament coverage and recap shows the rest of the week.
NOTES FROM PGA TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Viktor Hovland (1st/-7)
• Cards a 7-under 64, his sixth career first-round score of 65 or better on TOUR and second at the RBC Heritage (65/2020, his only other start at the event)
• Held a share of the lead after the first round of last week’s Masters Tournament, his first career 18-hole lead/co-lead in an individual stroke-play PGA TOUR event, and went on to finish T7
• Five top-10s in 11 prior starts this season, highlighted by a T3 at THE PLAYERS Championship
• Three-time PGA TOUR winner (2020 Puerto Rico Open, 2020 World Wide Technology Championship, 2021 World Wide
Technology Championship)
Brian Harman (T2/-6)
• Records a 6-under 65, tying his career-low score in 45 rounds at the RBC Heritage (other 65s: R2/2015, R4/2020)
• Two top-10s in 13 prior starts at the event (T7/2014, T9/2017); competed on a sponsor exemption in 2004 (MC) and 2006 (MC)
• Two-time winner on the PGA TOUR (2014 John Deere Classic, 2017 Wells Fargo Championship)
• 26 top-10s on the PGA TOUR since the start of the 2017-18 season, the most of any player without a victory in that span (second-most: 23, Adam Hadwin)
Miscellaneous notes
• Jimmy Walker (T2/-6 thru 16*), who is competing this season on career money exemption (top 50 in career money), is making his fourth career start at the RBC Heritage (17th/2005, MC/2010, MC/2020)
• Aaron Rai (T2/-6 thru 15) is making his tournament debut; Rai has one career 18-hole lead/co-lead on TOUR (2023 Farmers Insurance Open; finished 52nd)
• Coming off a victory at the Masters, FedExCup leader and World No. 1 Jon Rahm records a 1-over 72
• Defending champion Jordan Spieth is currently T15 after a 3-under 68; Spieth has never successfully defended a title in 11 previous attempts on TOUR
• Kevin Kisner WD after the round
• Ryan Fox WD during the round due to illness