South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham told about 600 people at the annual Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce breakfast that he wants to help find sponsorship for the Heritage Golf Tournament. Graham was one of the speakers at the Tuesday, October 5, 2010 event.
Verizon dropped its sponsorship of Hilton Head's Heritage Golf Tournament after the 2010 event and local fans and businesses have since had to face the possibility of losing not only the event but the economic impact of the tournament.
According to a survey conducted by Clemson University’s International Institute for Tourism Research and Development, the event had a total output attributable to visitor spending of $81.90 million during tournament week, April 12-18, 2010.
While the dates have been secured for 2011, the Heritage Classic Foundation staff has admitted that the event cannot continue past next year without securing a title sponsor. The Heritage and the PGA TOUR announced earlier that an agreement has been reached to hold the Heritage Golf Tournament on April 18-24, 2011 at Harbour Town Golf Links.
The Heritage will be played the week of April 18-24, 2011, one week later than the traditional April date. The change is due to a PGA TOUR scheduling issue and the fact that there is one extra week between The Masters and The Players Championship. According to the PGA TOUR, the change is for one year only.
With the date change, the 2011 Heritage will share the tournament week with the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in nearby Savannah, offering great golf action for fans in both locations.
"The Heritage is part of the fabric of the Hilton Head and Lowcountry communities, and the continuation of the event is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of thousands of volunteers and local sponsors," Tournament Director Steve Wilmot said when announcing the 2011 dates. "The players love coming back to the Harbour Town Golf Links and Hilton Head and we look forward to welcoming them with our special South Carolina hospitality."
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