Rory McIlroy pulls out of PGA Tour's latest $20m Signature Event at 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.

Check out the full prize payouts at 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?

If truth be told, we're not sure the RBC Heritage was ever going to be on McIlroy's PGA Tour schedule this season.

The short tree-lined venue at Harbour Town Golf Links has never really been seen as a stop that fits McIlroy's eye, especially falling straight after The Masters each April. 

Smashing drivers - a key strength of McIlroy's - around Harbour Town has never proved the prudent play here where accurate tee shots are the order of the week. 

McIlroy did decide to play in this PGA Tour event last season when it was made into a Signature Event.

He soon realised why the RBC Heritage has never been a favourite of his on the schedule since he finished T33 and 12 shots behind Scheffler. 

It's understood players are able to pull out of limited-field Signature Events, but they do need to provide valid excuses to give PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. 

The PGA Tour has never officially confirmed how many events players are eligible to miss out on when it comes to the Signature Events, which have been set up by the North American circuit to ensure the very best golfers are competing together - and title sponsors and golf fans obviously want to see that as much as possible in 2025. 

McIlroy revealed in the Butler Cabin on Sunday night that he was going back home to Northern Ireland to see his Mum and Dad and celebrate with them this week, and so he has decided to withdraw from the RBC Heritage. 

The PGA Tour superstar will next compete on the PGA Tour when teaming up alongside Shane Lowry in the PGA Tour's sole team event of the season at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans from 24-27 April. 

Good pals McIlroy and Lowry teamed up for the first time to win the Zurich Classic in 2024. 

Lowry went after McIlroy's biggest critics on the eve of the 2025 Masters. 

McIlroy and Lowry both played together alongside Tommy Fleetwood during the annual Par-3 Contest at The Masters last week. 

They were joined by their families. 

McIlroy confirmed at the start of the season that he intends to dramatically cut down his playing schedule in 2025.

Not only in a bid to concentrate fully on the four majors of the season, but to also spend more time with his daughter Poppy and wife Erica. 

Poppy holed a monster putt in the Masters Par-3 Contest.

McIlroy played 27 tournaments in 2024, which marked the highest of his career since 2010.

"l will probably play, including the Ryder Cup, something like 22," McIlroy told the media earlier this year.

"I'd say my DP World Tour schedule will be pretty similar to what it was last year."

McIlroy has played in seven tournaments so far in 2025.