Spurrier expected to play in Heritage Pro-Am for 12th straight year
He’s back.
Steve Spurrier may now be a retired “Head Ball Coach,” but he hasn’t retired from the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, said tournament director Steve Wilmot.
The former head football coach of South Carolina Gamecocks is expected to play for the 12th consecutive year in the Wednesday pro-am, to be played April 13 over the Harbour Town Golf Links in Sea Pines.
Spurrier takes his golf seriously. But at the pro-am he has been known more for posing with his legions of fans than throwing visors.
NeSmith declines exemption
Matt NeSmith, who had a sponsor exemption waiting as champion of the Players Amateur, informed officials last week that he’ll pass up the entry to remain with his South Carolina teammates for the SEC tournament that week.
Though the Gamecocks are No. 28 in the current Golfweek college rankings, three of their SEC rivals are among the top five. Florida is third, followed by Auburn and Alabama.
“We think it’s a very noble decision by Matt,” Wilmot said.
NeSmith made up a five-shot deficit on the final day at Berkeley Hall.
Furyk’s wrist healing
In a perfect, rational recovery period, Jim Furyk would take April off the table. Allow his surgically repaired left wrist to progress gradually and be ready for a proper return in May.
On the golf calendar, though, missing April is hardly perfect.
April is the Masters, after all. Then comes the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, not only played on Furyk’s favorite golf course but where he’s reigning champion.
“I should be (out) all of April. That’s what I should be conceding,” Furyk said Monday at Harbour Town for the tournament’s media day. “But there’s this glimmer of 1 percent hanging out there.”
Furyk has not struck a competitive shot since last September, when he withdrew six holes into the opening round of the BMW Championship. What originally was thought to be a bone bruise turned out to be a small growth that had started jabbing into cartilage.
The 45-year-old underwent surgery Feb. 1, with the recovery time projected to be three months.
This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 4:02 PM with the headline "Spurrier expected to play in Heritage Pro-Am for 12th straight year."