The Tour’s resumption also marks the return for this tournament, which has not been held since its inaugural playing in 2013, where David Bransdon edged out then amateur Lucas Herbert on the first playoff hole.

The Heritage Golf and Country Club boasts two championship courses, with the Heritage Classic being played on the Jack Nicklaus-designed St John course. 

Kicking off the second half of the tour season, players are looking to bolster their Order of Merit standings as the race to the finish heats up.

Seven of the top 12 players on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit are in the field this week and looking to kick-start their year, with eyes on DP World Tour cards and major championship starts at season’s end.

“I’m going to keep trying to apply myself the way that I have done from the start of the season all the way through until the end.”

New year, same game-plan for @BenEccles4 ahead of this week's #HeritageClassic.https://t.co/02ouRbFqYA

— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) January 7, 2024

Bransdon, who recently gained his PGA TOUR Champions status at Qualifying School, is back more than a decade later to defend his 2013 title and will be one of few players in the field who can make use of course knowledge.

Order of Merit front-runners Ben Eccles and David Micheluzzi will be players to watch this week coming off their one-two finish at the Victorian PGA Championship last November. 

Players will be competing this week for a $200,000 prize fund, and despite the heavy downfall of rain on Monday, the forecast for the rest of the week looks near perfect.

HOW TO FOLLOW

For live scoring and the latest news visit www.pga.org.au. Exclusive content and tournament updates will also be posted regularly on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia’s social media channels.

Instagram: @pgatouraus
Twitter: @PGAofAustralia
Facebook: @PGAofAustralia, @PGATourAus
Official hashtag: #HeritageClassic

HOW TO WATCH

Watch the final two rounds of the Heritage Classic live on Kayo and Fox Sports on Foxtel.

Round 3: Saturday 4pm-7pm
Round 4: Sunday 2pm-7pm

FORMER CHAMPIONS

2013: David Bransdon

COURSE RECORD

64, David Bransdon (2013)

COURSE DESIGNER

Jack Nicklaus

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ben Eccles, 2023 WA PGA Championship winner
David Micheluzzi, 2023 Vic PGA winner
Kerry Mountcastle, 2023 Gippsland Super 6 winner
Austin Bautista, 2023 Webex South Australia winner
Daniel Gale, 2023 Sandbelt Invitational winner 
Matthew Docking, 2023 PGA Professionals Championship winner (at The Heritage)
Kazuma Kobori, 2019 New Zealand PGA Championship winner
David Bransdon, defending champion (2013)