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BLACKSBURG, Va. – Virginia Tech golfer Scott Vincent will compete in the RBC Heritage Classic on April 16-20 at the Harbour Town Golf Links at Sea Pines Plantation in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Vincent, a senior from Harare, Zimbabwe, earned an exemption into the tournament by winning the 2014 Players Amateur golf championship. Vincent won the event last July by one stroke to secure his spot in the RBC Heritage.

Vincent becomes the first active Virginia Tech golfer to compete in a PGA Tour-sponsored event since Drew Weaver played in the 2008 Masters. Weaver earned that exemption by winning the 2007 British Amateur, which also earned him a spot in the 2007 British Open Championship. Weaver tied for 40^th in the 2009 U.S. Open Championship at Bethpage Black in Long Island, New York, following his graduation from Virginia Tech.

“I just hope to play as best as I can,” Vincent said. “I’m looking at this as a great learning experience. I want to play on the PGA Tour in the future.”

The RBC Heritage Classic, traditionally held the weekend after the Masters, annually draws one of the top fields in professional golf. Past champions include such notables as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, Hale Irwin, Bernhard Langer, Johnny Miller, Greg Norman, Nick Price, Tom Watson and the late Payne Stewart. There are a total of 15 golfers in this year’s field who have claimed major championships, including 2015 Masters champion, Jordan Spieth. The tournament champion is awarded a plaid sports coat as one of the prizes.

“Ultimately, this will be very motivating, playing on the biggest stage,” Vincent said. “And I’m going to want to get back out on the course and play immediately.” Vincent and the Hokies will return to action next weekend at the 2015 ACC Men’s Golf Championship at the Old North State Club in Badin Lake, North Carolina.

There will be a total of three Virginia Tech golfers competing at Harbour Town. PGA Tour veteran and fellow Zimbabwean Brendon de Jonge will join Vincent and Johnson Wagner in the tournament. Wagner, who finished second in a playoff at the Shell Houston Open two weeks ago, received a sponsor’s exemption into the RBC Heritage Classic. Wagner and de Jonge were teammates with the Hokies from 1999-2002.

“I ran into Brendon yesterday and we spent some time on the practice green,” Vincent said. “I also met Johnson and we chatted for a while. It was good to see some Hokie faces down here. I’ve gotten to meet some of the pros and they have all been very accommodating. It has been a fun week.”

The course at the Harbour Town Golf Links should have an air of familiarity to it for Vincent, as it was designed by Pete Dye, the renowned golf course architect who redid the Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech, the home course of the Hokies. Dye was joined in the design of Harbour Town by Jack Nicklaus.

The RBC Heritage Classic will be televised by the Golf Channel on Thursday and Friday, 3-6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 1-2:30 p.m. CBS will pick up the coverage on Saturday and Sunday, beginning at 3 p.m. The tournament will also be available on SiriusXM Thursday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. and live scoring will be available at PGATour.com and the PGA Tour app.

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