What’s In The Bag: 2021 RBC Heritage Champion Stewart Cink

With all the constant thumping on about the distance debate in golf isn’t it just lovely how a simple little course like Harbour Town Golf Links can dissolve away all the argument; for a week at least?

The annual trip to Hilton Head at first glance produced an unlikely winner in 100/1 shot Stewart Cink but maybe others saw it coming.  After all Cink did bridge an 11 year winless drought at the Safeway Open last September and was a former two-time  champion at this event dating back to 2000 and 2004.

The week was a procession for Cink, his golf on Thursday and Friday (63, 63) was so good there were whispers of records being broken.  They remained intact however, just like his lead which in the end was five clear shots from runners-up Harold Varner III and Emiliano Grillo.

With his son Reagan caddying, his other son flying in for the final round and his wife by his side it was truly a family affair for 47 year old Cink.

Yes maybe the bomb and gouge golf we are all so used to might be back next week on the PGA Tour, but tip of the cap to Harbour Town’s designers Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus for a wonderful break from the norm and proof that every so often great course design can outwit distance technology.

Driver: Ping G425 Max (10.5 deg) with a Graphite Design Tour AD XC 6 TX shaft.

3-wood: Ping G425 Max (17.5 deg @15.5) with Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green 70 6.5 shaft.

7-wood: Ping G410 (20.5 deg) with an Accra FX 2.0 360 M5 shaft.

Irons(3, 5-UW): Ping i210 with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts.

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (56, 60) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts.

Putter: Ping Vault 2.0 Ketsch Stealth

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

How He Did It

From the tee, course expert Cink hit 31 fairways with his Ping G425 Max driver, averaging 312 yards (T2 in the field).  That set the Alabama native up to find 56 greens in the right number using Ping i210 irons (T1 in the stats).  On the greens the 47 year old averaged 27.3 putts per round and needed just 109 putts total with his Ping Vault 2.0 Ketsch Stealth putter. For the week, Cink circled two eagles and 18 birdies versus just three bogeys, and ranked first in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green with an incredible +13.741.