Spring break on and off the PGA Tour

This time of the year can feel like Spring Break on the PGA Tour, even if the destination is not the Bahamas.

The amount of attention paid to Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas, Smylie Kaufman and Jordan Spieth during their post-Masters break to Baker's Bay in the Bahamas is enough to indicate there isn't a lot of interest in PGA Tour competition at the moment.

Sergio Garcia is disappearing with his hard-earned green jacket for a month before returning at The Players Championship. Dustin Johnson is back in the gym, though he won't be playing the next three weeks until the Wells Fargo Championship (that's the plan, anyway).

The next time Rory McIlroy plays, he'll be married. It shows in the field assembled at Harbour Town Golf Links for the RBC Heritage.

The highest-ranked player in the field is Tyrrell Hatton of England. He is No. 16, and odds are no one at Hilton Head had ever heard of him a year ago. The only other player from the top 20 at the RBC Heritage is Matt Kuchar at No. 17.

Then again, just going to Hilton Head has been regarded as the best way to decompress after a major.

"A lot has been made of this nice, relaxing tournament after the Masters," Jim Furyk said.

The LPGA Tour already has started, teeing off Wednesday at Ko Olina in Hawaii with a Saturday finish. The PGA Tour Champions didn't have to go far for the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, which is outside Atlanta at the TPC Sugarloaf.

That's where the PGA Tour used to go the week before the Masters.

PGA TOUR

Along with being a working vacation, the RBC Heritage is the first event where a player can book a return to the Masters by winning. A year ago, that was Branden Grace of South Africa, closing with a 66 for two-shot victory and his first PGA Tour title.

Only six players at Hilton Head already are assured of being back to Augusta National next year — past Masters champions Danny Willett, Vijay Singh; Jason Dufner and Martin Kaymer, who have won majors in the last five years; and Russell Henley and Matt Kuchar, who finished in the top 12 at the Masters.