RBC Heritage Classic 2012 Preview: Brandt Snedeker, Luke Donald Could Reprise Duel

LA JOLLA, CA - JANUARY 29: Brandt Snedeker celebrates after making a birdie putt on the 18th hole which would eventually put him in a playoff during the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open on the South Course of the Torrey Pines Golf Course on January 29, 2012 in La Jolla, California. Snedeker went on to win on the second playoff hole. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Brandt Snedeker and Luke Donald could reprise a 2011 playoff at the 2012 RBC Heritage Classic.

The 2012 RBC Heritage Classic, formerly known as The Heritage Classic, has the misfortune of following the 2012 Masters on the PGA Tour calendar. That doesn't just mean that the South Carolina-based tournament, entering its 44th iteration, will almost certainly fail to compare to Bubba Watson's playoff triumph at Augusta; it also means that the tournament will be without many of the elite golfers who comprised the Masters field.

Defending champion Brandt Snedeker returns to Harbour Town Golf Links, but he'll be joined by just one of the top five players in the current Official World Golf Rankings. That player, world No. 1 Luke Donald, is a doozy, but the full field is far from star-studded.

On the bright side, Donald will be looking for revenge of a sort: Snedeker's final-round 64 in the 2011 edition of the event got him to a playoff with Donald, and he prevailed, taking home $1,026,000 and his only PGA Tour win of 2011. The same winner's share is available this year, with a $5.7 million purse on the line and 500 FedEx Cup Points at stake for the winner.

Play will begin on Thursday, with live coverage on The Golf Channel on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday afternoon before CBS takes over broadcast duties on Saturday and Sunday.

For more on the PGA Tour and the world of golf, visit SB Nation's golf hub.