HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Matt Kuchar knew his next victory was coming, he just wasn’t sure when.

He figured it might be at the Texas Open three weeks back when he finished two shots behind winner Steven Bowditch. Kuchar expected it would be the Houston Open a week later when he led down the stretch before being stung on Matt Jones’ 42-yard chip-in on the first playoff hole.

Kuchar was absolutely certain it would happen at the Masters, the tournament where golf fans first met the upbeat, smiling Georgia Tech golfer 16 years earlier.

Instead, Kuchar watched others celebrate triumphs each time.

At the RBC Heritage, it was finally Kuchar’s time to celebrate after a stunning hole-out on No. 18 lifted him to a one-shot victory over Luke Donald. Kuchar finished at 11-under 273 for his seventh career PGA Tour victory and $1.044 million in prize money.

“I believe that I keep plugging away, good things are going to go my way,” he said with a grin.

No one plugged away more the past month than Kuchar, the world’s sixth-ranked player. He could’ve taken the week off like most of golf’s best — just six of the top 20 players competed here — but instead hoped that his efforts the past month would finally pay off.

“I take a lot of pride in playing good week in and week out,” Kuchar said. “This has been some excellent play.”

Especially at Harbour Town this week. He had just two top-10 finishes and hadn’t come closer than seventh in 10 previous showings. This time, Kuchar had only one bad stretch — his 5-over-par front nine in the rain-delayed second round — and was ready to pounce.