After an uncharacteristic miss for par on the 18th hole that cost him a one-shot victory, Matt Fitzpatrick delivered one of the finest shots of his career on the same hole during a playoff against Scottie Scheffler to claim the RBC Heritage title.
Facing a challenging 204-yard approach on the first playoff hole, Fitzpatrick struck a remarkable 4-iron that landed just 13 feet, 4 inches from the flagstick.
Following Scheffler’s approach, which landed 37 yards short of the green, and his subsequent pitch to 8½ feet, Fitzpatrick calmly sank a left-to-right breaking birdie putt, thereby defeating the top-ranked golfer in the world and securing the RBC Heritage championship.
“The 4-iron I hit there was out of this world,” commented Fitzpatrick, who had previously won the tournament in 2023 in a playoff against Jordan Spieth. This victory propels him from seventh to third in the Official World Golf Ranking.
“To win it twice means the world. To go out there today and go toe-to-toe with Scottie and get over the line on the 73rd hole is special.”
This marks the fourth career win for the 31-year-old Fitzpatrick and his second of the current season. He recently captured the Valspar Championship last month, following a second-place finish at The Players Championship the week prior.
“I’m definitely feeling very confident right now,” stated the Englishman, who earned $3.6 million from this Signature event win. “The ball is clearly going where I intend it to go.
“I’m aware there are areas where I can still improve. That’s obviously exciting, considering the results I’ve achieved so far and what’s yet to come.”
Scheffler’s Strong Weekend Performance
Fitzpatrick posted rounds of 65, 63, 68, and 70, for a total of 18-under par on the par-71 Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, S.C.
Scheffler began the tournament with rounds of 68 and 67, putting him seven shots behind Fitzpatrick. He mounted a significant comeback over the weekend with scores of 64 and 67. This was his second consecutive runner-up finish, having narrowly lost by one shot to Rory McIlroy at the Masters.
“I believe that in both weeks, I put myself in a difficult position going into the weekend and then had strong Saturdays and Sundays to get myself into contention,” Scheffler remarked. “On Sunday, it’s a shot here or there that makes a difference.
“This was one of those weeks where anytime Fitzy needed something to happen, he made it happen. He definitely earned the win, and he played excellent golf.”
Fitzpatrick Holds Off Scheffler’s Charge
Leading Scheffler by three shots entering the final round, Fitzpatrick started strong with birdies on two of the first three holes, followed by 14 consecutive pars before a bogey on the 18th. His playing partner, Scheffler, made birdies on holes 10, 15, and 16 to close the gap to just one shot.
In regulation play, both players missed the 18th green. Scheffler saved par with a chip from 70 feet to within 18 inches. Fitzpatrick, chipping from 69 feet, came up 22 feet short and missed the putt that would have secured his victory.
His subsequent 4-iron approach in the playoff ultimately shifted the narrative from a potential second RBC Heritage win for fan-favorite Scheffler.
“I knew Scottie was going to make some birdies down the stretch,” Fitzpatrick acknowledged, “and I kind of had to hang in there a little bit.”
While Fitzpatrick and Scheffler battled for the top spot, Si Woo Kim finished in third place, two shots back, with a closing round of 68. Collin Morikawa (67), Harris English (69), and Ludvig Åberg (70) tied for fourth at 13-under par.
Fitzpatrick Looks Ahead to Zurich Team Event
Fitzpatrick is set to partner with his brother, Alex, at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Both brothers have achieved victories this season, with Alex winning the DP World Tour’s Hero Indian Open three weeks ago.
The field of two-man teams includes defending champions Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak, as well as Brooks Koepka and Shane Lowry. Each team will compete in four-ball (best ball) on Thursday and foursomes (alternate shot) on Friday. Following the cut, the top 33 teams and ties will proceed to play four-ball on Saturday and foursomes on Sunday.
(Note: The original source and any advertising content have been removed as requested.)
