Fitzpatrick triumphs over Scheffler in playoff at RBC Heritage

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Matt Fitzpatrick from England executed another impressive shot in a playoff at Harbour Town on Sunday, silencing the pro-American audience and overcoming the world’s top player. He struck a 4-iron to 13 feet for birdie, securing his second title at the RBC Heritage by defeating Scottie Scheffler.

Scheffler, who was three shots behind with four holes remaining, forced a playoff by making two late birdies for a 4-under 67, aided by Fitzpatrick, who mishit a chip from the right side of the green and missed a 20-foot par putt, resulting in his only bogey of the day and a score of 70.

The sizable gallery that was permitted onto the fairway short of the 18th green during regulation filled the Calibogue Sound with continuous chants of “U-S-A!” They returned outside the ropes to witness Fitzpatrick hit a 4-iron into a strong breeze towards a pin located just beyond the bunker.

Scheffler followed with his least effective swing of the day, a 6-iron that veered so far off course it landed 37 yards short of the hole. He executed an excellent pitch to 8 feet but did not need to putt as Fitzpatrick made the decisive putt.

“A lot of grit,” Fitzpatrick remarked regarding his perseverance for the victory.

His reaction was subdued, lightly touching his finger to his right ear in a friendly acknowledgment of the crowd. Fitzpatrick was aware of the challenge he faced, having experienced a similar atmosphere when Cameron Young defeated him at The Players Championship.

The playoff mirrored Fitzpatrick’s previous victory over another American favorite, Jordan Spieth, in a playoff at the RBC Heritage three years prior. On that occasion, he struck a 9-iron with the wind at his back, which rolled to just a few inches for the winning birdie.

Fitzpatrick’s family used to vacation in Hilton Head when he was young, enjoying the golf, tennis, and beaches. He attended the tournament with aspirations of winning it one day, and now he has achieved that twice.

“It means the world,” he stated. “This is a tournament I dreamed of winning as a child, even more than any of the majors before I gained a deeper understanding of the game. Competing against Scottie and coming out on top is truly special.”

It was compelling drama, but only at the conclusion.

Fitzpatrick began with a three-shot advantage and birdied two of the first three holes, maintaining a lead that never shrank below three shots throughout the round until Si Woo Kim birdied the par-5 15th to reduce the gap to two shots. Scheffler then surged late with a successful up-and-down for birdie on the 15th, followed by a bold drive and approach to 10 feet for birdie at the 16th.

This narrowed the lead to one shot, and both players missed the 18th green to the right. Scheffler concluded a flawless day of scrambling—8 for 8—with a chip that settled a foot from the hole. Fitzpatrick faced his first chip into the grain and came up significantly short.

They finished at 18-under 268.

This marked Scheffler’s second consecutive runner-up finish, having come from 12 shots behind entering the weekend to finish one shot behind Rory McIlroy at the Masters.

Fitzpatrick secured his second victory in the past month. Following his runner-up finish at The Players, he triumphed at the Valspar Championship on the challenging Innisbrook course.

This win, his fourth on the PGA Tour and 13th globally, elevates him to a career-high No. 3 in the world rankings.

Kim concluded with a 68, finishing in third place alone, marking his fourth top 10 of the year.