The reigning U.S. Open champion was once again in the running to achieve greatness, this time at the RBC Heritage at the Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C.
With a majority of star-studded PGA Tour members in the field, play would ultimately need to be extended into extra playoff holes as last year’s U.S. Open Champion, Matt Fitzpatrick, and the reigning RBC Heritage winner Jordan Spieth, all square at 17-under par though 72 holes of play.
Fitzpatrick overcomes playoff for the RBC Heritage win
No matter the sport in extra time, extra innings or an overtime period, one team or one player eventually takes over.
On Sunday in South Carolina, that player taking over was Fitzpatrick. On the third playoff hole from the par-4 18th hole from 463 yards, both him and Spieth were able to get their tee shots into the fairway.
Although Spieth was about four yards ahead of Fitzpatrick, the Englishman’s time to take charge finally came.
Fitzpatrick, who recorded an 8-under 63 in the third round to get back in the hunt after a 1-under 70 in the second round, was able to get his approach shot from 186 yards to one foot, putting all the pressure on Spieth.
Spieth, who was hitting from 182 yards got his ball to 33 feet. With Fitzpatrick tapping in for birdie, the 3-time major winner needed some luck to nail a long putt to make the tournament last at least another hole. It was not enough for Spieth to win the RBC Heritage for a second consecutive year as Fitzpatrick received his second PGA Tour title and first since last year’s U.S. Open.
“This one is the one I’ve always wanted to win, other than the majors,” Fitzpatrick said after the victory. “This place is just a special place for me, and it means to the world to have won it.”
The first time Fitzpatrick came to the Harbour Town GolfLinks at the RBC Heritage was 10 years ago during the 2013-14 season when he made his first PGA Tour cut as an amateur.
With his first non-major win on the PGA Tour Sunday, Fitzpatrick nearly moved up 60 spots to No. 22 in the FedEx Cup standings and moves inside the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in his career. He takes home 500 FedEx points in the process.
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Fitzpatrick, who became the first Englishman to win the RBC Heritage since Nick Faldo in 1984, said the victory sets him up for more success and motivation in the weeks to come with three more major tournaments left this year, in addition to the FedEx Cup playoffs concluding at the Tour Championship in August.
“This gives me a huge boost,” Fitzpatrick said. “This really cements my place up there for the top 30 for the Tour Championship and that’s the goal to always make it there.”
At the par-4 18th hole for the first playoff hole, both players recorded par after Spieth’s 13-foot birdie putt lipped out for a chance to win. As a result, it was onto the par-3 17th hole for the second playoff hole.
Both Fitzpatrick and Spieth, who both finished inside the top 10 last week at the Masters, were within 12 feet of the hole but neither player made their bridie putt leading to a third playoff hole and a return to the 18th hole.
“In the playoff, I thought every putt he hit was going to go in,” Fitzpatrick said of Spieth.
Spieth became the first defending champion on the PGA Tour to lose in a playoff since Xander Schauffele at the 2020 Sentry Tournament of Champions.
This also became the 18th runner-up finish for Spieth since his first professional season on the PGA Tour in 2013, which is four more than any other player within the last 10 years.
Spieth moved 20 spots to No. 14 in the FedEx Cup standings.
Also…
Patrick Cantlay and Schauffele, who will be competing together at next week’s Zurich Classic in the PGA Tour’s only official team event on the schedule, placed third and fourth, respectively.
In addition, World No. 1 Jon Rahm and last week’s Masters Champion Jon Rahm finished at 11-under par and tied for 15th.
Scottie Scheffler, who is right below Rahm in the Official World Golf Ranking, finished at 12-under par and tied for 11th.