Matt Fitzpatrick played one the best shots in the 55-year history of the RBC Heritage to overcome Jordan Spieth in a playoff. At the third extra hole, the 28-year-old Englishman struck his 9-iron approach from 186 yards to the jaws of the cup for a tap in birdie and victory.
The win at the Pete Dye-designed Harbour Town Golf Links, South Carolina was Fitzpatrick’s second PGA Tour title after winning for the 2022 US Open champion at Brookline.
Fitzpatrick held the 54-hole lead after firing a stunning 8-under 63 on Saturday. The world No. 16 covered the front nine in 1-under before producing a bogey-free back nine that included back-to-back birdies at the 15th and 16th holes. His 3-under 68 final round got him to 17-under.
Spieth holed a clutch six-foot par putt at the 72nd hole to join Fitzpatrick at 17-under and in the playoff. The defending champion was trying to become the fourth player to go back-to-back at the RBC Heritage (Payne Stewart 1989-90, Davis Love III 1991-2 and Boo Weekly 2007-08). Spieth was also hoping to become just the fifth player in history to compile 14 PGA Tour wins with three major victories before the age of 30 (Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy). The 29-year-old American made the playoff after a stunning 5-under 66 on Sunday. Spieth narrowly missed birdie putts to win at the first and second playoff holes from 12 feet and 9 feet.
Patrick Cantlay, aged 31, finished one-shot out of the playoff in outright third place. The American produced a birdie at the 72nd hole to reach 16-under and sign for a 3-under 68 final round. It was his fourth top 3 finish at the event from his last six starts. Cantlay made a hole-in-one on Friday at the par 3, 7th hole for his third career ace on the PGA Tour.
Xander Schauffele poured in three consecutive birdies at the 15th, 16th and 17th holes en route to a superb 5-under 66 final round. The 29-year-old American, who claimed three PGA Tour titles last year, took solo fourth place at 15-under.
Sahith Theegala (65) and Hayden Buckley (67) shared fifth place at 14-under. It was Theegala’s 7th top 10 from 15 starts this season on the PGA Tour.
Cam Davis was the best-placed Australian. The 28-year-old from Sydney started the final round four shots back. The 2021 Rocket Mortgage winner was searching for his second PGA Tour title. Davis enjoyed a bogey-free 3-under 68 to reach 13-under and finish in a tie for 7th place. It was his second top 10 this PGA Tour season after his T6 result at THE PLAYERS Championship in March.
Jon Rahm became the first player since Jordan Spieth in 2015 to win The Masters and play the following week at the RBC Heritage. The 28-year-old Spaniard carded scores of 72, 64 and 69 before rounding out the event with a bogey-free 3-under 68 on Sunday to get to 11-under. Rahm took a share of 15th place.
Scottie Scheffler started the final round three shots back of the lead. The 26-year-old was looking to rest the world No. 1 from Jon Rahm with victory at Hilton Head Island. Scheffler signed for a final round 1-under 70 for a T11 finish at 12-under.
The PGA Tour moves to Louisiana for next week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans pairs event staged at TPC Lousiana. American duo Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele are the defending champions.
1. Matt Fitzpatrick -17
2. JordanSpieth -17
3. Patrick Cantlay -16
4. Xander Schauffele -15
T5. Sahith Theegala -14
T5. Hayden Buckley -14
T7. Sungjae Im -13
T7. Brian Harman -13
T7. Cam Davis -13
T7. Emiliano Grillo -13
Other Australians
T31. Adam Scott -7
T63. Lucas Herbert E
MC. Min Woo Lee
Photo credit: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
