With 4-iron stunner, Matt Fitzpatrick edges Scottie Scheffler in RBC Heritage playoff

Matt Fitzpatrick, when asked on Saturday afternoon if he believes in momentum, thought his answer out loud.

“It’s funny, I remember talking to him [coach] Phil Kenyon doesn’t really have that drive,” he said. “It’s almost mental, isn’t it.

“I think that’s momentum, when you feel good with the putter, when you feel good with the driver, with your irons, you make birdie, you hit it close, the next hole, you have the same number you hit, you feel comfortable – that’s momentum.”

And this too.

Six-under 65 from Fitzpatrick on Thursday at Harbor Town Golf Links in South Carolina. Then 63 on Friday. Then 68 on Saturday. This all followed a runner-up finish five weeks ago at the Players Championship, and a win last week at the Valspar Championship.

And all that preceded another win, after one shootout of the year.

On Sunday, in the final round of the RBC Heritage, Fitzpatrick kept things going. He rode the mo’. He needed all your drips, though. After eight holes, he led by four. But after 17, he led by one, after Scottie Scheffler birdied the par-5 15th and par-4 16th. Then they were arrested. On the closing hole, Fitzpatrick ran after a greenside chip wrong from the right of the green, while Scheffler chipped in after a chip on the same spot, and a playoff was required.

It went into one hole. One of your highlights.

From the right of the 18th fairway and 209 yards out, Fitzpatrick hit a 4-iron that barely covered the undercover guarding the green and took a few bounces before finishing 13 feet past the hole. After Scheffler couldn’t answer — he hit a terrible 6-iron that landed 35 yards short of the green, then landed on his feet — Fitzpatrick sank a birdie putt, and the celebrations began.

“The 4-iron I hit there,” Fitzpatrick told CBS, “was out of this world.”

Fitzpatrick, after a final round of 70, and Scheffler, after a 67, finished 18-under for the tournament, which was two shots better than Si Woo Kim. Fitzpatrick’s win is his second at Harbor Town, which he said is one of his favorite courses on tour – and was a family resort when he was young. It also gives the Englishman what anyone wants going into the heart of the big golf season.

More pressure.

The takeaway

Fitzpatrick beat the world No. 1 in the playoffs. Zanele said.

Leaderboard breakdown

– Sunday’s final round begins with Matt Fitzpatrick holding a three-shot lead. Fitzpatrick is 17-under, Scottie Scheffler is 14-under, and Brian Harman, Si Woo Kim and Sepp Straka are 13-under.

– Fitzpatrick drives the 419-yard, par-4 1st after hitting his approach to 10 feet, and now leads by four. Fitzpatrick is 18-under, Scheffler and Kurt Kitayama are 14-under, and Harman, Kim, Straka, Harman, Rickie Fowler, Harris English, Bud Cauley and Patrick Cantlay are 13-under.

– Scheffler birdies the 549-yard, par-5 2nd after getting to 2 feet, and is three back from the lead. Fitzpatrick is 18-under, Scheffler is 15-under, and Kitayama, Harman and Kim are 14-under.

– Fitzpatrick drives the 459-yard, par-4 3rd after rolling in a 17-footer, and now leads by four. Fitzpatrick is 19-under, Kim and Scheffler are 15-under, and Kitayama and Harman are 14-under.

– Scheffler birdies the 331-yard, par-4 9th after narrowing to 5 feet, and is three back from the lead. Fitzpatrick is 19-under, Scheffler is 16-under, and Kim is 15-under.

– On the 442-yard, par-4 11th, Fitzpatrick faces trouble after landing on the left greenside, but manages to get back up and down, and his lead remains at three. Fitzpatrick is 19-under, while Scheffler and Kim are 16-under.

– Kim birdies the 577-yard, par-5 15th after dropping a 10-footer, and is behind Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick is 19-under, Kim is 17-under, and Scheffler is 16-under.

– Scheffler birdies the 15th after rolling in a 4-footer, and is one behind Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick is at 19-under, while Scheffler and Kim are at 17-under.

– Scheffler drives the 418-yard, par-4 16th, and is one of Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick is 19-under, Scheffler is 18-under, and Kim is 17-under.

– At the 458-yard, 4 18th, Fitzpatrick’s drive finds the edge of the waste area on the left side of the hole, while Scheffler hits the fairway. On the second shot, Fitzpatrick hits just over the green and to the right of it, and Scheffler hits just short of it. From there, Scheffler chips to a foot and makes his par putt, while Fitzpatrick is too short on his chip and misses a 22-footer for par, sending the pair into a playoff. Fitzpatrick finishes the final round with a 1-under 70 and Scheffler shoots a 67, and both finish at 18-under, while Kim finishes at 16-under.

– On the first playoff hole, back on the 18th, Fitzpatrick’s shot finds the left side of the fairway, while Scheffler goes down the middle. On the second shot, Fitzpatrick hits one of the best shots you’ll ever see, hitting a 4-iron to 13 feet, while Scheffler’s 6-iron gets caught in the wind and lands about 35 yards short of the green. From there, Scheffler hits 8 feet, and Fitzpatrick rolls in his birdie putt to win.

The last word

“Just a lot of grit, a lot of grit.” – Fitzpatrick on CBS after his victory

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