Over the weekend, Matt Fitzpatrick revealed that Harbour Town is his second favourite golf course, behind Augusta National, with the 28-year-old visiting Hilton Head every year since 2016.
Now, after defeating Jordan Spieth in a gripping playoff, Fitzpatrick becomes just the second Englishman, after Sir Nick Faldo, to win the RBC Heritage.
It was a fantastic final round to watch, with many top names battling it out for the win but, at the third playoff hole, Fitzpatrick produced a candidate for the shot of the year, with his 9-iron finishing mere inches away for an eagle and an eventual victory.
Beginning the final day, it was Fitzpatrick who held the lead after an eight-under-par round of 63 on Saturday gave him a one shot advantage over Patrick Cantlay and a two shot margin over Spieth.
Out of the gates, it was Spieth who made the early running though, with the three-time Major winner carding four birdies in his first six holes to tie lead. Just one hole later, following a bogey from Fitzpatrick, Spieth found himself with the outright lead, something which he held going into the back nine.
It seemed as if it was going to be a two-horse race but, with a birdie at the 10th, Cantlay joined the party. However, the American would rue two bogeys at the 13th and 14th, one of which came from a wooden sleeper, as he finished one shot back of the eventual winner.
Spieth his second consecutive T5 finish
(Image credit: Getty Images)
For Spieth, he appeared to be in control and, with a birdie at the 13th, he held a two-shot advantage, his biggest lead of the final round. Fitzpatrick though wasn’t lying down and, with back-to-back birdies on the 15th and 16th, the US Open champion found himself back in a share of the lead with two holes to go.
Playing the last two, it appeared to be advantage Fitzpatrick as he struck a tee shot at the par 3 17th to around eight feet. However, his pushed putt stayed right, meaning we headed to the 72nd hole all-square. Once again, both followed each other in, with both making pars that meant we headed to a playoff.
At the first playoff hole, Spieth was left wondering how the title wasn’t his, as his putt from 12-foot rolled over the right edge when it seemed destined to drop. It meant we headed to the 17th and a second playoff hole and, once again, the American was wondering how he hadn’t wrapped up the trophy, as his putt to win, once again, dribbled past on the right side.
The two misses proved costly, especially when Fitzpatrick stuck…
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