English golfer Matt Fitzpatrick secured his second PGA Tour victory of the season, overcoming a late scare to defeat world number one Scottie Scheffler in a playoff at the RBC Heritage. Fitzpatrick had taken a three-shot lead into the final round at Harbour Town Golf Links and initially extended his advantage with two birdies in the first three holes.
However, Scheffler closed the gap with back-to-back birdies, and Fitzpatrick's bogey on the final hole forced a playoff. The two players returned to the 18th hole, where Fitzpatrick sunk a 12-foot birdie putt to claim the win.
This victory propelled Fitzpatrick to a career-high world ranking of third and made him the fourth Englishman to achieve multiple PGA Tour titles in the same season. Fitzpatrick's win came after a strong start, with a 10-foot birdie on the first hole, but he failed to capitalize on the par-five second hole. A 15-foot birdie at the third hole restored his four-shot lead, but both players had opportunities to extend their leads in the subsequent holes. The pair traded pars until Scheffler's six-foot birdie at the ninth hole took him to 16 under.
Fitzpatrick held on to his lead despite a challenging finish, with a clunky chip on the final hole leading to a two-putt bogey. In the playoff, Fitzpatrick composed himself to find the green in regulation, while Scheffler finished short and faced a difficult par putt. Fitzpatrick's birdie secured the win, his second PGA Tour title in three starts.
Scheffler's runner-up finish marked his second consecutive second-place finish, following his performance at The Masters. The PGA Tour now heads to Louisiana for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where Fitzpatrick will partner with his brother Alex Fitzpatrick.