Matt Fitzpatrick explained that his caddie echoed the motivational phrasing famously used by Rory McIlroy during his 2025 Grand Slam victory, and that the familiar encouragement helped spark Fitzpatrick’s dramatic playoff win at the RBC Heritage on Sunday. During a roller‑coaster final round at Harbour Town Golf Links, Fitzpatrick surrendered a four‑stroke lead. A bogey on the 18th hole dropped him to a one‑under‑par 70, forcing a sudden‑death playoff against world‑number‑one Scottie Scheffler. On the first extra hole, Fitzpatrick launched his approach shot within twelve feet of the pin and calmly rolled his birdie putt into the cup, securing his fourth PGA Tour title and his second win in as many starts.
The scenario reminded many of McIlroy’s own late‑round stumble at Augusta National last April, when the Northern Irish star recovered from a mis‑step to defeat Justin Rose in a playoff and complete the career Grand Slam. Fitzpatrick said his caddie, Daniel Parratt, delivered a line that mirrored what McIlroy heard from his longtime caddie Harry Diamond during that Masters triumph.
"He actually said, ‘getting to the tee, we’d have taken this start of the week,’" Fitzpatrick recounted after the victory. "I knew Rory said that the other week. I joked with Dan, ‘Oh, here’s Harry Diamond!’ We had a good laugh, but it put me in a great mindset, and the four‑iron I hit felt out of this world." Fitzpatrick had entered the final day with a three‑stroke cushion and was briefly four shots clear.
However, a late‑round bogey and two consecutive birdies from Scheffler erased the advantage, setting up the playoff – the fourth such showdown at the Heritage in five years. "Just a lot of grit," Fitzpatrick said when reflecting on how he held on. "I got off to a fantastic start, then had a terrible three‑putt on the second hole and thought about what could have been. I would have taken it before I teed off, but I knew Scottie was going to make birdies down the stretch, so I had to stay patient." He added that the Heritage held a special place in his heart: "This tournament was one I dreamed of winning as a kid, maybe even more than any major before I truly understood the game.
Winning it twice means the world to me. To go toe‑to‑toe with Scottie on the 73rd and come out on top is something special." During the playoff, Fitzpatrick also took a light‑hearted swipe at the American Ryder Cup fans who were loudly cheering for Scheffler. After sinking the winning putt, he cupped his hand to his ear and addressed the gallery at the 18th green.
When asked whether he found it odd that the crowd began chanting U.S. Ryder Cup songs, he replied, "No, Americans are incredibly patriotic and I thought it was amazing. The only thing is they have short memories – we won in October, after all." He praised the atmosphere, noting that the fans never crossed the line into distraction: "No one was shouting during backswing, which was great. I love the energy.
They’re supporting Scottie, and that’s fine. Golf needs atmosphere.
I grew up watching football, and I’m paid a lot to play in front of crowds. Hearing them chant each week is a fantastic feeling.
But there’s no better feeling than winning against your biggest rival in front of that noise. It never got out of hand – it was just loud, and that loudness helped me." Scheffler, for his part, complimented the crowd as well: "It’s always nice to get some support from the spectators. They were cordial, cheering for me without trying to drown out Fitzpatrick, so I appreciated that." Scheffler posted a flawless, bogey‑free 67 with four birdies, joining Fitzpatrick at 18‑under‑par. Yet the four‑time major champion finished runner‑up for the second straight week on the PGA Tour.
Just a week earlier, Scheffler had rallied from twelve strokes behind at the halfway point to finish second to McIlroy at the Masters. That performance, followed by his strong showing at the Heritage, keeps him in contention for a second Heritage title in three years. "I did some solid stuff," Scheffler said.
"I think I only had one bogey over the weekend, and I executed a lot of good shots. I would have liked a few more putts to drop, but overall I played the way I wanted.
Both weeks I was behind the eight‑ball after the first two rounds, then had great Saturdays and Sundays to get into contention. On Sunday, it’s a shot here or there that makes the difference. This was one of those weeks where whenever Fitzpatrick needed something to happen, he made it happen. He definitely earned the win, and he just played great golf." The PGA Tour now moves to Louisiana for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a two‑man team competition at TPC Louisiana, where defending champions Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin will look to repeat their success.
Fans can follow the Zurich Classic live on Sky Sports, with early coverage beginning Thursday at 1 p.m. and full coverage from 8 p.m., or stream the action without a contract through the network’s golf streaming service.
Overall, Fitzpatrick’s victory at the RBC Heritage highlighted how a well‑timed, familiar pep talk can ignite confidence, how crowd energy can enhance performance, and how perseverance under pressure can turn a slipping lead into a memorable playoff triumph. The win adds another chapter to his burgeoning career and sets the stage for more exciting battles as the Tour heads south for its next event.