Matt Fitzpatrick has revealed that his caddie's words of encouragement, similar to those used by Rory McIlroy during his 2025 Grand Slam win, helped him secure a dramatic playoff victory at the RBC Heritage on Sunday. Fitzpatrick had let a four-shot lead slip away during the final round, but he rebounded by firing his approach on the first playoff hole to within 12 feet and rolling in a winning birdie putt to claim his fourth PGA Tour title. The Englishman's caddie, Daniel Parratt, had told him 'we'd have taken this start of the week' before the playoff, echoing the words of McIlroy's caddie, Harry Diamond, during the Masters.
Fitzpatrick joked that his caddie was channeling Diamond, and the comment seemed to inspire him to victory. Despite a late stumble, Fitzpatrick held on to win the tournament, which he had wanted to win since he was growing up. He praised the crowd for creating a lively atmosphere, even if they were cheering for his opponent, Scottie Scheffler. Fitzpatrick said the experience was similar to winning away against a rival team in football, and he enjoyed the challenge of overcoming the crowd's support for Scheffler.
Scheffler also complimented the fans, saying they were 'pretty cordial' in their cheering. The American had made a strong comeback to finish runner-up, but Fitzpatrick's grit and determination ultimately paid off. The PGA Tour now heads to Louisiana for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a two-man team event.