Matt Fitzpatrick explained that his caddie echoed the motivational phrasing that Rory McIlroy heard during his 2025 Grand Slam run, and that the familiar encouragement helped the Englishman pull off a dramatic playoff win at the RBC Heritage on Sunday. Fitzpatrick entered the final round at Harbour Town Golf Links with a comfortable four‑shot cushion, but a late bogey on the 18th dropped his score to one‑under 70 and forced a sudden‑death showdown with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
On the first extra hole, Fitzpatrick unleashed a precise approach that landed just 12 feet from the pin. He then calmly rolled his putt in for birdie, sealing his fourth PGA Tour title and his second victory in as many starts. The finish echoed a similar scenario McIlroy faced last April at Augusta, where a stumble on the final round was erased by a playoff win over Justin Rose that completed his career Grand Slam.
Fitzpatrick said his caddie, Daniel Parratt, delivered a line that McIlroy had famously used with his own caddie, Harry Diamond, during that Masters triumph. "He actually said, ‘getting to the tee, we’d have taken this start of the week,’" Fitzpatrick recalled after the win. "I knew Rory had said that the other week, so I joked with Dan, ‘oh, here’s Harry Diamond.’ We had a good laugh, but it put me in a good mindset, and the four‑iron I hit felt out of this world." Fitzpatrick had carried a three‑shot lead into Sunday and was briefly four clear before a late stumble and two consecutive birdies from Scheffler erased the margin, leading to the first playoff at the Heritage in five years. The Englishman praised his resilience, noting, "Just a lot of grit.
I started well, had a poor three‑putt on the second hole and thought about what could have been, but I kept my composure before I teed off again. I knew Scottie would be making birdies down the stretch, so I had to hang on." He added a personal touch, saying the tournament held special meaning for him: "This is a event I wanted to win growing up, maybe even more than any major before I truly understood the game. Winning it twice would mean the world to me, and to finish toe‑to‑toe with Scottie on the 73rd hole was incredibly special." During the playoff, the crowd at the RBC Heritage was noticeably supportive of Scheffler, with many American Ryder Cup fans chanting familiar U.S. anthems.
Fitzpatrick took the moment in stride, replying with a light‑hearted jab, "Americans are incredibly patriotic and I think that was amazing. The only issue is they have shorter memories because we won in October." He emphasized that the atmosphere energized rather than distracted him. "No one was shouting during backswing, which was great. I love the fans – they’re backing 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 nothing like winning against your biggest rival with that kind of crowd behind you.
It never crossed the line – it was just loud, just loud." Scheffler, for his part, praised the spectators as well: "It’s nice always to get some support from the crowd. I thought they were pretty cordial in terms of cheering for me and not cheering against Fitzy, so I was definitely appreciative of that." Scheffler’s own round was impressive – a bogey‑free 67 that included four birdies, leaving him tied with Fitzpatrick at 18 under par. Yet he finished runner‑up for the second consecutive week on the PGA Tour, having been second to McIlroy at the Masters just a week earlier.
Scheffler reflected on his performance, saying, "I did some solid stuff. I think I only had one bogey over the weekend, so I executed a lot of good golf. I would have liked a few more putts to drop, but overall I played the way I wanted.
In both weeks – the Masters and the Heritage – I found myself behind the eight‑ball heading into the weekend, but I posted strong 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 Fitzy needed something to happen, he made it happen.
He definitely earned the win, and he just played great golf." The RBC Heritage victory propels Fitzpatrick into the next PGA Tour stop, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a two‑man team event at TPC Louisiana where defending champions Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin will look to retain their title. Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports, with early coverage beginning Thursday at 1 p.m. and full coverage from 8 p.m., or stream the tournament without a contract via the network’s streaming service. Overall, Fitzpatrick’s win highlighted how a well‑timed, familiar phrase from a trusted caddie can ignite confidence at the most critical moment.
By channeling the same encouragement that helped McIlroy secure his career Grand Slam, Fitzpatrick turned a potential collapse into a career‑defining triumph, proving that the right words, paired with steady execution, can make all the difference in professional golf.