Matt Fitzpatrick explained that his caddie echoed the motivational phrasing famously used by Rory McIlroy’s caddie during the 2025 Grand Slam, and that the familiar encouragement helped him clinch a dramatic play‑off win at the RBC Heritage on Sunday. During a roller‑coaster final round at Harbour Town Golf Links, Fitzpatrick saw a comfortable four‑stroke lead evaporate.
A bogey on the 18th hole dropped his score to one‑under 70, forcing a sudden‑death showdown with world number one Scottie Scheffler. On the first extra hole, Fitzpatrick unleashed a precise approach that landed just 12 feet from the pin.
He then rolled in a decisive birdie putt, securing his fourth PGA Tour title and his second victory in as many starts. McIlroy had faced a comparable late‑round stumble before his play‑off win over Justin Rose at Augusta National last April, which completed his career Grand Slam. Fitzpatrick said the encouragement he received after 72 holes mirrored the words McIlroy heard from his own caddie, Harry Diamond, during that Masters triumph.
"He [caddie Daniel Parratt] actually said, ‘getting to the tee, we’d have taken this start of the week,’" Fitzpatrick recalled after the win. "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 good mindset, and the four‑iron I hit felt out of this world." Entering the final day, Fitzpatrick held a three‑shot advantage and was briefly four strokes clear. However, a late‑round wobble and two consecutive birdies by Scheffler erased the gap, sending the tournament into its fourth play‑off in five years.
"Just a lot of grit," Fitzpatrick said of his resilience. "I started strong, then had a poor three‑putt on the second hole and thought about what could have been.
I would have taken a penalty if I’d needed to before I teed off again. I knew Scottie was going to make birdies down the stretch, so I had to hang on." He added, "This tournament was one I dreamed of winning as a kid—maybe even more than the majors before I fully understood the game.
Winning it twice means the world to me. To go head‑to‑head with Scottie on the 73rd and come out on top is special." Fitzpatrick also teased the American Ryder Cup fans who cheered loudly for Scheffler during the play‑off. After his birdie, he cupped his hand to his ear in celebration and addressed the gallery at the 18th green. When asked if the U.S.
fans’ chant was odd, he replied, "No. Americans are incredibly patriotic and I thought that was amazing. The only thing is they have shorter memories because we won in October." He emphasized that the crowd’s energy helped rather than hindered him. "It never got out of hand—no one shouted during backswing, which was great," he said.
"I love the atmosphere. I grew up watching football, and now I get paid to play in front of these crowds.
Hearing them chant every week is a great feeling. But there’s no better feeling than winning against your biggest rival with that kind of support behind you. It was loud, but it never crossed the line." Scheffler, for his part, praised the spectators: "It’s nice always to get some support from the crowd. I thought they were pretty cordial, cheering for me and not against Fitzy, so I was definitely appreciative of that." Scheffler posted a bogey‑free 67 with four birdies, joining Fitzpatrick at 18 under par, yet he finished runner‑up for the second consecutive week on the PGA Tour.
He had previously come from twelve strokes behind at the halfway point to finish second to McIlroy at The Masters, and his strong weekend again placed him in contention at the Heritage. "I did some solid stuff," Scheffler noted. "I think I had only 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 put myself behind the eight‑ball going into the weekend, then had great Saturdays and Sundays to get into contention. On Sunday, a single shot can make 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 just played great golf." The PGA Tour now moves to Louisiana for 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 Zurich Classic live on Sky Sports, with early coverage beginning Thursday at 1 p.m.
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