Matt Fitzpatrick explained that his caddie echoed the motivational phrasing that Rory McIlroy’s own caddie used during the 2025 Grand Slam run, and that the familiar words helped spark a dramatic playoff victory at the RBC Heritage on Sunday. Fitzpatrick entered the final round at Harbour Town Golf Links with a comfortable four‑stroke lead, but a late‑day bogey on the 18th hole dropped his score to one‑under 70, forcing a sudden‑death playoff against world number one Scottie Scheffler. On the first extra hole, Fitzpatrick launched an aggressive approach shot that landed just 12 feet from the pin.
He then calmly rolled his putter and sank the birdie, securing his fourth PGA Tour title and his second win in as many starts. The finish echoed a similar climax for McIlroy, who had also stumbled on the final round at Augusta National in April before beating Justin Rose in a playoff to complete the career Grand Slam. Fitzpatrick said his caddie, Daniel Parratt, delivered a line that McIlroy had famously heard from 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, ‘Oh, here’s Harry Diamond!’ We had a good laugh, but it put me in a good mindset. Hitting that four‑iron felt out of this world." Fitzpatrick had been three strokes ahead at the start of the day and was briefly four strokes clear, with former US Open champion Brooks Koepka three shots back with four holes to play. A mis‑hit on the 16th and a string of birdies from Scheffler erased the margin, sending the tournament into its fourth playoff in five years.
"It was a lot of grit," Fitzpatrick said of his resilience. "I got off to a great start, then had a terrible three‑putt on the second hole and thought about what could have been. I knew Scottie would make a run at the end, so I just had to hang on." He added that the RBC Heritage held a special place in his heart.
"Growing up I wanted to win this event more than any major before I truly understood the game. To win 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, the crowd at Harbour Town was noticeably divided, with many American Ryder Cup fans cheering loudly for Scheffler.
Fitzpatrick took the moment in stride, even poking a light‑hearted jab at the partisan spectators. After sinking the winning putt, he cupped his hand to his ear and smiled at the gallery on the 18th green. When asked whether the American chants felt out of place, 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, and they’re already moving on." 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. I grew up watching football, and now I get paid to play in front of crowds who chant for me every week.
There’s no better feeling than winning against your biggest rival with that kind of support behind you." Scheffler, for his part, expressed gratitude toward the crowd. "It’s always nice to get some support from the fans. I thought they were pretty courteous, cheering for me and not trying to drown out Fitzzy, so I appreciate that," he said.
Scheffler posted a flawless 67, four birdies and no bogeys, joining Fitzpatrick at 18 under par, but ultimately finished runner‑up for the second straight week on the PGA Tour. He had come from 12 shots behind at the halfway mark at the Masters to finish second to McIlroy, and his strong finish at the Heritage kept him in contention for a second title in three years.
"I did some solid stuff," Scheffler reflected. "I only had one bogey over the weekend, and I executed a lot of the shots I wanted. I would have liked a few more putts to drop, but overall I was happy with my performance. Both weeks I was behind the eight‑ball at the turn, then had great Saturdays and Sundays to get back into the mix.
On Sunday it’s often a single shot that makes the difference, and Fitzzy made the right one when he needed it. He definitely earned the win and played great golf." The PGA Tour now heads 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 watch 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.