2023 RBC Heritage: Matt Fitzpatrick outlasts Jordan Spieth at the site of his childhood vacation spot
Matt Fitzpatrick has dreamed of winning at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina ever since his family started vacationing there when he was six years old.
Fitzpatrick joined the list of winners to wear the traditional champion’s tartan jacket by sticking a 9-iron from 186 yard to inches on the famed 18th hole, the third playoff hole to beat Jordan Spieth and win the RBC Heritage for his second win on the PGA Tour.
England’s Fitzpatrick, the reigning U.S. Open champion, shot a final-round 3-under 68 on Sunday for a 72-hole total of 17-under 267.
Fitzpatrick, who carried a head cover of Hilton Head Island’s iconic candy-cane striped lighthouse, tied Spieth with birdies at 15 and 16 to improve to 17 under.
Fitzpatrick held the 54-hole lead after shooting a third-round 8-under 63, his lowest round on the PGA Tour, which included a hole-out eagle at the third. On Sunday, he made birdie at two and clenched his fist when he canned a 36-foot par putt at the third from off the green to maintain the lead.
“That may be bigger than the hole out,” CBS’s Colt Knost chimed in.
Meanwhile, Spieth was attempting to defend his title for the first time in his career and came out charging with four birdies in his first six holes to erase a two-stroke overnight deficit.
When asked if he relished the opportunity to go back-to-back at the RBC Heritage, Spieth said, “Absolutely. I mean, anytime you have a chance on a Sunday you’ve accomplished your goal for the week. Then it just becomes go out there and get it done and try to separate yourself. You know you’re going to have nervous shots and pressure-packed shots, and that’s where the fun is.
“For me, that’s why I got into this gig,” he continued. “The ball is in your hands, and I’ve had plenty of times where it’s worked out, I’ve had plenty of times where it doesn’t, but each time I never regretted being in that situation.”
On a mostly sunny but windy day with it blowing out of the southwest, Spieth jumped in front at No. 7 when Fitzpatrick failed to get up and down from the left greenside bunker. It was his first bogey in 30 holes.
For much of the day, Spieth’s chief opponent for the Tartan jacket appeared to be Cantlay, not Fitzpatrick, which was shaping up as a rematch of last year’s playoff when Spieth made birdie on the first extra hole to win the title.
But there were a few dicey moments on the back nine for Spieth. Ever the escape artist, he drove into the water guarding the left side of the 10th hole, took a penalty, dropped and drilled his third shot to 8 feet and saved par.
Cantlay caught Spieth with a pair of birdies at Nos. 9 and 10. But Spieth opened up a two-stroke lead when Spieth stiffed his approach at 13 and Cantlay made a 3-putt bogey. Both players had tricky chips at the par-3 14th that raced by the hole, with Cantlay’s barely staying dry by lodging between the wooden bulkhead of the green and a railroad tie. They both made bogeys, and the second straight bogey for Cantlay eventually left him a shot out of a playoff (68) and alone in third.
Fitzpatrick matched Spieth with a birdie at 15 and tied him for the lead with another circle on the card at 16 to improve to 17 under.
Xander Schauffele made a late charge with three birdies in his final four holes to shoot 66 and tie for third with Cantlay. World No. 1 Jon Rahm, who won the Masters a week ago, shot a final-round 68 and finished T-15.
On the first playoff hole, Spieth lipped out a 13-foot birdie putt at 18 to win and dropped his putter and grabbed his head with both hands in disbelief when it didn’t fall. On the second playoff hole, both players hit beautiful tee shots at the par-3 17th and again Spieth had a chance to win but missed from just inside 10 feet to send the playoff to a third hole. The third playoff hole was the charm for Fitzpatrick
