Matt Fitzpatrick has revealed how replicating the words of Rory McIlroy’s caddy when he won a Grand Slam helped him secure a dramatic playoff win at the RBC Heritage.
Fitzpatrick lost a four-shot advantage in an eventful final round at Harbor Town Golf Links, bogeying the final hole to shoot a 1-under 70 and advance to a playoff with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
The Englishman fired his approach to within 12 feet and made birdie on the first playoff hole to earn his fourth PGA Tour title and second victory in as many starts.
Fitzpatrick played alongside Scottie Scheffler in the final group on Sunday.
McIlroy suffered a similar final-round failure before his playoff victory over Justin Rose at Augusta National last April, and Fitzpatrick received similar encouragement after 72 holes as McIlroy received from Harry Diamond during his Masters victory and a career Grand Slam.
“He (Daniel Parratt, caddy) actually said on my tee shot, ‘We would have chosen to start the week,’” Fitzpatrick said after the win. “I know Rory said that last week.
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Matt Fitzpatrick looks back on the dramatic playoff finale as he won his second RBC Heritage title.
“I jokingly said to Dan, ‘Oh, there’s him, Harry Diamond is here.’ And yeah, we had a good laugh about it. I felt like I was in a great position, and it was out of this world for me to hit a 4-iron there.”
Fitzpatrick took a three-shot lead heading into the final day and briefly went four clear. The former U.S. Open champion stumbled late to go four clear with a third clear before Scheffler’s back-to-back birdies sent him into a playoff for the fourth time in five years at the event.
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RBC Heritage Day 4 Highlights.
“It was just grit,” Fitzpatrick said of how he persevered. “I definitely felt like I got off to a good start. I had a bad three-putt on No. 2 and I almost felt like I could have done that, but I probably would have made it before I teed off.
“I knew Scottie (Scheffler) was going to make back-to-back birdies and I just had to hang in there a little bit.
“This is the tournament I wanted to win growing up, probably more so than any major before I figured out the game. To win it twice means the world. To go out there today and go toe-to-toe with Scottie and get over the line there in 73 is special.”
Fitzpatrick earned a playoff victory at RBC Heritage.
Scheffler praises Fitzpatrick after a strong finish.
Scheffler, who had four birdies in a bogey-free 67, joined Fitzpatrick at 18 under par, giving the four-time major champion a second-straight week of runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour.
Scheffler came back from 12th place at the halfway stage to finish runner-up to McIlroy at last week’s Masters, and needed another weekend of charging to get him in the running for his second RBC Heritage title in three years.
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Highlights from the final round of the Masters as Rory McIlroy wins ahead of Scottie Scheffler
“I did a solid job,” Scheffler insisted. “I think we only had one bogey all weekend here, so we did a really good job. I wish we had made a few more putts, but overall we executed how we wanted to.”
“I think both weeks (Masters and RBC Heritage) we went out to 8-ball weekends and had a really good time and competed on Saturday and Sunday.
Scheffler was looking for his second PGA Tour win of the season, following his win at the American Express in January.
“On Sundays there are shots here and there that make a difference. This was one of those weeks where Fitzy (Fitzpatrick) made something happen whenever he needed something to happen.”
“He definitely got the win and played really good golf.”
What’s next?
The PGA Tour heads to Louisiana for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a two-man team event at TPC Louisiana with Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin returning as defending champions.
Watch the Zurich Classic from New Orleans live all week long on Sky Sports. Early coverage begins Thursday at 1 p.m., with full coverage starting at 8 p.m. Access Sky Sports or stream golf without a contract.
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