Moeller: Fitzpatrick Finds Comfort In His Second Home To Capture RBC Heritage Title
For Matt Fitzpatrick, it was another successful trip to his home away from home.
Over the years, the 31-year-old Sheffield, England native and his family vacationed on Hilton Head Island, and they also attended the annual PGA event there that has dated back to 1966.
When he won the RBC Heritage in 2023 , Fitzpatrick became an instant fan favorite, as he defeated Jordan Spieth in a playoff. Fitzpatrick won on the third playoff hole after hitting his approach shot to within one foot to set up the winning birdie.
Late Sunday afternoon, the Hilton Head Island magic was back again. As Yogi Berra once aptly put it, “It was deja vu all over again.”
It was another vintage day on Hilton Head, where residents there and from nearby communities are totally enraptured with the annual tournament. It arguably is the social event of the year with another batch of overflow crowds.
Fitzpatrick beat Scottie Scheffler - another Island favorite - in a playoff hole with a birdie to claim his second RBC Heritage title. He finished -18 under overall and shot a 70 on the final day.
He sealed the win with a 4-iron hit. from 204 yards. It covered the bunker, rolled past the pin and settled 13 feet away for a birdie to beat Scheffler and win the RBC Heritage at the Harbor Town course for the second time.
Fitzpatrick won his second event in a month, as he recently captured the Valspar Championship. A week earlier, Fitzpatrick was the runner-up at the Players.
He seemingly took control when he fired a 65 and 63 on the first two days, but he stumbled to a 68 and 70 on the final days. Scheffler, who traditionally starts slow on Hilton Head, stayed true to form and rallied late with a 64 and 67.
With his win, Fitzpatrick soared to the top of the PGA money list, earning $9.1 million this season.
Scheffler became the tournament favorite in 2024 when he was the game’s rising new superstar, rolling into Hilton Head after winning the Masters. At the time, he had one four of his last five tournaments.
The Harbor Town course, a challenging one noted for its sand and water, can become an annual showdown for Fitzpatrick and Scheffler.
If recent Masters’ champion Rory McElroy was there among the 82-player field, it really could have been interesting.
Yet, the Hilton Head faithful played their part by chanting “U-S-A” respectively at the Ryder Cup veteran. Fitzpatrick heard the same chants at Valspar.
Hilton Head proved to be a launching pad for Scheffler and a comfort zone, who is considered to be at the top among his peers.
Now, Fitzpatrick can follow the same route from his home away from home.