US Open champ Matt Fitzpatrick defeats American Jordan Spieth in exciting playoff to win his first PGA Tour title – and $3.6 million – at RBC Heritage
- Matt Fitzpatrick and Jordan Spieth could not be split after four rounds of action
- The Briton – who won the US Open in 2022 – said winning means “more than anything”.
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US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick defeated Jordan Spieth in a thrilling playoff to win his first regular PGA Tour title in the RBC Heritage.
Fitzpatrick made a birdie on the third extra hole at Hilton Head after the pair finished 17 under par, with Spieth missing two excellent chances to successfully defend a title for the first time in his career.
Spieth was dismayed as he looked for a birdie on the first play-off hole, the three-time big winner raising his putter in celebration before seeing his ball catch the rim of the cup and spin out.
Both players had a birdie chance on the second extra hole, the par-three 17th, with Fitzpatrick missing an almost identical putt to the one he had under the rules and driving Spieth’s attempt agonizingly over the hole from ten feet up.
But Fitzpatrick then stunningly sealed the win as the pair returned to the 18th, the 28-year-old’s approach from 186 yards, just inches from the hole to set up the easiest game-winning birdies.
Matt Fitzpatrick celebrates with the trophy after winning a playoff against Jordan Spieth
Spieth poses with his girlfriend Katherine Gaal after winning the three-hole playoff
Briton Fitzpatrick said victory over South Carolina’s Hilton Head ‘means more than anything’
“It was another nine iron,” a smiling Fitzpatrick told CBS, a reference to the club he used to make par from a fairway bunker on the 72nd hole of his US Open triumph at Brookline last year.
‘It’s hard to describe. I told Billy (Foster, his caddy) it doesn’t get any better than this, walking down here, it’s a course I dreamed of playing when I was young.
“I’ve been able to play it with my dad a few times and this one means more than anything.”
Spieth, who beat Patrick Cantlay on the first hole of a playoff 12 months ago, started the day two shots behind Fitzpatrick, but made a birdie on four of the first six holes to take the outright lead when Fitzpatrick bogeyed the seventh.
Cantlay then made a birdie on the ninth and tenth, where Spieth was up and down from 168 yards for par after pulling his tee shot into the water, to tie for the lead, but bogeyed the 13th when Spieth made a birdie to enjoy a two for a while. shot lead.
Former world number 1 Spieth wanted to defend a PGA Tour title for the first time in his career
Fitzpatrick hugs his caddy Billy Foster after the huge win that netted him $3.6 million on Sunday
Patrick Cantlay also participated, but just missed the play-offs on the last day
Spieth and Cantlay both bogeyed the 14th after missing the green on the left, Cantlay’s chip ran across the green and almost into the water before getting stuck against a wooden pylon at the edge of the hazard.
Fitzpatrick finally ended a run of seven consecutive pars with birdies on the 15th and 16th to join Spieth in the lead and missed from two yards for another on the 17th, with neither player able to make the final birdie to win by the rules.
“Of all the games on the calendar, I would like to win this one the most,” added Fitzpatrick, who attended the tournament as a spectator while on holiday with his family.
“So far I’ve been very lucky in my career, I’ve won a major and now this and several times in Europe as well and this one is just very, very special.”