Xander Schauffele, watches his drive off the third tee during the final round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament Sunday in Hilton Head Island, S.C.
AP photo
Click here to subscribe today or Login.
Matt Fitzpatrick, of England, holds the championship trophy after a three-hole playoff during the final round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament Sunday in Hilton Head Island, S.C.
AP photo
Matt Fitzpatrick, of England, lies on the 18th green to line up his putt during the final round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament Sunday in Hilton Head Island, S.C.
AP photo
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Matt Fitzpatrick’s earliest memories of Harbour Town were as a spectator wondering if Tiger Woods would play the RBC Heritage.
He was always disappointed, since Woods only played once at Hilton Head, in 1999, when Fitzpatrick was 4 years old.
“I remember saying to my dad, ”Is Tiger (Woods) going to be here?” he recalled.
Now, Fitzpatrick’s got a sweeter memory at the Pete Dye layout he played as a child on vacations.
Fitzpatrick defeated defending champion Jordan Spieth on the third playoff hole on Sunday, stuffing his approach in close on the par-4 18th to secure his first victory since the U.S. Open last June.
“I think I can retire now,” joked the 28-year-old Englishman, who uses a Harbour Town-style lighthouse headcover. “This is one I really wanted.”
Fitzpatrick hit 9-iron to within 1 foot on the closing lighthouse hole to set up the winning birdie.
Fitzpatrick had to sweat out a couple of prime chances by Spieth on the first two extra holes. Spieth raised his putter in triumph before watching his 12-foot birdie putt catch the right edge and spin out the first time the pair played the 18th. Then Spieth’s 9-foot birdie attempt ran out of steam on the right edge at the 17th hole.
“I felt every putt he hit was going to go in,” Fitzpatrick said.
Spieth still doesn’t understand how the that first playoff putt didn’t drop.
“I think if I hit the same putt 10 times, it does in eight,” Spieth said. “It should go left at the very end there on the grain. It just wasn’t meant to be.”
There was no doubt about the final hole as Fitzpatrick, from 187 yards out, hit the front of the green and watched the ball settle next to the hole. Spieth’s attempt from 26 feet away rolled past and Fitzpatrick tapped in for the victory.
Fitzpatrick felt the shot was true from the moment he struck it. He wasn’t sure how close it came, but got an idea when his spotted his family cheering wildly.
“I knew it was good because my mom and my girlfriend were jumping up and down,” he said.
Fitzpatrick won $3.6 million from the elevated purse of $20 million in the sixth designated event of the year on the PGA Tour, topping a field that included seven of the world’s top 10 players.
Fitzpatrick trailed Spieth by two with five holes to play, but made birdies on the 15th and 16th holes to tie for the lead at 17-under.
The third-round leader by one shot, Fitzpatrick closed with a 3-under 68 and matched Spieth at 17-under 267. Spieth had his second straight 66.
Patrick Cantlay, grouped with Fitzpatrick and Spieth, was third after a 68 left him at 16-under. Cantlay lost this title in a playoff to Spieth a year ago.
“Another close call here,” Cantlay said.
Xander Schauffele was another stroke behind after a 66. Sahith Theegala shot 65 and Hayden Buckley a 67 to tie for fifth at 14-under.
Scottie Scheffler, No. 2 in the world, shot 70 and was tied for 11th at 12-under. Masters champion Jon Rahm ended with a 68 and was tied for 15th before taking a well-earned week off.
Fitzpatrick carried a one-shot lead into the final round, but watched as Spieth made four birdies in the opening six holes to share the lead.
Fitzpatrick played a stretch of nine holes in 1 over as Spieth looked ready to pull away. But Spieth made bogey on the par-3 14th while Fitzpatrick answered with consecutive birdies on the 15th and 16th.
The pair remained tied until Fitzpatrick’s remarkable approach on the winning hole.
Cantlay, so close a year ago, lost his chance at victory with consecutive bogeys on the 13th and 14th holes. He missed from inside 2 feet for the first, then saw his chip off the green on the next hole end up wedged next to a wood pylon at the edge of the water.
Cantlay was able to pop it up and complete the most improbable bogey he’s had in a while.
Masters champion Rahm set his sights on donning the plaid jacket given winners here to go with the green one he brought from Augusta National. But a 1-over 72 Thursday set him back and he never challenged the lead despite shooting in the 60s the final three rounds.
Rahm played his final 33 holes in 2-under and closed with birdie on the last, his approach settling inside 2 feet.
The crowd cheered and chanted as he applauded them back with a big smile. Rahm will return in two weeks to defend his Mexico Championship title.
“To be honest, I didn’t expect this,” Rahm said of the fans. “I did not expect this in my wildest dreams, the see the kids, the adults and everybody have that reaction just to see me is really very special.”
KORN FERRY TOUR
ARLINGTON, Texas — Spencer Levin closed with an 8-under 63 and won the Veritex Bank Championship on Sunday, his first Korn Ferry Tour title and a big step toward getting back to the PGA Tour.
Levin, who had to qualify to get into the tournament, started the final round seven shots behind Brett Drewitt at Texas Rangers Golf Club. They were tied going down the stretch until Drewitt took bogey on the 17th as Levin was on his way to making birdie on the par-5 closing hole. Drewitt birdied the 18th for a 70 to finish one shot behind.
Rico Hoey had consecutive eagles around the turn on par 5s and closed with a 63 and tied for third with Patrick Fishburn (66).
Levin’s only other wins came in 2007 and 2008 on the Canadian tour. He last played a full PGA Tour schedule in 2017. The victory in Texas moved him to No. 11 in the points. The top 30 after the season earn PGA Tour cards.
Sam Saunders closed with a 65 to finish fifth, moving to No. 14 on the points list.
LPGA TOUR
HONOLULU — Australian rookie Grace Kim closed with a 4-under 68 and won the LOTTE Championship on Saturday at Hoakalei Country Club for her first LPGA Tour title, beating Yu Liu and Yu Jin Sung with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff.
While Liu and Sung scrambled after hitting their second shots to the left of the green on the par-5 18th, the 22-year-old Kim went over the water to the right, then chipped to 8 feet to set up her birdie.
Kim now heads to Texas next week for the Chevron Championship, the first LPGA major of the year.
OTHER TOURS
Kieran Vincent of Zimbabwe made a 12-foot birdie on the final hole for a 6-under 66 and a one-shot victory over Anirban Lahiri (64) and Kevin Yuan (68) in the International Series-Vietnam on the Asian Tour. Vincent became the second member of his family to win an International Series event. Scott Vincent won in England last June. … Taiga Semikawa closed with a 4-under 67 for a four-shot victory over Takahiro Hataji in the Kansai Open. It was Semikawa’s third win on the Japan Golf Tour, but his first as a pro. He won twice while in college. … Kyle Barker closed with an 11-under 61 and won the Stella Artois Players Championship by six shots on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa. … Akie Iwai shot even-par 72 and held on for a one-shot victory in the KKT Cup Vantelin Ladies Open on the Japan LPGA. … Joo Mi Lee closed with a 4-under 68 for a two-shot victory over Hyun Kyung Park in the Mediheal-Hankookilbo Championship on the Korea LPGA.