Matt Fitzpatrick has dealt with American fans cheering him on before: a couple of times at the Ryder Cup (he’s played in four of them) and once in a 2023 playoff against Jordan Spieth. in the RBC legacy.
That was the setting again on Sunday at Harbor Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, SC, as the 31-year-old Englishman took on world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
And, just like three years ago, Fitzpatrick had the last laugh against an American fan favorite.
Despite the home crowd cheering loudly for Scheffler — and “USA!” property song – Fitzpatrick beat Scheffler with a birdie on the first playoff hole to win for the second time in the last month. When Fitzpatrick rolled in his birdie putt on the first playoff hole, the par-4 18th, the crowd went wild.
But Fitzpatrick had little problem with the home crowd cheering him on.
“It didn’t go off the line in the sense that no one was screaming in the back turns or anything like that, which was great. I’m all for it,” Fitzpatrick said. “They’re supporting Scottie; that’s great. You want golf to have an atmosphere in my opinion. I grew up watching football. I’ve been paid so much money to be out there in front of those crowds, to have them sing every week, it’s a great feeling.
“However, there’s no better feeling than coming out on top against that – there’s no better feeling. To put it in my own words, it’s kind of like winning against your biggest rival. It’s not about Scottie or the players; it’s the fans that got me there. It was definitely nice to win, but it just didn’t cross the line loudly.”
Fitzpatrick started the day with a three-stroke lead over Scheffler, who was the next closest competitor. But after Fitzpatrick made birdies on 1 and 3, he was even on the next 14. Scheffler made a late charge with birdies at 15 and 16, and they entered the signature 18th hole with Fitzpatrick leading by one. Both players missed the green on their approach, but Scheffler got up and down while Fitzpatrick couldn’t, forcing the playoff.
Back on the 18th fairway in the playoff, Fitzpatrick holed a 4-iron 13 feet away. Scheffler missed the green on his approach, and Fitzpatrick rolled in the birdie to win.
“I pulled it back a little bit,” Fitzpatrick said. “We had the commentary booth in the background, which was like our target, so maybe it was the right half of the green, maybe the right end. But it was such a big number for the 4-iron.”
After him finished runner-up to Rory McIlroy at the MastersScheffler has now been runner-up in consecutive weeks.
It was just the latest win in what has been a strong spring for Fitzpatrick, who has climbed to No. 3 in the world behind only Scheffler and McIlroy. Fitzpatrick was runner-up at the Players Championship last month and he followed that up with a win at Valspar. He tied for 18th at the Masters.
Fitzpatrick had the last laugh on the course — stealing the win from Scheffler and the American-dominated crowd — but also had the last shot at his winner’s press conference. He was asked if it was strange that it was the USA against Europe even in a non-Ryder Cup year.
“No. Americans are extremely patriotic, and I think that was amazing,” he said. He added with a wry smile, “I think the only problem is they just have shorter memories because we won in October.”
