Fitzpatrick beats Spieth in playoff
Matt Fitzpatrick defeated defending champion Jordan Spieth on the third playoff hole at the RBC Heritage on Sunday, stuffing his approach in close on the parfour 18th at Harbour Town in Hilton Head Island, S.C.,to secure his first victory since the U.S. Open last June.
Fitzpatrick hit a nine iron to within one foot on the famed, closing lighthouse hole to set up the winning birdie on the Pete Dye course he played as a child on vacation.
Fitzpatrick had to sweat out a couple of prime chances by Spieth on the first two playoff holes. Spieth raised his putter in triumph before watching his 12-foot birdie putt catch the right edge and spin out the first time they played the 18th. Then Spieth’s 10-foot birdie attempt ran out of steam on the right edge at the 17th hole.
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.
“It’s hard to describe,” Fitzpatrick said. “It doesn’t get better than this.”
Fitzpatrick won $3.6 million from the elevated purse of $20 million in the sixth designated event of the year on the PGA Tour.
Fitzpatrick trailed Spieth by two with five holes to play until birdies on the 15th and 16th holes. He closed with a three-under 68. Spieth had to make a sixfoot par putt on the 18th for a 66 to force a playoff at 17under 267.
The RBC Heritage ended in a playoff for the second straight time. Spieth beat Patrick Cantlay in a playoff last year. Cantlay, the former UCLA standout, had a 68 on Sunday and finished one shot out of the playoff.
“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.
Rahm played his final 33 holes here at two under par and closed with birdie on the last, his approach settling inside two feet.
The crowd cheered and chanted.
“To be honest, I didn’t expect this,” Rahm said of the fans. “I did not expect this in my wildest dreams, to see the kids, the adults and everybody have that reaction just to see me is really very special.”
Levin wins on Korn Ferry Tour
Spencer Levin closed with an eight-under 63 and won the Veritex Bank Championship in Arlington, Texas, for 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 made a bogey on the 17th as Levin was on his way to making birdie on the par-five closing hole. Drewitt birdied the 18th for a 70 to finish one shot behind.
Rico Hoey had consecutive eagles around the turn on par fives and closed with a 63 and tied for third with Patrick Fishburn (66).
The Texas win moved Levin to No. 11 in the points. The top 30 after the season earn PGA Tour cards.