Fitzpatrick extends lead as Scheffler charges at RBC Heritage
Overnight leader Matt Fitzpatrick bounced back from a shaky start, putting and chipping in from off the greens on 14 and 15 respectively (Kevin C. Cox) Matt Fitzpatrick extended his lead with an erratic three-under par 68 Saturday at the US PGA Tour RBC Heritage as world number one Scottie Scheffler stormed up the leaderboard into second place. Overnight leader Fitzpatrick bounced back from a shaky start, holing out from off the greens on 14 and 15 for birdie and eagle respectively, to finish three strokes clear on 17-under-par at Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.
Having bogeyed the first and third holes, the 2023 RBC Heritage champion clicked into gear around the turn, becoming the only player this week to drive his ball onto the ninth green, with a 338-yarder that he converted for birdie. Fitpatrick reclaimed the solo lead with a confident 10-foot putt on the 12th. The Englishman putted in a bobbling left-to-right effort from 26 feet off the green for another birdie on 14 -- the same hole on which he had bounced off a tree on the way to an improbable birdie a day earlier.
And he then executed a perfect chip into the hole from 30 feet on 15 to open a three-shot lead. "It's always satisfying when you can turn it around, particularly if you have not played that well," said Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick is seeking his fourth PGA Tour title, adding to last month's Valspar Championship and the 2022 US Open, as well as his 2023 RBC Heritage title.
"Obviously it would have been nicer to go out with nine birdies... and be plenty clear," he said. "But to be in the position I am tonight, obviously it's something that you'd snatch your hand off" for.
Scheffler -- having begun Moving Day seven strokes off the lead -- made five birdies in his first six holes to soar into contention. "You can't ask for much of a better start than that. Came out, nice birdie on the first, good birdie on the second.