Fitzpatrick fulfills childhood dream

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, South Carolina — 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 US Open last June.

"I think I can retire now," joked the 28-year-old Englishman, who uses a Harbour Town-style lighthouse head cover. "This is one I really wanted."

Fitzpatrick hit a 9-iron to within 1 foot (30 centimeters) 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 hit the front of the green and watched the ball settle next to the hole. Spieth's long putt 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 he 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.

Agencies via Xinhua