Matt Fitzpatrick loves bogey-free rounds, shooting 63 and Harbour Town
Matt Fitzpatrick prides himself on clean scorecards.
So, after playing his first 16 holes Saturday at the RBC Heritage in bogey-free 8 under, Fitzpatrick was thrilled with his scrambling ability at Harbour Town’s par-3 17th hole. The Englishman missed the green right, not only short-siding himself to the front hole location but also leaving a bunker in between he the little green he had to work with.
“It was just dead there,” Fitzpatrick said. “There was no shot.”
Only there was.
Fitzpatrick aimed well left of the flag, so far left that his chip positioned him off the green and 24 feet away. From the fairway cut, Fitzpatrick then rolled in the par saver. A par at the last gave him an 8-under 63 and moved him to the top of the leaderboard at 14 under.
Full-field scores from the RBC Heritage
“I think this is a golf course that’s shown that there are low scores around here this week,” said Fitzpatrick, who also holed out for eagle from 150 yards out of a waste bunker at the par-4 third hole, “and to do that for myself is a big positive.”
While the Masters hangover has been real for some this week at Harbour Town, Fitzpatrick has a little extra motivation. He used to vacation in Hilton Head Island as a kid, and he used a lighthouse headcover from the pro shop for his first couple years out on the PGA Tour; he now only pulls it out for the Heritage.
But his connection with the course has not yielded great results. Sure, Fitzpatrick owns a T-4 here in 2021, but besides that he’s missed three cuts in seven other starts with a best finish of T-14 (twice).
“Aside from Augusta [National], it’s my favorite golf course,” Fitzpatrick said of the Pete Dye design. “It really is. I love coming here to play it. I’ve not had the best results around here. I’ve had a couple good runs and a couple poor ones, but I really enjoy the design, enjoy the test, and I think it’s a great golf course.”
Perhaps Fitzpatrick’s affection for Harbour Town will finally produce a tartan jacket.