Matt Fitzpatrick Enters World's Best Conversation With RBC Heritage Win

Matt Fitzpatrick delivered one of the shots of the year on Sunday, a one-handed finish with a 4-iron from 204 yards drawn into a stiff wind that settled inside 15 feet, ultimately helping him secure his second RBC Heritage title. Fitzy began the day with a three-shot lead over Scottie Scheffler, but a missed up-and-down par save on the 72nd hole dropped him into a playoff with the world No. 1. On the first playoff hole, with Scheffler sizing up a par attempt, Fitzpatrick seized his chance, burying his birdie putt in the left side of the hole. The win marks his second PGA Tour victory in his last three starts and third worldwide win in his last 10 starts.

“Words don't really do it justice,” Fitzpatrick said after the win. “I remember being stuck behind those gates and watching the players practice putting, and now I'm one of those and a two-time winner.”

On the telecast, Trevor Immelman noted that Fitzpatrick had put a 4-iron back into his bag Sunday morning in anticipation of blustery conditions. The 4-iron proved to be instrumental in getting across the finish line. “Great planning from Dan,” Fitzpatrick said in praise of his caddie.

Now that we’re four months into the 2026 season, how do the best golfers in the world currently stack up, and where does Fitzpatrick fit into the equation? Generally, I think about players in buckets or tiers, not a rigid numerical ranking.

Scheffler still occupies a category of his own, despite his performance so far this season lagging slightly behind the supreme standard he’s set over the past few years. Rory McIlroy belongs in a class of his own as well, below Scheffler but clearly ahead of anyone else in the world.  

After those two players, you can quibble with precise ordering, but there is a bucket of four who have distanced themselves from the rest of the pack: Xander Schauffele, Jon Rahm, Cameron Young, and Fitzpatrick. I wouldn’t fight you too hard if you argued in favor of either Schauffele or Rahm in the third spot, so let’s just call them T-3. Similarly, you could make a case for either Young or Fitzpatrick at No. 5, so let’s consider them T-5.

This is the pool of players best positioned to capitalize when Scheffler or McIlroy don’t bring their A-game. Collin Morikawa, when healthy, belongs in this group as well. Bryson DeChambeau, who withdrew from LIV Golf Mexico City with a wrist injury on Sunday, does not — at least not until he shows it again in a strong, deep field.

Form ebbs and flows, but for the remainder of the season, the six names above should be making most of the noise in the biggest tournaments.