Matt Fitzpatrick, who led entering the third round, birdied the 14th and chipped in for eagle on the 15th to claim a three-shot lead over Scottie Scheffler heading into the final round of the 2026 RBC Heritage. Scheffler posted a third-round 64 to reach 14-under at Harbour Town Golf Links, while Fitzpatrick shot 68 to sit at 17-under.
Fitzpatrick entered Saturday's third round atop the leaderboard at 14-under but maintained control with birdies at the ninth and 12th. World No. 1 Scheffler mounted a charge with a front-nine 31 to briefly share the lead before Fitzpatrick pulled away late. Scheffler added birdies at 16 and 18 for his 64, per Golf.com's coverage from Hilton Head, South Carolina. Scheffler praised Fitzpatrick's work ethic post-round: “Fitzy is a guy that I think — I admire him because he works really hard. He’s a guy that gets really into his stats... He’s a really smart player.” Fitzpatrick has increased his clubhead speed from 112 mph in 2019 to 118-122 mph, elevating him from 59th to top 10 in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee en route to his 2022 U.S. Open victory. He recently won the Valspar, finished runner-up at the Players, and took the 2023 RBC Heritage in a playoff over Jordan Spieth—his favorite PGA Tour stop. “As long as they don’t shout in my backswing, then they can do whatever they want,” he said of the pro-Scheffler crowd expected Sunday. Viktor Hovland, who trailed Fitzpatrick entering the third round, praised his methodical approach after Friday's play.
