Matt Fitzpatrick birdies final hole to rally for Valspar Championship title

MIAMI – England’s Matt Fitzpatrick got the job done a week after coming up just short.

The 31-year-old made a 14-foot putt for birdie on the final hole and waited for two groups behind him to finish as he won the Valspar Championship by shooting three-under 68 on March 22 at Palm Harbour, Florida.

“I was playing well going into this week, obviously wanted to continue that and I felt like I had confidence in myself to do so,” the Englishman said. “Then obviously to sort of do that over four rounds was special this week.”

It was a form of redemption for Fitzpatrick, who a week earlier was the runner-up at The Players Championship.

He finished with 11-under 273 at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club’s Copperhead Course, one stroke better than American David Lipsky to secure his third victory on the PGA Tour.

To drain a pressure putt added to the pleasure.

“To get it done like that was special,” Fitzpatrick said.

Lipsky, who posted 70, almost rolled in a 33-foot birdie putt on hole No. 18 to force a play-off, but needed a tap-in to finish his round. It was nearly an incredible recovery after his tee shot was in the fairway rough on that hole.

Yet the week’s work marked a significant step for the 37-year-old.

“This week was an awesome week and I’m really looking forward to seeing what events I get into the rest of the year, and trying to play my way into those play-offs,” he said.

Fitzpatrick had a consistent tournament, turning in 68s for the first, third and fourth rounds. He last won on the Tour at the 2023 RBC Heritage.

“To obviously come away with a win this week is really special, considering last week’s performance as well,” the world No. 6 said.

Fitzpatrick was not the lone Englishman with some excitement. Jordan Smith shot 66, putting him in third place on 275 for his best finish on the PGA Tour. He played the final 14 holes in five under after starting with a pair of birdies followed by two bogeys.

“We got off to a nice quick start, and then before you know it, we were in the hunt there,” Smith said. “So, it’s just nice to know that we can get there.”

The 33-year-old said he thrived on the opportunity to make a run towards the top.

“I always watch the leaderboards, I like to know where I am,” he said. “It’s just nice that in those situations I know what to do.”

South Korea’s Im Sung-jae shot 74, tying for fourth place with American Xander Schauffele (65) and Marco Penge (71) of England at eight-under 276.

Im, who was atop the leaderboard after each of the first three rounds, fell from the top spot quickly on March 22. He had bogeys on three of the first six holes and five of the first 10. The South Korean rallied to pull within two strokes with two holes to play but could not complete the comeback.

He was joined in the final pairing by Brandt Snedeker, who also struggled as he shot 76 to finish tied-18th at four-under 280.

The American was seeking his first victory since 2018, but had a three-putt double-bogey on the 12th hole that cost him a share of the lead and never recovered.

He said: “Stood on the 10th tee tied for the lead, which is all you can do. My swing left me on the back nine. I really struggled. I couldn’t really find anything to put the ball where I wanted to.”

Schauffele and Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo, who ended in a seventh-place logjam at seven-under 277, had the final day’s best rounds with 65. REUTERS