Matt Fitzpatrick (-11) has secured victory at the Valspar Championship, the tenth tournament of the season on the PGA Tour. The English golfer, 31 years old, enters the circle of players with at least three titles on the US circuit. He won the US Open in 2022 and the RBC Heritage in 2023. Now, almost three years after his last trophy on tour, he has taken advantage of the collapse of Sungjae Im (-8) in the final round to exorcise the disappointment of the THE PLAYERS Championship, where he came up short
Hace siete días, Fitzpatrick terminó a un solo golpe de Cameron Young en la pelea por uno de los torneos estrella del circuito. This Sunday, with a three-under round, with three birdies and no bogeys, he made the most of the ever-tricky Copperhead Course at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor. The luck that eluded him last week was on his side, especially on the final hole where, with a great putt of more than four metres, he avoided going to a playoff
When he needed it most!
Matt Fitzpatrick birdies the last to take a one-stroke lead into the clubhouse @ValsparChamp. pic.twitter.com/BsIBVVmLWw
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 22, 2026
Matt started the day three shots behind Sungjae, who began as leader and clear favourite more for the challenges this layout presents than for his lead of a couple of strokes over his nearest pursuer, given the small greens and thick rough. It’s not easy to come back. But while the Englishman closed his front nine one under, the South Korean made four bogeys with no birdies, collapsing down the leaderboard and opening the contest to several players
Among them, David Lipsky (-10), who had a good chance on 17 to make a birdie that would have forced a playoff. He didn’t manage it and his 70 fell short or Jordan Smith (-9), one of the day’s best with a big 66 featuring seven birdies and two bogeys, who didn’t arrive in time to get into contention. The same happened to Xander Schauffele (-8), who even bettered the Englishman’s score with a 65, the best card on Sunday, but it was insufficient because he had started outside the top 20 after three rounds
When he needed it most!
Matt Fitzpatrick birdies the last to take a one-stroke lead into the clubhouse @ValsparChamp. pic.twitter.com/BsIBVVmLWw
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 22, 2026
Sungjae tried to give himself a chance at the end, but his birdie at 16 almost coincided with Fitzpatrick‘s at 18 which left him out of the equation. The South Korean, with his 74, opened the door wide and the Englishman was the cleverest in class when it came to recovery: he missed eight greens in regulation and did not make a single bogey all day. Short game and the putter were decisive for the Sheffield golfer to deliver a show of force that will earn him 1,638 million dollars and project him into the top 3 of the FedEx
