Matt Fitzpatrick Claims Valspar Championship Title in Thrilling Finish

The Valspar Championship concluded with a dramatic showdown, primarily between two former Northwestern University golfers, a connection that might be considered a slight exaggeration given their differing tenures.

Matt Fitzpatrick, a celebrated three-time PGA Tour winner, had a brief stint at Northwestern in 2013, attending for just one quarter. During his time with the Wildcats, he contributed to two victories in five tournaments before capturing the U.S. Amateur title that same year. He subsequently turned professional in 2014. Now 31, Fitzpatrick's impressive career is notably highlighted by his triumph at the 2022 U.S. Open.

Conversely, David Lipsky also secured two tournament wins during his collegiate career at Northwestern and earned All-American honors in 2011. However, at 37 years old, a PGA Tour victory continues to elude him. He came tantalizingly close to achieving this on Sunday at the Copperhead Course.

As they approached the 18th tee, both golfers were locked in a tie for the lead. Fitzpatrick, playing a group ahead of Lipsky, executed two excellent shots on the par-4, culminating in a crucial 13-foot birdie putt that gave him a one-stroke advantage. Lipsky, despite driving into the right rough, made a courageous recovery, landing his second shot on the back fringe of the green. This left him with a challenging 32-foot birdie putt to force a playoff, but his attempt narrowly missed.

Lipsky reflected on his final hole, stating, “I was caught between clubs on my second shot. I nearly pulled off that difficult shot, and I almost made the putt.”

“Almost” – a sentiment often said to only count in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Fitzpatrick's final score of 11-under-par 273 secured his victory over Lipsky. This win offered significant consolation to the English star, especially after a disappointing bogey on the final hole cost him the title at The Players Championship, the PGA Tour’s premier event, just last week.

It had been a particularly difficult loss for Fitzpatrick to overcome.

“It was frustrating, a strange feeling, playing on another Florida course – TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra. Cameron Young claimed the title there,” he recounted. “I honestly didn’t feel like I did much wrong on the back nine. But today, I played magnificently on every shot on 17 and 18, and that’s what makes this victory so incredibly special.”

The Valspar Championship marked the conclusion of the four-week Florida Swing. The PGA Tour will now move to Texas for the next two weeks of tournaments, leading up to the year's first of four major championships, The Masters, held in Georgia.

Although the championship ultimately came down to a battle between Fitzpatrick and Lipsky, several other strong contenders were in the mix. South Korea's Sungjae Im, for instance, was initially positioned for a rare wire-to-wire victory before his performance faltered in the early holes.

Brandt Snedeker, slated to captain the U.S. team at the President’s Cup in Medinah this September, played alongside Im in the final group. Unlike Im, Snedeker remained a strong contender well into the back nine. At 45 years old and after missing four consecutive cuts, Snedeker found himself tied for the lead with seven holes remaining, alongside England’s Jordan Smith and Marco Penge, as well as Fitzpatrick and Lipsky.

However, Snedeker's momentum waned, and he finished with a round of 76, placing him in a tie for 18th. Smith ultimately secured third place, two strokes behind Fitzpatrick, while Xander Schauffele, with an impressive final round of 65, shared fourth place with Im and Penge.