Latest PGA Tour winner Matt Fitzpatrick explains why he's unbothered by 'U-S-A' chants

Matthew Fitzpatrick says he wasn't bothered by the verbal abuse coming from outside the gallery ropes as he claimed his second PGA Tour win in three starts.

The Englishman looked as though he was going to win the RBC Heritage on Sunday by one shot over world number one Scottie Scheffler. 

But a bogey on the 72nd hole saw the Yorkshireman head back down the 18th with the four-time major champion for a sudden-death playoff. 

After missing his putt low in regulation, some spectators jeered and erupted into chants of 'U-S-A, U-S-A'. 

It was the second time this season Fitzpatrick has been subjected to this type of behaviour following his near miss at the 2026 Players Championship where home favourite Cameron Young pipped him down the stretch at TPC Sawgrass.

And it resurrected memories of the ugly scenes at last September's Ryder Cup, where Fitzpatrick and his European teammates were subjected to a torrent of verbal abuse at Bethpage Black.  

Yet Fitzpatrick - who put his finger to his ear when the winning putt dropped yesterday evening - is completely unbothered by it all.

In fact, he is "all for it". 

"It didn't get out of line in terms of no one was shouting on backswings or anything like that, which was great," Fitzpatrick said. 

"I'm all for it. I love the people [shouting]. They're supporting Scottie; that's great. 

"You want golf to have an atmosphere in my opinion. I grew up watching football. 

"I'm paid so much money to be out there in front of those crowds, having them chanting at you every week, it's great feeling.

"However, there's no better feeling than coming out on top against that. There isn't a better feeling."

Fitzpatrick, who supports Sheffield United, added: "To describe it in my terms, it's kind of winning away against your biggest rival. 

"[It has] nothing to do with Scottie or the players; it's the fans that have sort of spurred me on there. It was nice to obviously win, but it never crossed the line. It was just loud. Just loud."

For his part, Scheffler decided not to condemn the behaviour. "It's always nice to get some support from the crowd," he said.