Fitzpatrick leads RBC Heritage

Matt Fitzpatrick takes a one-shot lead into Saturday at the RBC Heritage after a bogey-free 63 moved him to 14 under at Harbour Town Golf Links. (pgatour.com) Viktor Hovland is second at 13 under after a 65, and Harris English starts Round 3 four shots back at 10 under. Patrick Cantlay, Sepp Straka and first-round leader Ludvig Åberg are tied for fourth at 9 under. (espn.com) Fitzpatrick and Hovland are paired together in the final group at 2 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, April 18. Golf Channel carries early coverage from 1-3 p.m. Eastern, and CBS takes over from 3-6 p.m. Eastern. (golfchannel.com) The RBC Heritage is one of the PGA Tour’s signature events, with a $20 million purse and no cut, so every player in the field gets four rounds at Harbour Town. The winner’s share is $3.6 million. (golfweek.usatoday.com) Harbour Town usually rewards control more than power, and Friday’s scoring split showed that. CBS Sports reported calmer morning conditions helped low rounds before wind picked up in the afternoon and the course firmed up. (cbssports.com) Fitzpatrick already has one Harbour Town title, winning the 2023 RBC Heritage in a playoff over Jordan Spieth. A second win there would give him another title at one of the PGA Tour’s most course-specific stops. (pgatour.com) Åberg set the early pace with a first-round 63, while Hovland and English opened with 64s to keep the leaderboard tight from the start. By the 36-hole mark, Fitzpatrick had passed them all with rounds of 65 and 63. (golf.com; espn.com) Saturday starts with Fitzpatrick in front, Hovland alongside him, and a crowded group still close enough to matter on a course where one loose stretch can flip the board quickly. (espn.com); (cbssports.com)