Matt Fitzpatrick delivered a resounding bounce-back performance, capturing the Valspar Championship on Sunday at Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, Florida — just one week after a heartbreaking runner-up finish at The Players Championship.
The 31-year-old Englishman, who resides in North Palm Beach, Florida, closed with a gritty 3-under-par 68 to finish at 11-under 273 overall, edging David Lipsky by one stroke. Fitzpatrick’s victory came down to a clutch moment on the demanding 18th hole in the infamous “Snake Pit” finish: he rolled in a 14-foot birdie putt to seal the deal after Lipsky’s long birdie attempt from outside 30 feet narrowly missed left.
Rounds of 68-69-68-68 showcased Fitzpatrick’s consistency on a firm, fast Copperhead layout that tested the field with sun-baked greens and challenging conditions throughout the week.
The win avenged his near-miss at TPC Sawgrass, where Fitzpatrick held a one-shot lead heading into the 17th hole but finished par-bogey to Cameron Young‘s birdie-par and win by one.
Fitzpatrick admitted the Players loss stung more than usual due to how well he played and how little went wrong until the final moments. Yet he quickly turned the page, channeling the disappointment into motivation.
This marked Fitzpatrick’s third PGA Tour trophy — his first since the 2023 RBC Heritage — and 12th worldwide title counting DP World Tour victories. The triumph vaulted him to third in the FedExCup standings and sixth in the world rankings, providing a timely confidence boost ahead of the Masters.
“Yeah, this is great,” said Fitzpatrick. “Any win is fantastic. To me, just getting over the line is always difficult. It’s so hard to win out here.
“Three wins now out here is something that, you know, I want obviously plenty more, and more and more big wins. So, yeah, to win this week is a big stepping stone for moving forward.
Lipsky fired a closing 70 to take solo second at 10-under, earning $991,900 and moving to 33 in the FedEx standings. Jordan Smith (66) finished alone in third to earn $627,900.
In post-round comments, Fitzpatrick reflected on the emotional turnaround, joking in one interview that he might “probably” win the Masters next. He praised the resilience required on the Copperhead course and expressed gratitude for bouncing back so swiftly.
“Yeah, I mean, I’m probably going to win, yeah. (Laughing),” joked Fitzpatrick. “No, no. Yeah, I mean, I’m obviously very confident in my game right now. But what it takes to win a major is very different to what it takes to win on the PGA Tour, in my opinion. Particularly the Masters, there’s extra pressure on the Masters, no matter who you are.
“You know, it just has that standing above all the other events, as well as the majors, you know.
“The stuff that I still want to work on. I’m coming away from this week, obviously I won, delighted with where my game’s at, but there’s stuff I want to improve. I want to make sure that I’m ready for when I get to Augusta to be ready to play and be ready that Thursday morning. So, yeah, I’m really looking forward to that week.”
Fitzpatrick’s performance highlighted the fine margins in professional golf: from the agony of a closing bogey at The Players to the ecstasy of a winning birdie putt seven days later, Fitzpatrick proved once again why he’s among the game’s most consistent and clutch performers.
