Sunday Matters: Why you need to see PGA Tour's RBC Heritage finale

The frontrunner: Matt Fitzpatrick

Matthew Fitzpatrick of England looks on from the third green during the third round of the RBC Heritage 2026 at Harbour Town Golf Links on April 18, 2026 in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Less than a month removed from securing his third career PGA Tour victory at the 2026 Valspar Championship, Matt Fitzpatrick is in prime position to nab his second win of the year and his second win at Harbour Town. The 31-year-old Englishman started slow on Saturday, making three bogeys in his first seven holes, but he turned it on once he reached the back nine, with two birdies and an eagle to cap off a 3-under 68.

Fitzpatrick, who won the 2022 U.S. Open, could be putting together the best season of his career thus far. On top of his win at the Valspar, he has two other top-10 finishes, including solo second at the Players Championship. He also snuck inside the top 20 at the Masters a week ago. Currently ranked No. 7 in the world, if he can finish the job Sunday, it will be Fitzpatrick's first win in a signature event.

The challengers: Scottie Scheffler, Brian Harman, Si Woo Kim, Sepp Straka

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was seven shots off the lead when he started the third round, but vaulted himself up the leaderboard with an impressive 7-under 64. Scheffler jumped in and out of a tie for the lead all day Saturday, but after Fitzpatrick's stellar back nine, he'll need another comeback effort Sunday if he wants to secure his second title at Harbour Town.

Here's a staggering stat for you: This is the 41st time that Scheffler, the 2024 RBC Heritage champion, has been in the top 5 entering the final round of a PGA Tour event in the past five seasons. A win on Sunday would mark his second of the year and the 21st of his career. Anytime Scheffler is contending, it's must-see TV.

Scottie Scheffler of the United States looks on from the third green during the third round of the RBC Heritage 2026 at Harbour Town Golf Links on April 18, 2026 in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

While Scheffler was charging, it was Brian Harman who held the clubhouse lead for a good portion of Saturday's third round after going out early and firing an 8-under 63. Harman, a four-time PGA Tour winner, got off to a slow start in 2026, missing two cuts in his first three starts and has yet to finish inside the top 10 this season. But a T-11 at the Players Championship signaled that his game was trending in the right direction, and if he can card another round like he did Saturday, he might find himself in that iconic plaid jacket by day's end.

Meanwhile, Si Woo Kim once again finds himself in contention entering the final round of a PGA Tour event in 2026. So far this season, the 30-year-old from South Korea has made the cut in all 10 of his starts and has racked up six top-15 finishes. Still, that win eludes him. If he can come from behind and win the RBC Heritage on Sunday, it'd be his first victory since the 2023 Sony Open in Hawaii.

Si Woo Kim of South Korea plays his shot from the fifth tee during the third round of the RBC Heritage 2026 at Harbour Town Golf Links on April 18, 2026 in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

And something about Harbour Town seems to bring out the best in Sepp Straka. In five starts at the RBC Heritage, the 32-year-old from Austria has two top-5 finishes and a T-13 to go along with just one missed cut. A 66 in the opening round followed by a pair of 67s on Friday and Saturday have him right in the mix going into Sunday. If he wins, it'd be his third victory in the last 15 months after winning twice last year, at the Truist Championship and The American Express.

The reasonable longshot: Viktor Hovland

After firing rounds of 64 and 65 on Thursday and Friday, respectively, Viktor Hovland did not have his best stuff on Saturday. A bogey at the first and a double-bogey at No. 3 put him behind the 8-ball, but he managed to limit the damage en route to signing for 2-over 73. Hovland hasn't won on the PGA Tour in over a year, his last victory coming at the 2025 Valspar Championship, but he's already proven twice this week that he can go really low at Harbour Town. Don't be surprised if he finds himself back in contention Sunday.

Big names lurking: Bunched up leaderboard is waiting to pounce

At one point on Saturday, there were 25 players within four shots of the lead. Fitzpatrick (17 under) pulled away from the pack with a stellar back nine, but there will still be several heavy hitters in great position to capitalize if Fitzpatrick stumbles out of the gate like he did in the third round. There are 18 players at 10 under or better entering Sunday's final round.

The weather: Another great day for golf expected Sunday

Much like the first three days, Sunday's weather on Hilton Head Island looks to be nearly perfect. The forecast calls for highs in the upper 70s with mostly sunny conditions and just a 15% chance of precipitation. But there will be a steady wind at 10 mph from the northwest with gusts up to 25 mph, meaning the breeze could add a little extra challenge for the players and a little extra fun for the viewers.

The hole to watch: No. 18

A general view of the 18th hole prior to the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links on April 11, 2023 in Beaufort, South Carolina.

The 18th at Harbour Town Golf Links is one of the most exciting finishing holes among the PGA Tour's annual stops, and there are several reasons why.

First off, there is water and marshland all the way down the left side. This makes the tee shot a tough decision. The fairway is skinny until about the 220-yard mark, where it widens significantly with a lot of room to the left. But after about a 60-yard stretch, it narrows again. Any drive over 300 yards will make the approach shot easier, but brings the water back into play and could spell big trouble for even the slightest miss off the tee.

The perfect tee ball is about 280 yards aimed just right of the iconic red-and-white lighthouse that towers over the grandstand in the distance. But that still leaves an approach shot of roughly 200 yards into a green guarded by bunkers short and long, with the water still posing a hazard for leftward misses. It's a truly challenging hole for any player at any time, but it becomes especially nerve-wracking for pros looking to close out a victory at the RBC Heritage.

The course: Harbour Town is still shining after 2025 restoration

Whenever an already-beloved golf course undergoes changes, there is always pressure on the architects. Davis Love III — who served as a player advisor for last year's restoration project on the Pete Dye-designed Harbour Town Golf Links — felt that pressure. He had one main goal: “Don’t mess it up.”

Understandably, nobody involved in the project wanted to introduce wholesale changes to the course that ranks among the top 30 public-access layouts in the United States, writes Golfweek travel editor Jason Lusk. The course had changed slightly over the decades, as all courses do, but the resort’s managers wanted to keep the original design intentions intact for the course that put Dye on the map as an architect when it opened in 1969. Dye — often working with his wife, Alice — went on to become one of the most influential golf architects of his era before his death in 2020.

A general view of the second green prior to the RBC Heritage 2026 at Harbour Town Golf Links on April 15, 2026 in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Most of the alterations made during the 2025 restoration project at Harbour Town were small, but still noticeable. And after two days of play on the renovated track at the 2026 RBC Heritage, the reviews were in: The pros still love it, reports Golfweek's Adam Schupak.

“It's one of the rare 'nothing-has-gotten-worse' [projects], which is awesome,” said Max Homa. “They didn't change too much, which is even better, because everybody loves this place.”

Veteran pro Harris English bumped into Love on Tuesday and told him, "I like what you did. I love the bunkering. I love some of those links-style bunkers that they did with the sod in there."

Jordan Spieth, the winner of the 2022 RBC heritage, added, "To make a course more playable for the average player but just as difficult for us is really hard. I’ve not seen it done yet and I think [Davis Love III] did it."

Read more on the restoration of Harbour Town Golf Links from Golfweek architecture editor Jason Lusk, or click here to see Golfweek's ranking of the top 10 PGA Tour courses.

The schedule: How many signature events are left?

Here's a look at the PGA Tour's 2026 signature events.

The scores: What has won at RBC Heritage?

Here are the scores that have won this tournament in recent years.

Golfweek travel editor Jason Lusk and Golfweek senior PGA Tour reporter Adam Schupak contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Sunday Matters: Why you need to see PGA Tour's RBC Heritage finale