The second round of the 2026 RBC Heritage was all about change of scenery. We were able to attack the waves in the morning with almost no wind, but in the afternoon the gusts became stronger and the course hardened, so Harbor Town Golf Links began to show its teeth.
2023 RBC Heritage winner Matt Fitzpatrick shot a second round 63 to take the lead over the weekend at 14 under. Ball striking and putting are the path to success at Havertown, and Fitzpatrick currently ranks fourth and third in strokes gained, respectively.
His comfort on the greens in the first two rounds was particularly noteworthy. After his second-round performance, he said he had worked a little with a putting coach recently and was feeling a little more relaxed and green after Davis Love III was restored at Harbor Town. Davis Love III’s restoration at Harbor Town has added a bit of slope and made it less delicate, he said, making it easier to find and commit to the line.
Even though Fitzpatrick has played well all week, sometimes a good break can be the difference between winning and losing on the PGA Tour. If Fitzpatrick can don the plaid jacket for a second time Sunday afternoon, he’ll look back on Friday’s birdie on No. 14 as one of the swings he took to get there.
After hitting a big hook on the par 3, his ball hit a tree and came back over the green, rolling through the sprinklers and coming to rest just short of the water. He sank a birdie putt from off the green after taking the drop, making the most of a nice break and giving a signal that this could be the week for the Briton.
Fitzpatrick said after the round, “I felt like the shots I hit weren’t very good, but they weren’t that bad. Yeah, obviously it was good to get the break.” “You need those things in golf. It’s not always going to go your way for 72 holes. It’s nice to take a break and it’s nice to take advantage of it.”
Despite his efforts to run and hide, Fitzpatrick still has a strong candidate chasing him through the weekend.
weekend candidates
2. Viktor Hovland (-13)
3. Harris English (-10)
T4. Ludwig Oberg, Patrick Cantlay, Sepp Straka (-9)
T7. Rickie Fowler, Robert McIntyre, Kim Si-woo, and 4 others (-8)
T14. Scotty Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, and 3 others (-7)
T19. Akshay Bhatia, Russell Henry, and 6 others (-6)
Hovland’s performance on Friday was perhaps as impressive as Fitzpatrick’s, considering he played in much tougher conditions later in the afternoon. His 65 kept him close behind Fitzpatrick and ensured he will play in Saturday’s final draw for his first win of 2026. He’s been great on the greens, too, ranking second in strokes gained putting, and if he can maintain that over the weekend along with his continued improvement as a ball striker, he’ll be a serious threat to grab his first win in his signature event.
Harris English leads the way in putting. I didn’t have a very good score on Friday, but I’m looking forward to the weekend. The nine-under group includes 18-hole leader Ludwig Oberg, but Friday afternoon’s wind made things even more difficult. However, despite not being able to continue competing at his best, he was able to finish an under-par round. Straka’s presence isn’t a huge surprise given his accuracy off the tee and as a ball striker, but Cantlay has been solid as of late, shooting a 64 and looking to give himself a chance heading into the weekend.
A little further back are Scotty Scheffler and Collin Morikawa. Scheffler has played the first two days with Fitzpatrick and hasn’t been able to make enough putts to keep up the pace, but the improvement in ball striking he gained at the Masters appears to be carrying over and he should have a good chance of finally breaking through in the low rounds this weekend. Morikawa has been incredibly open about the mental struggles he had in coming back from a back injury, but he continues to play solid golf despite those challenges. Hopefully, as he racks up some solid rounds, he can begin to shake off any deep-seated doubts about whether his back can hold up.
early disappointment
T53. Jordan Spieth (-1)
T61. Chris Gotterup (E)
T67. Tommy Fleetwood (+1)
T81. Justin Thomas (+8)
There are no cuts this week, so all 82 players will be available for the weekend, but some big names won’t be considered, although they will all have tea time on Saturday and Sunday.
Gottharp started the season very well, but has yet to regain that form since leaving the West Coast. He had a solid performance in his first Masters, but less so this week at Harbor Town.
Fleetwood entered the season with high expectations after finally scoring his first PGA Tour victory at the Tour Championship, but in 2026 he has yet to regain his late-season form. That continues this week with a course that seems to fit well with his skill set, and he’ll be looking for his A match.
Spieth and Thomas are recent past champions of this event and would have had high hopes that the friendly course would bring out the best in them. Unfortunately for Thomas, that didn’t happen as he seemed a bit lost all week, finishing the second round in last place. Spieth fared better, but he hit his tee shot wide of the mark at the beginning of the second round and suffered a double bogey, and was unable to fully overcome his early deficit. Spieth seemed to be nearing that breakthrough all year, but he continues to struggle to put together a full round, much less a full event, with truly strong plays.
Updated RBC Heritage odds and picks
Matt Fitzpatrick (23/20)
Viktor Hovland (10/31)
Scotty Scheffler (12-1)
Ludwig Oberg (15-1)
Patrick Cantlay (18-1)
Harris English (20-1)
Sepp Straka (27-1)
Winds are expected to pick up in the afternoons throughout the weekend, which will have an impact on beatball strikers. Fitzpatrick and Hovland create a cushion so I don’t expect them to fall apart, but I think English and Scheffler have some value even if they stall. We saw last week what happens if Scheffler is hitting this well and the putts start falling, but I think English will continue to chase through the weekend.
