HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Scottie Scheffler stumbles out of the gates, makes a weekend charge and finishes second to a European past champion.

This could be a line from either last week's Masters Tournament, where Scheffler lost to Rory McIlroy by one shot, or this week's RBC Heritage, where he fell to England's Matt Fitzpatrick in a one-hole playoff at Harbour Town Golf Links.

"I think in both weeks I put myself behind the eight ball going into the weekend and had really nice Saturdays and Sundays in order to get myself into contention," said Scheffler after his runner-up finish. "On Sunday it's a shot here or there that makes a difference."

Scheffler entered the weekend seven shots behind Fitzpatrick, who was leading, and posted a third-round 64 to trim the deficit to three. It was the battle of past champions – Fitzpatrick earned his first tartan jacket in 2023, Scheffler in 2024 – in the final group on Sunday.

However, Fitzpatrick stifled any whiffs of a signature Scheffler Sunday charge with two birdies in his first three holes, which pushed his lead to four shots. Scheffler only hit 10 greens in regulation in the final round and had to once again rely on his scrambling, a perfect eight-for-eight.

"It was just challenging out there," said Scheffler. "The wind is swirling all around, and it was hard to make birdies late in the day."

Fitzpatrick, in turn, stalled out with pars. Scheffler waited patiently for his opportunity, which came with back-to-back birdies on the par-5 15th and par-4 16th holes.

Trailing by one heading into No. 18, Scheffler missed the green with his approach shot into swirling winds. His chip was tracking towards the hole before coming up 18 inches short. "I was surprised that it stopped with how much wind was blowing that direction, but overall I wanted to get it around the hole with the right speed in order to go in, and I hit a good shot," said Scheffler.

Fitzpatrick couldn't convert his up-and-down for par, sending the pair back to the 18th hole for the tournament's fourth playoff in five events. Scheffler pushed his approach shot short and right, while Fitzpatrick hit the shot of the tournament, a 4-iron to 13 feet, and curled in the birdie putt for the win.

"This was one of those weeks where anytime Fitzy needed something to happen, he made something happen," said Scheffler. "He definitely earned the win, and he just played great golf."

Scheffler is still searching for his second win of the season and a 21st TOUR victory since capturing his first event of the season, The American Express. His streak of 18 straight top-10 finishes, the longest streak by any golfer in the modern era, ended at The Genesis Invitational. He's finished no worse than T24 this season, at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. The questions about his dip in form – he has led the TOUR in Strokes Gained: Approach for the past three years, but this season is on average 81st – are only a testament to the standard he's set for himself.

Scheffler reflected on this ahead of THE PLAYERS Championship in March, saying, "I think I'm always my own like my biggest critic. I think, like no matter what round of golf you look at, I think there's always something you feel like you could do better. Typically, if I look back at my statistics, which I'm not a huge statistics guy because, like I said, it typically lines up with what I feel. My feel is what I trust the most.

"When it comes to my golf game and my expectations of myself, my expectations all are based around what I want for me mentally on the golf course as being committed to what I can do, and controlling that aspect. And so far throughout this season I've been really good in some spots and then some other spots I feel like I can improve in terms of my commitment to the shot."

Scheffler is currently committed to play the Cadillac Championship, the season's next Signature Event contested in Miami, and will look to defend the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club, just outside of Philadelphia.