diff --git a/pandas/core/groupby/ops.py b/pandas/core/groupby/ops.py
index 63087672d1365..7259268ac3f2b 100644
--- a/pandas/core/groupby/ops.py
+++ b/pandas/core/groupby/ops.py
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ def apply(self, f, data: FrameOrSeries, axis: int = 0):
             and not sdata.index._has_complex_internals
         ):
             try:
-                result_values, mutated = splitter.fast_apply(f, group_keys)
+                result_values, mutated = splitter.fast_apply(f, sdata, group_keys)
 
             except libreduction.InvalidApply as err:
                 # This Exception is raised if `f` triggers an exception
@@ -925,11 +925,9 @@ def _chop(self, sdata: Series, slice_obj: slice) -> Series:
 
 
 class FrameSplitter(DataSplitter):
-    def fast_apply(self, f, names):
+    def fast_apply(self, f, sdata: FrameOrSeries, names):
         # must return keys::list, values::list, mutated::bool
         starts, ends = lib.generate_slices(self.slabels, self.ngroups)
-
-        sdata = self._get_sorted_data()
         return libreduction.apply_frame_axis0(sdata, f, names, starts, ends)
 
     def _chop(self, sdata: DataFrame, slice_obj: slice) -> DataFrame:
@@ -939,11 +937,13 @@ def _chop(self, sdata: DataFrame, slice_obj: slice) -> DataFrame:
             return sdata.iloc[:, slice_obj]
 
 
-def get_splitter(data: FrameOrSeries, *args, **kwargs) -> DataSplitter:
+def get_splitter(
+    data: FrameOrSeries, labels: np.ndarray, ngroups: int, axis: int = 0
+) -> DataSplitter:
     if isinstance(data, Series):
         klass: Type[DataSplitter] = SeriesSplitter
     else:
         # i.e. DataFrame
         klass = FrameSplitter
 
-    return klass(data, *args, **kwargs)
+    return klass(data, labels, ngroups, axis)
diff --git a/pandas/tests/groupby/test_apply.py b/pandas/tests/groupby/test_apply.py
index 41ec70468aaeb..18ad5d90b3f60 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/groupby/test_apply.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/groupby/test_apply.py
@@ -108,8 +108,9 @@ def f(g):
 
     splitter = grouper._get_splitter(g._selected_obj, axis=g.axis)
     group_keys = grouper._get_group_keys()
+    sdata = splitter._get_sorted_data()
 
-    values, mutated = splitter.fast_apply(f, group_keys)
+    values, mutated = splitter.fast_apply(f, sdata, group_keys)
 
     assert not mutated