Matt Fitzpatrick misses Hazeltine on his Ryder Cup debut in 2016. Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
Matt Fitzpatrick no I want to hear the name Tom Haliburton, not John Panton or Alf Padgham. «I certainly don't want to be lumped in with the last two Ryder Cup contenders,» he says.
Two years ago, Fitzpatrick became the first golfer since Haliburton 60 years ago to compete in two Ryder Cups without winning even half a point. If the world number eight were to lose again this week, he would emulate Panton in 1961, the Scot who himself repeated Padham's failure to return after three Cups in 1937.
This would be a rare company. keep in mind the fact that the tournament is now 96 years old, but if there's any consolation for Fitzpatrick, it's that the trio who formed what was perhaps the perfect nonsensical answer were all extremely skilled players.
Padgham won the Open Championship, Haliburton set a world record by shooting just 126 in the first two rounds of a European Tour event, and Panton not only received an MBE for his fine play but shared the honor with Arnold Palmer in the drinking game. named after him, which is still requested in clubs across the country (ginger beer, a splash of lime and a dash or two of Angostura bitters).
Unsurprisingly, however, Fitzpatrick doesn't covet membership in the exclusive club. «I'll probably be relieved when I score my first point, but mostly I'll just be happy to add a point to my team's total,» he says. “Exactly, I would be happy to lose all my games again if I had a choice between that and winning in Europe. What can I say? I can confirm that you don't have to play poorly to miss a point in the Ryder Cup.”
Fitzpatrick's first experience of golf's most intimidating arena came when he was 22, at a 2016 match at Hazeltine. Darren Clarke let him go on the first day and then threw the newbie into the unforgiving fours format with Henrik Stenson on Saturday morning. A humiliating 3-and-2 ensued, and by the time he and Zach Johnson fought in the final singles bout, the match was over.
Matt Fitzpatrick believes Darren Clarke didn't give him the chance he deserved at Hazeltine. Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
«No, I didn't feel really invested in my first project, and I never had the chance,» says Fitzpatrick. “So I don’t know if I played well or not. I had a nice meal at Whistling Straits and thought I was playing well. Westy [Lee Westwood] and I just ran into two hot couples in a foursome. And on Sunday I played Daniel Berger and we had 15 birdies before I lost the last one. But this is a match game. I could easily score four or five and shoot eight over par every round and everyone would say, “Fitzpatrick was amazing!”
“This is one of those. When I hear someone say, “He’s a good match play player,” I don’t buy it. If you play well, you play well, and then it's just a question of whether you get lucky with who you play with. We need to look at the statistics. How many birdies did you make? If you score seven and he scores eight, then unfortunately that's the way it is. People need to understand that.”
Five years later, Fitzpatrick had some memorable moments with Lee Westwood in the foursome, but lost two hot couples. Photo: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Fitzpatrick is confident Rome will offer a more positive experience. “To begin with, I am a different player in 2021 and probably unrecognizable to 2016,” he says. “My irons are better, much better. In terms of driving, my victory at the US Open [in 2022] gave me a lot more confidence, and the extra distance I discovered was widely publicized. I wouldn't say I've ever been spooked before when I got behind some guys off the tee because I always found a way to make it happen. If I am over 15 feet tall, I support my opponent over 10 feet tall.
“But it was nice to be able to keep up with the times. Having said that, my driving this year has not been nearly as good as I would like. When I finished 17th at the Los Angeles Country Club, Billy [Foster, his caddy] said, “How the hell did you get into the top 20 at the US Open driving the ball like I did?” And that's what it felt like — that I was dribbling the ball. like Billy. So to gain more control I slowed down a bit and to be honest I lost some distance. There's nothing wrong with that, as if the one place you want to control is Marco Simone with that thick, rough rock.»
Fitzpatrick is adamant that this is not the case in any of his performances. touched him. “It’s not the same as trying to win a major,” he says. “I would say there is a lot less pressure at the Ryder Cup. Especially my first one. I only played twice, so I wouldn't say I felt any pressure at all.
“Then when I was a sophomore, I was a more experienced golfer and felt like it was a good place to be. be inside. I definitely didn't walk away thinking I was bent over from the heat. If I lose, it's not due to the stress of the situation or anything like that.»
The Yorkshireman makes no excuses and believes the biggest changes may come from outside the country. “What’s special about this match is that it will be my first match at home, so I’m looking forward to the gallery cheering for me instead of against me,” Fitzpatrick said. “You know, even when we play in the States on tour and we play an American, he'll get all the plaudits.”
“It happened to Scotty [Scheffler] in Chicago last month [when Fitzpatrick came in second and took first place in the world]. But we don't actually get booed like we sometimes do at the Ryder Cup. People think it shouldn't matter because we're professionals, but subconsciously it probably does. It's nice to hear a good shot being appreciated and a little disarming when it's met with silence. So yeah, I'll enjoy this home company.”
In truth, “home,” in the living sense of the word, is now Jupiter, South Florida. He recently got engaged to Catherine Gaahl and they will be spending most of their time on this side of the pond. “I will, but it won’t make me feel any less English,” says Fitzpatrick. 'I'm still that guy from Sheffield who supports the Blades.
Свежие комментарии