Tag: Matt Fitzpatrick

Team USA players, caddies wave hats at fans after Patrick Cantlay buries putt to win 2023 Ryder Cup match

The Ryder Cup is getting real chippy ahead of the final 12 Sunday singles matches.

Things are getting a little chippy in Rome — and it’s the best.

A report surfaced Patrick Cantlay is not wearing a hat at the 2023 Ryder Cup because of an issue with players being paid, though Cantlay has since responded to the “Hat Gate” rumors, simply stating the team hat “just doesn’t fit.” He also mentioned that he didn’t wear one at Whistling Straits in 2021 because of the same issue.

Fans at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club heard the rumors, too, and started to taunt Cantlay all Saturday afternoon, waving their hats at him whenever he was on a green or tee box.

Cantlay was paired with Wyndham Clark during the last fourballs session of the competition, taking on Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick in the final match of the day.

After burying a short birdie effort on the par-3 17th to tie up the match, Cantlay raced his green-side chip 43 feet by the hole at the par-5 closer.

But his nickname isn’t “Patty Ice” for nothing.

Cantlay buried the putt and claimed the American’s third match win of the session. After the putt went in, members of Team USA (as well as a few caddies) took their hats off and started waving them to Cantlay, and some waved them at the crowd.

Joe LaCava, Cantlay’s caddie, also got in on the action. LaCava exchanged words with Shane Lowry, who was watching the match from off the green, and they didn’t seem to be pleasantries. (The tweet says Rory, but it was Lowry.)

The Europeans lead 10½-5½ heading into Sunday, leaving the smallest of windows open for the Americans as they pursue an unlikely comeback.

After play was done for the day, McIlroy and Justin Thomas’ caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay, had a verbal altercation while waiting for shuttles.

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U.S. Ryder Cup team squanders opportunity to cut into deficit; Team Europe leads 6½-1½

Team USA failed to earn a full point in any match on Friday.

ROME — A tie has to feel like kissing your sister to the U.S. Ryder Cup team.

The Americans squandered opportunities to win three of the four matches in Friday afternoon’s fourball session, failing to win a single match on the first day of the 44th Ryder Cup, the first time that’s happened in Cup history, and digging themselves a big deficit.

After sweeping the morning foursome 4-0, the Europeans made three clutch putts at 18 to turn potential losses into ties. First, Viktor Hovland drained a 26-foot birdie putt to tie the first match of the session. In the next group, Jon Rahm drilled a 33-foot eagle putt to salvage a tie. Finally, Justin Rose buried a 9-foot birdie putt that capped off a comeback from 2 down with two holes to go. In the end, Team Europe jumped out to a 6½-1½ lead.

“One thing that we talked about a lot is just it’s not over till it’s over, and the boys did that, those three matches,” Matt Fitzpatrick said. “They all got something out of it when they could have easily gone the other way, and it just makes a big difference.”

Fitzpatrick almost singlehandedly won a full point in the only match that didn’t end in a tie. Entering the Ryder Cup with a chip on his shoulder, the Englishman showed his mettle in the biennial competition. In two previous Cups, he was winless in five matches. Not anymore.

Fitzpatrick put on a putting exhibition during Friday’s afternoon fourball alongside teammate Rory McIlroy. Fitzpatrick had yet to play a fourball match in his previous two Cup appearances; he made the most of his chance.

“You build it up to be this amazing thing that you wanted to be part of thinking that you’ll get a real good go at it, and obviously I never did, really,” he said. “So that’s obviously always something that’s sort of disappointing.”

Fitzpatrick and McIlroy dominated the team of Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa, winning 5 and 3. It was a dream start for European Captain Luke Donald.

“Historic day, but we want it to be an historic week, so the job is certainly not done,” he said. “We will all celebrate an amazing day, but we’ll be back tomorrow morning with the goal of trying to win tomorrow morning’s session. We’ll be getting our guys focused to be back in the saddle, so to speak. But what a day.”

Ryder Cup: Tournament hub | Photos

Q&A: Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick and Luke Donald riff on the Ryder Cup

“Both teams always fight to the very end because of how much it matters to all of us.”

The captain’s picks have been made, the teams are all set and the countdown to the Ryder Cup, which begins Sept. 29 in Rome at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, has begun in earnest.

In a little more than a week, 12 of the best players from both Europe and the United States will square off in the biennial bash as the Euros look to win the Cup back and continue their dominance at home.

Ahead of the 44th edition of the Ryder Cup, European stalwarts Jon Rahm and Matt Fitzpatrick and European Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald participated in a wide-ranging Q&A through a partnership with Rolex that covered what makes this event so special to them as well as a primer on the course and more.

How are the 12 Team Europe Ryder Cuppers faring at the BMW PGA Championship?

One of the major subplots at this week’s BMW PGA Championship is how the Team Europe players are faring.

Earlier this month, U.S. captain Zach Johnson locked in his 12-player roster for the upcoming 2023 Ryder Cup, and European captain Luke Donald followed by doing the same.

After the conclusion of the 2023 Omega European Masters the six automatic qualifiers – three from a world points list and three from a European points list – for Team Europe that are bound for Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Italy were confirmed. Donald then made his six captain’s picks, including a pair of surprise rookies.

As we’re counting down the days until the biennial event in Italy, one of the major subplots at this week’s BMW PGA Championship in Surrey, England, is how the Team Europe players are faring.

Euro team captain Luke Donald is also competing at Wentworth, as are five of his six vice captains. Vice captain Nicolas Colsaerts is doing the best out of this group, as he’s tied for 38th. Vice captains Thomas Bjorn, Francesco Molinari and Edoard Molinari all missed the cut. Jose Maria Olazabal isn’t playing.

Here’s where the 12 members stand after two days:

Marcus Helligkilde leads, biggest European Ryder Cup snub inside top 5 at BMW PGA Championship

Catch up on Thursday’s action from Wentworth here.

The first round of the BMW PGA Championship was suspended due to darkness with just a handful of players left on the course, but after Day 1 Marcus Helligkilde holds a two-shot lead over Richie Ramsay and European Ryder Cupper Matt Fitzpatrick.

Helligkilde got around the Wentworth Club Thursday in 8-under 64, a round that included five birdies and a bogey on each side. His big run came on Nos. 4-9 where he made five birdies in six holes.

The 232nd-ranked golfer in the world from Denmark has yet to win on the DP World Tour, but has put together a solid stretch of late tying for fourth at the ISPS Handa World Invitational and for 13th at the European Masters a few weeks ago.

“I did it by hitting it terrible on the range,” he said when asked how he put his round together, “and as my coach says, I asked him, what should I do, and he’s like, yeah, you’re probably going to play great. So that was what happened.”

BMW PGA: Full leaderboard | Star-studded pro-am photos

Fitzpatrick, like Helligkilde, had two bogeys on his card but made eight birdies, good enough for a 6-under 66. The Englishman has found his game over the last month or so, tying for second at the PGA Tour’s BMW Championship, for ninth at the Tour Championship and for third at the European Masters. He’s just one of the several European Ryder Cuppers entering the biennial battle in Rome in great form.

Adrian Meronk of Poland plays his second shot on the 16th hole during Day One of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club on September 14, 2023 in Virginia Water, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

One of the biggest Ryder Cup snubs, Adrian Meronk, is sitting pretty at 5 under after his first 18 holes. With all 12 members of the team in the field — plus captain Luke Donald — Meronk is looking to send a message in Surrey, England.

As for some of the big names, Ludvig Aberg (4 under) and Tyrrell Hatton are T-12, Viktor Hovland (3 under), Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood are T-21, Tom Kim (2 under) is T-31, Jon Rahm (1 under) is T-45 and Rory McIlroy (Even) is T-65.

“It was great. A little bit more people than I’m used to following me around,” Aberg said after playing with McIlroy and Hovland. “It was really fun playing with those two guys. Obviously, the level of golf that they can do is pretty amazing and for me to watch that is pretty cool.

“I was kind of walking around and then almost pinched myself in the arm on the fairways but really enjoyed it, and proud of the way I handled it today.”

The three European stars will tee off at 7:40 a.m. ET for their second rounds.

Coverage resumes on Golf Channel Friday morning from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET.

Matt Fitzpatrick announces engagement to girlfriend Katherine Gall

Congrats to Matt and Katherine!

It’s been a special couple years for Matt Fitzpatrick.

He had his signature win last June when he captured the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club at Brookline. He added another victory in a three-hole playoff this year in Hilton Head, beating then-defending champion Jordan Spieth at the RBC Heritage in April. Later this month, he’ll represent Team Europe in the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone outside Rome.

But first, Fitzpatrick had some other hardware to take care off.

Fitspatrick announced Saturday he and his girlfriend, Katherine Gall, were engaged. The couple posted photos from Bay Head, New Jersey, announcing their engagement.

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Meet the 12 players and captains representing Team Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy

Get to know the 12 players on Team Europe for the 2023 Ryder Cup.

Last week U.S. captain Zach Johnson locked in his 12-player roster for the upcoming 2023 Ryder Cup, and on Monday morning European captain Luke Donald did the same.

After the conclusion of the 2023 Omega European Masters the six automatic qualifiers – three from a world points list and three from a European points list – for Team Europe that are bound for Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Italy were confirmed. Donald then made his six captain’s picks, including a pair of surprise rookies.

Of the 12 players on the roster, four will make their debut in the biennial event against the Americans, who haven’t won on foreign soil since 1993.

Get to know all 12 players and the captains who will represent Team Europe in the 44th playing of the Ryder Cup.

While Matt Fitzpatrick leads the Omega European Masters, Ryder Cup hopeful Ludvig Aberg sits T-2

Catch up on Saturday’s action from Switzerland here.

While the United States roster may be set for Rome, there are several Europeans still vying for positioning at this week’s DP World Tour event.

Rory McIlroy (European Points List), Jon Rahm (European Points List), Viktor Hovland (World Points List) and Tyrrell Hatton (World Points List) have already automatically qualified, and the final two automatic spots — one spot from each points list — will become official after Sunday’s final round of the Omega European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre GC in Crans Montana, Switzerland.

Matt Fitzpatrick (15 under), who sits three points behind Tommy Fleetwood for the final World Points List automatic spot, will look to close the deal Sunday when he tees off with a two-shot lead thanks to a third-round 3-under 67.

The Englishman has seen a resurgence in his game over the last month, tying for second at the BMW Championship and for ninth at the Tour Championship, and it seems his stellar form has made the trip with him across the pond.

Omega Masters: Full leaderboard

After playing his first 12 holes 2 under Saturday, Fitzpatrick stumbled at the par-3 13th, putting his tee shot in the water and eventually signing for a double-bogey 5. He got right back on the horse, however, making birdies at Nos. 14, 15 and 18 to solidify his two-shot advantage.

If Fitzpatrick is able to earn a spot on Luke Donald’s squad, it’d be his third appearance at the biennial event (2016, 2021).

Ludvig Aberg of Sweden plays his tee shot on the seventh hole during Day Three of the Omega European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club on September 02, 2023 in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

One of the faces in Fitzpatrick’s rearview mirror is Ludvig Aberg, a rising star in the game who is a heavy favorite to be one of Donald’s six captain’s picks. (Data Golf says Aberg has a 70.4 percent chance to make the team, ninth among all Europeans). In seven starts on the PGA Tour this season, Aberg grabbed four top-25 finishes highlighted by a T-4 at the John Deere Classic.

The Swede has been solid all week, opening with a 64 on Thursday and following it up with a 67 on Friday. He kept the momentum going on moving day, firing a 4-under 66 that has him tied for second alongside Alexander Bjork and Connor Syme.

Aberg’s performance in Switzerland shouldn’t come as a surprise as he tied for fourth at last week’s D+D Real Czech Masters. If he can chase down Fitzpatrick on Sunday, it’d be his first win as a professional.

Alex Fitzpatrick, Matt’s younger brother, and Nicolai Hojgaard are tied for fifth at 12 under, three back.

Matt Fitzpatrick battling brother for Ryder Cup spot a ‘nightmare’ for parents

The sibling rivalry just might get kicked up a notch this weekend.

Since he’s four years older, Matt Fitzpatrick has never gone down to the wire in a major competition against his brother Alex. The two missed each other in junior competitions and have largely played on different professional tours.

But the sibling rivalry just might get kicked up a notch this weekend at the DP World Tour’s Omega European Masters in the idyllic backdrop of Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in Switzerland.

With a 5-under 65 on Friday in the second round, Matt held on to a one-stroke edge over Alexander Bjork. But while the eight-time DP World Tour winner and 2022 U.S. Open champ is still battling his way into the European Ryder Cup team, brother Alex is just two strokes behind and firmly in the hunt.

This could conceivably bring plenty of stress to the whole family.

“It’s gonna be a nightmare for my parents,” Matt joked after the round.

For Alex, who shot a second consecutive 65 on Friday and now sits in a third-place tie with Frenchman Romain Langasque, the chance to push his brother is one he’s relishing.

“He’s my brother but he’s also a competitor so I’m still trying to beat him,” he said. “I shot five under and didn’t gain any ground today so that was a little frustrating. It would be good. I’ve played a little bit of golf with him now in competitive events and it would be fun to go against him.”

Alex continues to keep a hot hand after he captured a European Challenge Tour title in May. The Wake Forest product came in second in the recent ISPS Handa World Invitational in Northern Ireland and finished T-14 in last week’s Czech Masters.

And while Matt thinks a head-to-head scenario could create major butterflies for parents Susan and Russell, Alex feels a final-round pairing could be beneficial to the duo.

“Our parents would probably be happy because it would mean less walking, they can walk one round instead of two,” he said.

Matt is almost a lock to be selected to the European side for the upcoming Ryder Cup, although he’s a winless 0-5-0 in two previous appearances.

But he has added some speed to his game and knows how to handle the pressure of the sport’s biggest moments. The 29-year-old Englishman will feature on this team for the foreseeable future and his familiarity with the course won’t hurt — he finished runner-up at the 2022 Italian Open at Marco Simone after losing a playoff to Robert MacIntyre.

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FedEx Cup bubble watch, Americans vying for Ryder Cup spot and more from BMW Championship

Catch up on Saturday’s action here.

OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. – Matt Fitzpatrick was so frustrated with his game a week ago that he didn’t even want to play this week. Scottie Scheffler is right where he’s been almost all season – right in the thick of another high-stakes PGA Tour event.

Fitzpatrick and Scheffler are tied for the 54-hole lead at the BMW Championship at 11-under 199 with one round remaining. Fitzpatrick was bogey-free until the final hole but posted 4-under 66 at Olympia Fields, while Scheffler scrambled well and got help from his putter to shoot 64, the second-best score of the day in the 50-man field.

Ever since Fitzpatrick won the RBC Heritage in April, his game has fallen off sharply. Most notably, he has struggled off the tee, so much so that his caddie Billy Foster asked him in June, “How the hell have you finished top 20 in the U.S. Open driving the ball like me?”

“That’s what it feels like,” Fitzpatrick said this week. “Feels like I’ve been hitting driver like Billy.”

But last Saturday, he and swing coach Mike Walker found something simple on the range – he was overswinging so Fitzpatrick shortened his swing and it has been more in sync ever since. Problem solved.

“Why didn’t you tell me this three months ago?” Fitzpatrick cracked to Walker.

The Englishman was desperate for a strong week. Fitzpatrick is projected to improve all the way to fifth should he go on to win the BMW on Sunday.

“I like it when it’s windy and tough and it’s obviously getting firmer out there, as well,” Fitzpatrick said. “I just think tomorrow is supposed to be really, really hot. Obviously sort of playing very late, as well, again. So yeah, it’ll be very firm.”

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