Following their joint triumph at the Zurich Classic tournament two weeks prior, professional golfer Matt Fitzpatrick secured his younger brother Alex’s position on the PGA Tour through 2028.
At this week’s Truist Championship taking place in Charlotte, the siblings will compete side by side as full-time PGA Tour professionals for their inaugural appearance together at Quail Hollow Club.
The 31-year-old Matt, who brings significantly more PGA Tour expertise compared to Alex’s previous full-time participation on the DP World Tour before his Zurich triumph, recognizes his responsibility to mentor his brother, who is four years his junior.
“Definitely. I think it would be wrong of me not to (play practice rounds) with him and help him out as much as I can. He’s been thrown in the deep end straight away and it’s all happening very fast so I feel like I have an obligation to help him too,” Matt Fitzpatrick explained. “I’ve already said to him, ‘If you don’t want that, you can tell me to mind my own business.’ I don’t want to feel like I’m getting involved in all these decisions and stuff, that’s his thing. I just kind of want to offer my two cents, if you like, and see where it goes.”
Alex demonstrated his capabilities independently during the previous week’s Cadillac Championship, where he secured a ninth-place tie in his debut tournament following his card acquisition.
Matt chose to skip the previous week’s signature tournament after claiming back-to-back victories in the two preceding weeks at both the RBC Heritage and Zurich events. Despite taking time away from competition, his break wasn’t the celebratory vacation many might have anticipated given his remarkable recent performance.
“I spent last week at home in Florida with my wife and my parents. We had a little bit of off-course stuff to do with the house that I bought and stuff,” Fitzpatrick noted. “I think that kind of occupied me for most of the week, which was nice to not have to think about golf for a little bit.”
Matt’s initial tour victory occurred at the 2022 U.S. Open, followed by his 2023 triumph at the RBC Heritage. However, an extended period without championships ensued, as he remained winless until capturing this March’s Valspar Championship.
His trio of victories within a five-week period exceeds his total wins from his initial 11 seasons on tour, propelling him to fourth place in the Official World Golf Ranking.
“My DNA is definitely different. The makeup of my game at that point in time was pretty much great driving of the golf ball, like really, really, really good. I was long and straight at that point. I hit my irons pretty well at that point too,” Matt Fitzpatrick explained while considering how his playing style has evolved since his U.S. Open championship four years earlier. “I would say now I feel like I’m driving it probably just as well, maybe not quite as long, but I’m driving it just as straight if not straighter and my irons are another level above. So I feel like that combination alongside me putting well, which has always been a strength in the past, is obviously a nice mix.”
Matt also brings positive momentum from Quail Hollow, having achieved an eighth-place tie at the previous year’s PGA Championship held at the identical venue.
