Matt Fitzpatrick discloses what his Dad told him on the back-nine before he won the Zurich Classic
· Yahoo Sports
Matt Fitzpatrick has continued his dream season on the PGA Tour by winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with his brother Alex Fitzpatrick.
The Fitzpatrick brothers finished the tournament at TPC Louisiana on 31-under, claiming a superb one-stroke victory.
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The Englishmen edged out Norwegian duo Kristoffer Reitan and Kris Ventura, and American pair Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer.
Alex Fitzpatrick has earned a PGA Tour card with the win, while Matt Fitzpatrick now has his fifth career win, after which he shared what his Dad told him on the back-nine.
Matt Fitzpatrick discloses encouragement from his Dad during the Zurich Classic
Speaking after the final round of the Zurich Classic, during which the pair had lost a four-shot lead on the back-nine after they made a double bogey on 12 and a bogey on 14, Fitzpatrick said: “I was literally thinking after we made double, I’m like, Oh my God, my dad is going to be, like fuming, but also, like so nervous and freaking out at the same time.
“I mean, going down 15 I don’t know if I saw him, but he was down at the right side of the ropes. He was kind of saying to me… I looked across, and he was like, Come on, keep going, keep going.
“That was really nice. That was a really nice moment for me personally. It was like, Yeah, Come on, mate, let’s keep going here.
“Yeah, I mean, certainly today I didn’t expect to be as nervous as I was. Like going to bed last night, totally fine.
“I was like, you know, we’re both playing well, four shots clear. We had a great day on Friday. We were really comfortable with what we were doing.
“For the first 11 holes we were on a similar trajectory. I was feeling good at that point. Then literally, yeah, terrible tee shot on 12, terrible second shot on 13, terrible tee shot on 14.
“I kind of felt like what the hell is going on here? I felt like I lost my swing. Then all of a sudden, I’m like, all right, I am feeling it now.
“I don’t want to throw this away. We’ve done such great work to be in this position. You know, I just felt that we needed to just give ourselves a chance.
“And looking at the leaderboard coming up 16, we were fortunate enough that Alex and Hayden dropped a shot. Wherever they dropped a shot, I’m not sure.
“At that point I thought if we can get to 18 with a chance at birdie to win, I felt like at least it’s still in our hands. Yeah, I actually fancied the one on 17, but it was woeful.”
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty ImagesMatt Fitzpatrick and Alex Fitzpatrick end 46-year PGA Tour record
It was indeed a very tense finish at the Zurich Classic, but the Englishmen held their nerve to grind out a memorable victory.
They worked superbly as a pair, showing fantastic chemistry and mental strength to remain composed amid major back-nine worries.
As noted by PGA Tour Communications on X, they represent the first brothers to win an event together on the PGA Tour since the 1980 Walt Disney World National Team Championship.
An unofficial money event, Americans David Edwards and Danny Edwards were crowned champions back then.
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