‘I root for him, he roots for me:’ The Open means more to Fitzpatrick brothers

HOYLAKE, England — Matt Fitzpatrick hoped his youthful brother, Alexwould end the third spherical of the 151st Open Championship at 2 below, so that they’d have an opportunity to play the ultimate 18 holes collectively at Royal Liverpool Golf Membership on Sunday.

Matt will not get the possibility after his little brother upstaged him.

Alex, making his first begin in a significant championship, carded a 6-under 65 on Saturday to maneuver up the leaderboard at 4 below after 54 holes. Alex had seven birdies, together with three within the final 4 holes, with only one bogey.

“Yeah, tremendous particular spherical,” Alex mentioned. “I am not acquainted with this surroundings and the quantity of individuals out right here, however me and my caddie had a good time on the market and issues went our approach, which was tremendous cool. Yeah, only a bit misplaced for phrases, actually.”

The brothers, who grew up in Sheffield, England, competed collectively within the PGA Tour’s crew occasion this season, tying for nineteenth within the Zurich Basic of New Orleans in April.

Open Week!! 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/P2YGQmHNbQ

— Matt Fitzpatrick (@MattFitz94) July 18, 2023

Alex, who performed 4 years of faculty golf at Wake Forest, certified for his first Open Championship by tying for fourth in a ultimate qualifying event at close by West Lancashire in Liverpool, England.

Now ranked 561st on the earth, Alex was ranked as excessive as fourth within the newbie world rankings and competed on two Walker Cup groups, the primary at Royal Liverpool in 2019. Alex turned professional final yr and has competed totally on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour Canada.

Matt, the 2022 U.S. Open champion and ninth-ranked participant on the earth, mentioned he urged his dad and mom to go watch Matt play on Saturday.

“I advised them to go concentrate on him,” Matt mentioned. “That is extra necessary. That is my, what, ninth [Open Championship]? So, they’ve seen all 9 of these. That is his first, in order that’s extra necessary.”

It is also been one of many higher performances in The Open for Matt, who’s 2 below after 54 holes after carding a 4-under 67 on Saturday. His greatest profession end within the occasion is a tie for twentieth at Royal Portrush in Northern Eire in 2019.

“There shall be no rivalry or something like that,” Alex mentioned. “We’re brothers on the finish of the day as a lot as we’re golfers. I root for him, he roots for me. We’re each supporting one another, and we each need what’s greatest for one another.”

First rate! #TheOpen pic.twitter.com/exVhMaXA4x

— Matt Fitzpatrick (@MattFitz94) July 15, 2023

However the Fitzpatrick brothers do appear to be conserving rating.

Earlier this week, a tweet alleged that Alex had by no means completed increased than Matt in an expert event. Alex set the report straight on Saturday, noting that he tied for thirty seventh and Matt missed the minimize within the 2022 Andalucia Masters, an occasion Matt had gained the yr earlier than on the DP World Tour.

“That tweet wasn’t fairly right,” Alex mentioned. “I do not get to play with him fairly often, so it is laborious to beat him while you solely performed about three occasions in your lifetime collectively.”