Matt Fitzpatrick says playing with his brother Alex was an experience “right up there” with the best he’s had on the golf course, after a flying start to the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in his bid to help his sibling win a PGA Tour card.
Along with a $1 million winning prize, Challenge Tour player Alex could get a two-year PGA Tour exemption if he and US Open champion Matt can get a win in New Orleans – and they started brilliantly with a 10-under first round putting them just one shot off the lead.
Fresh off a win at the RBC Heritage, Matt said it was a “no-brainer” to use the perks of being US Open champion to play with Alex in this week’s event, in which the Sheffield pair really fancy their chances.
The two siblings look to have a great relationship, and even though PGA Tour regular Matt was delighted to play in such a big event with his younger brother, he delivered it with his typically dry Yorkshire wit.
“It’s as much fun as I’ve had on the golf course in, well, about four days, to be fair,” Matt Fitzpatrick joked, referencing his win at Harbor Town on Sunday. “Yeah, it’s right up there.”
“No, it really is,” he added. “It’s just so different. We don’t do this – well, we’ve never done this, obviously. I think it’s nice to play a bit of team golf. It’s something different.
“Yeah, it was a great day.”
Alex, who is just starting out in his professional career, echoed his brother’s sentiments about enjoying their family affair on the PGA Tour.
“I guess I’ve been professional for about a year, and it couldn’t be further away from anything else. I had so much fun out there,” he said after the round.
“It was extra special spending time with him and being on the course, but playing together and working together is a lot of fun, and yeah, it helps a little bit when you have a good score. Yeah, it was great.”
Matt said before the tournament that he’d feel no extra pressure if they had a chance on Sunday to earn what could be a career-changer for his younger brother, instead focusing on enjoying the experience.
And as well as trying to dovetail in this team competition, they seem to do that well off the course too as contrasting personalities – albeit with a similar sense of humor.
Matt summed it up when describing the pair’s relationship before the event, saying: “I would say we’re pretty close. I think we’re polar opposites I would say.
“I’m organized, he’s unorganized. He’s happy, I’m miserable. Yeah, that’s probably a good way to put it really.”