Matt Fitzpatrick laughed off the jeers from the American crowd at the Players Championship insisting they were nothing compared to the abuse the European team suffered at Bethpage Black in September’s Ryder Cup.
Fitzpatrick was regularly booed coming down the stretch at TPC Sawgrass as he battled Cameron Young and eventually came out second best with a closing bogey but the Sheffield native was in a jovial mood when asked if the crowd was able to put him off in any way.
“Listen, the crowd, that was literally child’s play compared to Bethpage. If they think that that was anything, then they need to reassess. Get yourself up to New York,” laughed the former US Open champion.
“Listen, that’s how it is. That’s how it is. I would hope it’s the exact same if — well, it probably wouldn’t be because we’re a little bit more polite in Europe, I would say, but I would hope it would be of similar intensity in Europe.
“I knew it was coming. I had it with Jordan Spieth in 2023. Yeah, it’s funny to me. I find it hilarious.”
Fitzpatrick’s closing bogey coupled with a birdie on 17 and a par on the last for Young handed the title to the American but the Englishman was pleased with his performance and felt he didn’t do anything wrong coming down the last and might have even been a little unlucky with his tee shot ending up on the pine needles, forcing him to chip out.
“I picked up the tee quickly. I felt like I hit a good shot, maybe pushed it slightly. Both felt that the wind was a little bit off the right. Obviously I know Cam hits a draw. His moved a little bit, as well. Figured mine would do the same. Obviously just gone dead straight.
“I think that’s what’s made 17 so difficult over the last few years, and obviously even the last there, with the amount of hospitality now, it makes the wind swirl a little bit. Obviously mine has just gone dead straight there and just run through.
“Like I say, I felt like I hit a good drive, and once you’re out of position it’s difficult to make your par.”
Fitzpatrick has been trending nicely since last summer with a victory at the DP World Tour Championship part of nine worldwide top-10 finishes since the US PGA Championship. His runner-up yesterday was his first top-3 finish on tour since 2023.
“I think the big thing is I believe in my own ability. I feel like I’ve been doing a ton of good work with Mark Blackburn and just really, really seen so many positive signs over the last 12 months, really.
“I was saying last night to my psychologist, I feel like I’m very good at getting myself into position between 15 and 5. I don’t feel like — I don’t feel like I get in enough positions between 5 and 1st. I feel like if I can do that, obviously it’s easier said than done, then I believe I will win more. It’s obviously easier said than done, but I back myself down the stretch, and I feel like if I can do that, then it’ll be good things.”
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