A month after his breakthrough win in the US Open, Matt Fitzpatrick still hasn’t had time to sit down and take stock.
The Yorkshireman is looking forward to “normal scheduling” as he plays in the Genesis Scottish Open – a tournament he lost in a play-off last year to Min Woo Lee.
“It has been, really,” he said when asked if the attention for his win in Boston was difficult to get away from.
“You’re waking up every morning and you’ve got media or things to do every day. I feel like I’ve not had time to sit down and just do nothing.
“I’ve been in the car a lot driving places and flying as well. It’s just been busy with all sorts of stuff.
“I want to get back to the routine and get back to playing regular golf again. This is a great week to do it.”
‘You don’t feel you can miss a shot’
One week on, think I’ve watched this 9340523 times!! pic.twitter.com/ChlfBPeOIX
— Matt Fitzpatrick (@MattFitz94) June 26, 2022
That feeling of invincibility after Brookline ended at the JP McManus Pro-Am first round on Monday.
“When you win, you don’t feel you can miss a shot,” he said. “But I was brought back down to earth on Monday after shooting 78 or whatever I shot at JP’s Pro-Am.
“It’s golf. One day you shoot 75, one day it’s 65. For me it is just trying to stay consistent and keep doing what I have been doing.
“It’s cliché, but it’s cliché for a reason. Just keep practicing and working.”
What he’s taken from Brookline – other than he thinks he didn’t putt that well – is merely confirmation of the belief he could actually win a major.
“The big thing is that it just proved to myself that I can do it, and particularly how far my game has come on this year compared to previous years.
“I’ve had the belief in myself. I look at events that I’ve won before, where I’ve had the lead and I’ve held the lead. So it’s now a position I feel comfortable with, and to do it in a major, obviously, just again proved it.”
He knows he can play The Renaissance, but the play-off loss was not as bitter to take as another loss later that day, he admitted.
“I was more interested in getting to the Euro final, really,” he admitted. “It didn’t hurt as much as other playoff losses that I’ve had in the past.
“But to come here as a major champion now, I’m just looking forward to seeing where my game is at, particularly going into next week.”
‘St Andrews has such a great buzz’
Reigning U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick has made his way into the media center following Wednesday’s Pro-Am at the Genesis Scottish Open. pic.twitter.com/n8kfzF75sb
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) July 6, 2022
Matt has a win in St Andrews under his belt – the St Andrews Boys’ Open when he was a teenager, although that was on the Eden rather than the Old.
“It was rain blowing sideways, I was wearing two gloves and mittens, three layers of windproofs,” he recalled.
“The Old Course I wouldn’t necessarily say is one of my favorites to play. I’ve never played an Open there but whenever I go there for the Dunhill, I really enjoy the feeling of walking up 17 and 18 back into the town..
“Just the town of St Andrews in general has such a great buzz. Doesn’t matter what time of year it is.”
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