Matt Fitzpatrick this week will compete for the 11th time at the PGA Championship, alongside his brother, Alex, who’s teeing it up in this major for the first time.
They’ll be staying together in the Aronimink area, and it’s giving off some “Odd Couple” vibes.
“This is the second time we’ve shared a house at a major, when he qualified for The Open in ’23,” Matt Fitzpatrick said of his younger brother. “We are different. He is messy, I would say. We shared a bathroom last week, actually, in the house that we shared, and it was a little bit messier than my side of the bathroom, I’ll say.”
Alex burst onto the PGA Tour scene in a full-time capacity after winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans three weeks ago with his brother and teammate Matt. The win earned him his first PGA Tour card to compete through 2028 and an exemption into this year’s PGA Championship. Housekeeping aside, Alex’s older brother said he’s very impressed.
“Super proud of him for how he’s been playing and following up the win at Zurich with two brilliant, brilliant weeks, both at Doral and obviously last week as well,” Matt Fitzpatrick said. “I’m probably known as Alex’s brother now, as opposed to him being Matt’s brother. It’s an amazing position to be in to have that privilege to talk about how well he’s doing.”
The 27-year-old Alex followed up his New Orleans performance with a tie for ninth in the signature-event Cadillac Championship and then held the 54-hole lead at the Truist Championship, another signature event, before finishing solo fourth at Quail Hollow.
Despite sharing living quarters this week, Matt said it’ll be business as usual in terms of his preparation, as he looks to add another major championship to his resumé, which includes the 2022 U.S. Open as part of his five PGA Tour wins. “I’m very strict on my routine,” Matt Fitzpatrick said. “I want to do this, and I need to see whoever at this time. If he wants to fit that in, that’s great, and obviously we want to play together. I kind of, again, want him to be able to do his own thing.”
You certainly can’t blame the 31-year-old for wanting to stick to his plan, regardless of his brother’s presence, because it’s clearly been working. Matt has three PGA Tour wins already this season and believes he’s playing the best golf of his career.
“2022 was my kind of golden period,” he said. “But obviously the start of this year has definitely eclipsed that because of obviously, a, the results, but b, the underlying numbers themselves have definitely been better.”
And he’s doing his best to soak it all in, knowing how quickly things can change, especially in golf.
“It’s about thinking those moments, those great times that you’ve had, regardless of results this week, last week, next week, whatever it is, it’s making sure you remind yourself of those good times,” Matt said.
While he has always been a very analytical player, he says Alex is “definitely more go with the flow” and has wanted to forge his own path.
“He’s not really numbers orientated, and he’s got his own feelings and thoughts,” Matt said. “I feel like with his golf swing, it seems to be a little bit more feel and how that’s working. Obviously, my golf swing is feel. Everyone’s is kind of feel. But I definitely... like to know the numbers on the TrackMan and I like to know my historical numbers on the TrackMan, how is it compared to now.”
Although, the English brothers will be going head-to-head this week, Matt says the two have never really been in contention yet together and admitted, it’ll be a “weird feeling when that time does come.” For now, Matt is standing by, proud to see how far his brother has come.
“It’s his career. It’s his choice. I’ll there be to help him as much as I can, if he wants that,” Matt said. “But at the same time, you know, I want him to be able to make his own decisions.”
