Brotherly Love in Philadelphia: The fairytale story of Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick at the PGA Championship
In a sport dealing with Tiger Woods' problems, the LIV Tour's threats and struggles, and countless other issues, this is the story professional golf sorely needed.
They’re not exactly the odd couple, but Matt Fitzpatrick and his brother Alex certainly are not cut from the same cloth.
For one thing, Matt is four years older, which, as any little brother will tell you, always matters. For another, in the world of professional golf, filled as it is with pocket-protector types, Matt, 31, stands out as a numbers geek who is a slave to routine and, predictably, a neat freak.
Alex, 27, on the other hand, is “definitely more go-with-the-flow,” Matt said Monday.
Evidence: the loo.
“He is messy,” Matt said. “We shared a bathroom last week in the house that we shared, and it was a little bit messier than my side of the bathroom, I’ll say.”
Define messy, said Alex.
“He’s got, like, a bunch of vitamins for every day of the week. I think that probably says it all about him, whereas, yeah, I don’t do that,” Alex said. “I’m the normal brush-my-teeth-at-night guy and call it a day. And what he’s got all these different things on the side of the counter and stuff. So I, you know, I’m not as bad as what he makes it out to be.”
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They offered these critiques with as much joy and love as you could imagine.
In a sport dealing with Tiger Woods’ problems, the LIV Tour’s threats and struggles, and countless other issues, this is a story professional golf sorely needed.
Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick are the newest darlings of golf, affable young Englishmen who encourage each other in a sport full of mercenaries who eat what they kill. They’re sharing a house again this week as they compete in the PGA Championship at Aronimink, which begins Thursday.
It is a dream they dared not dream even three weeks ago.
Alex was still basking in the afterglow of his first DP Tour win on March 29, and Matt, who won the 2022 U.S. Open, was enjoying his win at the Valspar Championship on March 22.
Then they won a PGA Tour team event called the Zurich Open in New Orleans, which, out of nowhere, vaulted Alex onto the PGA Tour for the next two seasons.
Alex wasn’t done.
Two weeks ago, at the Cadillac Championship, he finished tied for ninth. Last week, at the Truist Championship, he held the lead after three rounds and finished in fourth place, 48 spots ahead of Matt.
On Thursday, playing the best golf of his 27 years, Alex will play in his 14th career PGA Tour event and his second major.
“I‘d say my head is still spinning,” Alex said, “and I haven’t woken up from the dream yet.”
In the shadow
At the age of 18, Matt won the U.S. Amateur in 2013, with Alex on the bag at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. Alex had to be bribed to do the job. He got a new phone.
Matt then turned pro after just one semester in college. He has won nine events on the DP World Tour as well as five on the PGA Tour, his first the 2022 U.S. Open, the latest the Zurich.
Alex’s path was far bumpier.
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After playing four years at Wake Forest and struggling in various professional starts around the world, the win in New Orleans lifted Alex onto the PGA Tour. He won a DP event in India in March, but the Zurich win provided him with the security of PGA Tour status and entrance into big events.
And, generally, a guaranteed partner for practice rounds, as well as a place to stay, so long as his side of the lavatory doesn’t get too gross.
The differences manifest themselves in several ways — Alex has a full beard that might take Matt five weeks to grow — but they are most obvious on the golf course.
Yin and yang
Matt not only obsesses over things like ball speed and spin rate, he has actually kept a handwritten log of every shot he has hit in competition since he was 15.
Alex has not.
“We are different. He probably wanted to create his own path. He’s not really numbers-oriented,” Matt said. “It seems to be a little bit more feel.”
It seems to be a little bit more normal, chief.
“I like to know the numbers on the Trackman. I like to know my historical numbers on the Trackman. Various other pieces of information I’ve written down,” Matt said.
Matt has, however, seen better commitment to consistency from Alex.
“Good routines. Good consistency in his preparation,” Matt said. “That’s been really helpful.”
The brothers’ success has created issues beyond the commode. For instance, after the boys won together April 26, their parents extended a planned stay in the United States by three weeks. They will return to England after the PGA, but they’ll come back in time for the U.S. Open next month.
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It’s a delightful family problem, just like Matt having to constantly deal with questions about Alex.
“I’m probably known as Alex’s brother now, as opposed to him being Matt’s brother,” Matt said. “It’s an amazing position to be in to have that privilege to talk about how well he’s doing.”
Matt gets no sympathy from Alex.
“I guess he’s probably got it a lot more than me, now,” Alex said, “but I did have that for the last 15 years.”
