[PHOTO: Octavio Passos]
For a second consecutive week, Matt Fitzpatrick found himself part of a special team win. This time, it involved a member of his own family.
A week after helping Europe recapture the Ryder Cup in Italy, Fitzpatrick won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland by three shots. What made this much different than his previous eight DP World Tour titles is that Matt and his mum, Susan, also partnered to win the pro-am portion of the event.
“Win with my mum [feels even better than the individual win],” Fitzpatrick, who finished at 19-under par for the three completed rounds, told reporters at St Andrews. “Easily. Yeah, she’s been wanting to play all year and she’s been looking forward to it. To go out there and play as well as you did and as well as I did as well, it’s amazing to win together.”
Heavy rains caused a Monday finish and a tournament shortened to 54 holes. Normally, the pro-am is also 72 holes with a 54-hole cut after rounds at three different courses (St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns) like the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. But after waiting to play for two days, the Fitzpatricks fired a best-ball final-round score of 59 on the Old Course to win by five shots.
“I just helped guide her around,” said the 2022 U.S. Open champion, who shot a 66 on his own ball on Monday. “One of my close friends, Josh, is on the bag, and he’s done great helping her out. We had a great week and really dovetailed well this week. I think last year we struggled on that front, every time I made a birdie, Mum would make a birdie and she’s been brilliant this week.”
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New Zealand’s Ryan Fox overcame the weather to shoot 65 and finish T-2 in his title defence. Marcus Armitage and Matthew Southgate also finished at 16-under, three shots behind Fitzpatrick.
Matt Fitzpatrick, that is. Because Susan Fitzpatrick made sure everyone finished further back in the team competition.
“I did play all right today,” Susan said. “I think it took me a few holes to get warmed up, but yeah, it’s just been sort of perfect golf conditions today. Really enjoyed it.”
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This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
