Alex Fitzpatrick has really put himself on the golfing map over the last 18 months. In July 2023, he qualified for The Open and finished in a tie for 17th and he's now been featured in Netflix's Full Swing Season 2, where he comes across as both entertaining and likeable.
It's a big year for the younger Fitzpatrick, who earned a full DP World Tour card for 2024 via to Race to Dubai standings. That Open finish and a second place at the ISPS Handa World Invitational were enough to see him finish comfortably inside the top 100.
Here, we sit down with the Yorkshireman to discuss life on the Challenge Tour, his performance at Royal Liverpool, goals for the year ahead and more...
You made your DP World Tour debut as an amateur at the 2018 European Open with fellow amateurs Viktor Hovland and the Hojgaards. what do you remember about it?
remember getting told about that invite and I travelled to Germany with my parents. I had been set up with a caddie and it was all very exciting having the opportunity to play against the best players. Even though you don’t earn any money at that point, you don’t really care and you just want to play good golf. I didn’t make the cut, but I was able to compare my game and see that I could hit it better than that guy, but he putted and chipped better than me. The more events I played, the more I noticed that these guys didn’t necessarily hit it the best, but they were unbelievable at scoring. That, for me, was a realisation of making sure that my putting, chipping and pitching were good – it was about just trying to make sure I could get the ball in the hole.
What did you learn from your time on the Challenge Tour in 2023?
I played fewer events (15) than anyone who got their card. It’s tough. There are a lot of previous DP World Tour winners on there and just a lot of good players. The biggest thing I learned was that if you are playing well and are in contention – and this is where I think it differs from the DP World Tour – no-one really runs away with it very much, at least not in the events I played in. It’s not like one guy went and shot seven- or eight-under in the last couple of rounds. So, if you stuck around and played okay, you might have had a chance of winning.
Luckily for me, the one that I did win, I was one ahead with nine holes to play and then hit some good shots and made some good putts, so suddenly I was five ahead after 13. It happened really quickly, but that whole front nine was just about sustaining it, not making stupid mistakes and seeing where I was at with four or five holes left. That would be my biggest piece of advice – just stay patient and see where you are at. Obviously, winning does help massively, but I think it is still possible to get off that tour without winning.
Everything looks very natural when you play. how technical a golfer are you?
All my life I have been someone who is more of a feel person than a technical person. Mark Blackburn coaches me and he also works with Max Homa and Justin Rose. I would say he is the best in the business and he’s been phenomenal for me in every aspect you can think of. He’s learned that he needs to simplify things for me to get it.
Over time, I’ve learned that if you are focusing too much on the golf swing on the course then you have got something wrong. When I’m on the course, it is just about playing golf and shooting as low as I can. You should be playing with freedom and giving yourself the chance to swing freely.
How important was your caddie to your success in 2023?
I feel like I’m very lucky in that I have the perfect caddie in Connor Winstanley. He’s really eager to work hard to get better and helps me with my stats. I feel it is important to have a caddie who plays golf for a start. I think that helps things; someone who actually likes golf and wants to play. We also have stuff in common, so we have plenty to chat about on the course.
You played your first Major in 2023 at The Open and tied for 17th. What did you do right to post such an impressive finish?
I came through qualifying at West Lancs, which was actually the trial week for my caddie. We went to Royal Liverpool on the Friday before – it was my first Major and I wanted to have a look at it. I had already played the Walker Cup there so I had some idea of the course, but the stands were up and some of the tees were different. The biggest thing was to make it a week for enjoyment. That might change the more I play in Majors, but it was a week where I went out and tried to play my best golf and see where that put me. Luckily I played some pretty good golf.
Every tournament is special in its own way, but playing in an Open not too far from home and having all the support was super special. There were faces I hadn’t seen in a long time who came along to support. That was really cool. And I tried my best to reach out and say thank you to people. It was just a very special tournament and one that, hopefully, at some point in my career, I might have a chance of winning.
Did you surprise yourself with a top 20?
I wouldn’t say that I surprised myself, because I feel like I always had that belief in myself, but at the same time, to compete against the best players in the world and put myself in contention was such a big realisation that this is where I wanted to be all my life. We had a great Saturday when I shot 65 – that was kind of the fun one, and then probably the highlight of the week was when I rolled in a 70-footer at the 1st on Sunday to get to a share of fourth. In the back of my mind, I was thinking I actually have a chance to win the Claret Jug here. That was the exciting part. Then I bogeyed the next and that brought me back down to earth.
What would a good 2024 season look like for you?
In an ideal world, it would be to earn my PGA Tour card through the DP World Tour. That’s the initial goal, but also to win tournaments. I’m at the stage now where I feel I am good enough to go out and win, go out and put myself in contention more and see if I can get the job done. But at the end of the day, there are ten places up for grabs for the PGA Tour and that would be the goal for the year. That would be super special. I’d be closer to my brother and I love it in the States.
What do you make of the 2028 golf ball ball rollback?
I haven’t given it much thought at all. My opinion is that I’m going to play golf with whatever they give me, so if they roll the ball back, it is what it is and it’s the same for everyone. Either way, I appreciate the fact that I can go out and play on the DP World Tour and enjoy my golf.
