Sheffield lad Matt Fitzpatrick became golf’s latest superstar by winning the US Open last month - but came down to earth immediately on his return to Yorkshire.
The 27-year-old got the star treatment in New York, was recognised in the street, and did a glittering round of interviews after winning in Brookline.
But he flew back to the UK ready for the Scottish Open this week and the Open at St Andrews next week… to find no hot water, his TV subscriptions cancelled…. and only two builders from Manchester recognising him in the street.
While he was away from his Sheffield base his parents helped save him money by turning off his wifi, boiler and favourite television shows.
Having restored normality at his UK pad - thanks to his £3m winner’s prize money - Fitzpatrick can’t wait to tee up as a major winner at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick and St Andrews.
Fitzpatrick is mainly based in Jupiter, Florida, and says his first taste of winning a Major has left him feeling “invincible” just like other champs before him.
He said: “My parents are constantly at me about cancelling the subscriptions and shutting everything off in my house in Sheffield, because I pretty much live in America.
“They just don’t want me to paying those monthly bills, but I like coming home to Sky Sports in my house and all those comforts, so I can just be home and settle back in.
“When I came back from the USA I got into the house and there was no wifi and the boiler was off – they’d shut everything off while I was away - so I had to switch that on to get some heating and hot water in the house. I guess that’s just parents for you isn’t it.
“It’s all back on now!”
The world No10 says he will hav eto get used to being the latest British Major winner, in terms of demands on his time from sponsors and to practice.
But he can still walk around anonymously over here: “No one has said a word to me around Sheffield. I was in Manchester last week and two builders did come up and say, are you Matt Fitzpatrick, but maybe that’s because I was carrying the trophy around with me!
“In New York, it was unbelievable, I had a lot of people recognise me and come up to me which was really nice.”
He said: “It’s going to be just incredible to be introduced on that first tee as the U.S. Open Champion. You feel like you can’t miss a golf shot.
“I was brought back down to earth on Monday when I shot a 78 (at the JP McManus Pro-am in Ireland).
“But now I’ve won one I feel like I’ll approach the Majors a bit different now confidence-wise. You can see why some of those players who win one Major go on to win a few more – they just feel invincible for a while.
