Matt Fitzpatrick has suggested that Royal Birkdale was playing extremely differently when he visited the course a couple of weeks before The Open Championship as he reflected on missing the cut at the final major of the year.
Fitzpatrick was one of the big favourites heading into The Open Championship this year. He has won three times this year on the PGA Tour, and he gave himself another opportunity at the Scottish Open last week.
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However, he failed to get into any sort of rhythm over the first two days in Southport.
Matt Fitzpatrick reflects on missing the cut at The Open Championship
Fitzpatrick posted 72 in each of his first two rounds to finish four over par for the tournament. It proved to be his first missed cut in a major since the US Open in 2024, while he had not failed to make the weekend at The Open since 2018.
However, the 31-year-old clearly feels that his week could have easily been very different. Speaking after his round, Fitzpatrick claimed that he was ruing a handful of bad breaks.
“Yeah, just look, this week, you’ve just got to look at three or four holes for me. I’ve hit decent shots, gotten no luck and come away with four over par. That’s the way links golf is. You need to have that rub of the green sometimes, and I didn’t have it this week,” he said.
“Yeah, like I say, I didn’t feel like I hit many bad shots all week. It’s a golf course that’s just awkward when it plays like this. For me, I don’t feel like I’ve got my length to take out some of the bunkers, and then you’re relying on bounces, and then you’re not going to be hitting your six iron close with how firm the greens are. Yeah, just played for four or five fliers yesterday, didn’t get one. Played for one today, didn’t play for one today and got it. That’s the way links golf is. It’s a lot of luck of the draw and rub of the green.
“Yeah, it is disappointing, but like I say, I didn’t really feel like I played that bad. I’ve hit three shots today that I’ve hit them exactly how I wanted them, and one is in a bush 30 yards long. One has basically been on the green for basically 15 seconds and then dropped off the green, and that’s another dropped shot. Then I’ve hit one that somehow has gone less than the normal number, and there’s 15 yards of help downwind. Now all of a sudden you’re plugged in the face of a bunker.
“So I’ve got four shots, and three shots I’ve hit good. That’s the way links golf is. When it’s this firm, there’s a lot of luck of the bounces and luck of the lies. It is what it is.”
What Fitzpatrick found ‘weird’ about Royal Birkdale
Much of the talk leading into The Open centred around the fact that Royal Birkdale is considered the fairest course on the rota.
Shots that have only just missed the fairway have often presented players with opportunities to still find the green. Meanwhile, wayward shots are often relying on finding the pathways for spectators.
Nevertheless, the condition of the course seemingly caught Fitzpatrick off-guard as he was asked whether there was a change as the week wore on.
“I wouldn’t say so. I came two weeks ago, and it was way different to this. It was firm, but it was very green. Now it’s just very, very firm. Yeah, it’s just weird,” he said.
It would have been a fitting end to major championship season had Fitzpatrick put himself in contention this week.
Nevertheless, he can still reflect on what has been a brilliant year in his career. And it would not be a surprise to see him find another gear in the future.
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