Storm Amy has officially arrived in St Andrews, forcing a suspension of play around 4.30 pm, with a number of groups still out on the course. Heading into the weekend, local lad Robert McIntyre shares the lead with Richard Sterne, after back-to-back rounds of 66 (-6), impressing today in torrential rain and high winds.
A star-studded lineup
Golf Today ventured out from St Andrew’s this morning, paying a visit to the breathtaking Kingsbarns. A trip to the driving range presented us with a plethora of world-class golfers and A-list celebrities to choose from. Tommy Fleetwood somehow managed to maintain his urbane charm amidst an inundation of bad weather, Dustin Johnson soldiered on for a few shots past the suspension of play, unaware of the course announcement, and Tyrell Hatton impressed Bill Murray with a short game masterclass. But there was only one man to follow today – the meticulous Matt Fitzpatrick.
Family success
The U.S. Open champion is partnered with his old man, Russell, playing today alongside the major champion turned LIV golfer, Louis Oosthuizen. Oosthuzien looked composed as he shot 68 (-4), ending the day one shot back from the joint leaders.
The Fitzpatrick duo looked to be enjoying themselves despite the weather, with Matt shooting a solid 69 (-3), combining with Russel to score a team 68 (-4).
Standing in the Kingsbarns car park with rain pouring down relentlessly, Fitzpatrick junior was in great spirits, as Golf Today observed his tough but enjoyable day.
“Yeah, it was. The first nine holes were nice, not much rain or wind. And then obviously, this storm that came in brought a little bit of weather on the back nine. So it wasn’t as good (the back nine), but we got it round!”
The Fitzpatricks currently sit at -13 after two rounds, tied with Susan (Matt’s Mum), and Alex (Matt’s younger brother and fellow professional).
Matt has previously played in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship with his mother, claiming both the individual and team titles back in 2023. The Fitzpatrick family appreciates the slightly more relaxed atmosphere around the event, in comparison to other PGA and DP World Tour commitments.
“It’s a great week – always enjoyable, despite the weather. It’s not always ideal when it’s like this, but it’s good fun nonetheless.”
Behind the week at Bethpage
Coming off the back of a dramatic Ryder Cup victory last week, Fitzpatrick is in fine form: “It’s obviously my first Ryder Cup where I played so well, so it was great to get it over the line, and actually contribute to the team score.”
The 31-year-old collected 2.5 points for Team Europe in four appearances, having been rested during the four-balls on Friday afternoon. His half-point versus Bryson DeChambeau during the Sunday Singles was absolutely crucial to Europe’s victory, shooting three under par to edge the visitor’s closer to the 14.5 points needed to win the cup.
From afar, it might have seemed that Fitzpatrick was consciously firing himself up to match the passion of DeChambeau, but the Sheffield man was steadfast with his strategy.
“There’s no point wasting energy by getting too hyped up. To get off to a great start, like I did, was really important, and playing well was a big part of that. So I think it (the plan) was more just to try and stay calm and keep playing as well as I could.”
It’s only going to get tougher
With Storm Amy here to stay this weekend, and winds set to gust to around 60mph, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship provides a completely different challenge than the one at Bethpage Black. If there is play tomorrow, you would expect to see Fitzpatrick around the top of the leaderboard heading into the Sunday finish.
Related: “We mean business” – Piers Morgan gets off to a flyer at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
