Matt Fitzpatrick is convinced that he is currently experiencing the most productive phase of his professional golf journey, a sentiment he shared while preparing to tee off alongside his father at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. The Englishman recently added a fourth global victory to his résumé, securing a three‑stroke triumph at the FedEx Open de France on Sunday.
This win follows three earlier successes on the PGA Tour, underscoring a season that has been nothing short of remarkable for the 32‑year‑old. Although Fitzpatrick did not manage to finish higher than 14th in any of the 2026 major championships, his overall record remains impressive. He logged six top‑10 finishes worldwide in addition to his four victories, a consistency that he proudly cites as the hallmark of his campaign. In a candid interview on the Sky Sports Golf podcast, Fitzpatrick said, "This is the best period of golf I've played for sure.
2022 was right up there, but I've had three wins and now a fourth. The sustained consistency has been the big thing really." He acknowledged the disappointment of not contending more strongly in the majors, noting that every player enters the season with the aim of performing well in those marquee events. "It's a disappointment not to do that this year.
I felt a couple of days off during three of the four majors, and in the last one I didn't play great and got my strategy wrong," he explained. Nevertheless, he emphasized that the overall season should not be judged solely on major results. "At the same time, that doesn't really take anything away from the season as a whole.
I have contended a lot in a lot of golf tournaments and that's all you could ask for in a year," he added. Fitzpatrick's latest triumph propelled him to the top of the Ryder Cup qualification leaderboard and secured a place inside the top ten of the DP World Tour's Race to Dubai rankings. With a strong showing in Scotland, he could also ascend to a career‑high world ranking of No.
2. When pressed about areas for improvement, he responded thoughtfully: "I think there's various bits and pieces that we've looked at. We're coming to the year end and making those decisions on what the off‑season plan needs to be.
There are a few things that we've got down already to go to – it's just about how you go about that and how that's structured." The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship holds special personal significance for Fitzpatrick. He previously won the 2023 edition of the event, partnering with his mother Sue in the pro‑am component.
This year, he teamed up with his father Russell for the tournament's team competition, adding a familial dimension to the high‑profile event. "I think he might get a few more strokes – he'd probably say that himself!" Fitzpatrick joked, referring to his father's playing abilities. He also highlighted his April victory at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he paired with his brother Alex Fitzpatrick to claim the title.
Looking ahead, Fitzpatrick expressed optimism about the upcoming days of competition, hoping that the tournament organiser Johan Rupert would not dramatically adjust the handicap system after the recent week of play. "We're going to need a big few days I think, to get us in some form of position.
Hopefully, Johan doesn't cut his handicap too much after this past week! I think he's been playing quite nicely, so you never know – when the pressure's on, it can be a little bit different, but we're there to have a good time and enjoy ourselves," he said. The Sky Sports Golf podcast, hosted weekly by Jamie Weir, features the full interview with Fitzpatrick, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Spreaker, with vodcast editions posted on the Sky Sports Golf YouTube channel.
The upcoming Alfred Dunhill Links Championship will also see Fitzpatrick's brother Alex joining their mother Sue in the team element of the event, which is contested across the iconic courses of Carnoustie, Kingsbarns Golf Links, and the Old Course at St Andrews. The field includes defending champion Robert MacIntyre of Scotland, fellow Ryder Cup veterans Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, and Justin Rose, as well as past major champions Brooks Koepka and Cam Smith. Golf fans can tune in for live coverage starting Thursday at midday on Sky Sports Golf, or stream the action without a contract via NOW, where the latest Sky Sports deals are also available.
The tournament promises a blend of high‑stakes competition and family camaraderie, making it a compelling watch for enthusiasts worldwide.