Matt Fitzpatrick Completes Unique Dunhill Double

Fresh from his contribution to Team Europe’s victory in the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone, Matt Fitzpatrick has won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship title by three shots over Marcus Armitage.

This year’s tournament was reduced to 54 holes after rain ensured no play was possible on either Saturday or Sunday, meaning the event went into Monday, with Fitzpatrick beginning his final round with a one-shot lead on 13 under at The Old Course, St Andrews.

With the unique nature of the tournament meaning it was played over three courses, Fitzpatrick’s nearest rivals, Nacho Elvira and Grant Forrest, began their final rounds one shot behind the leader at Carnoustie.

To add to the somewhat confusing nature of the final day’s events, Matthew Southgate was two shots behind Fitzpatrick at the same course as the 2022 US Open champion, with Marcus Armitage and Nicolas Colsaerts three shots off the lead at Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, respectively.

While a playoff over the three courses remained a bizarre but tantalising possibility, in the end, it was Armitage, playing some 25 miles north of Fitzpatrick, who emerged as his closest contender for the title, despite Southgate setting the early pace by taking the lead after going five under following the first five holes.

However, after heading to the turn at six under for the day, Southgate’s quest for a maiden DP World Tour title began to falter, while Fitzpatrick was establishing his authority. Fitzpatrick was three under for his round after his first nine holes and by the 13th he’d opened up a two-shot lead over Southgate thanks to his sixth birdie of the day.

A bogey from Southgate on the 14th saw him fall three behind Fitzpatrick, and on the 15th, a fantastic second shot saw Fitzpatrick within five feet. He made no mistake for his seventh birdie to open up a two-shot lead over Armitage, who by now was Fitzpatrick’s leading rival for the title thanks to five birdies and an eagle in his opening 14 holes.

Eventually, Fitzpatrick finished with his eighth birdie of the day on the 18th to take a three-shot lead to the clubhouse at 19-under. Armitage reduced that to two with a birdie on the seventh with three to play after a shotgun start at Carnoustie, but it wasn’t enough. 

A bogey on Armitage’s penultimate hole ensured a relatively comfortable wait for Fitzpatrick to claim his ninth DP World Tour title, who won by three over Armitage, Southgate and defending champion Ryan Fox.

That wasn’t the only title Fitzpatrick claimed in the event. That’s because, as well as the individual tournament, there was also a team event with amateur golfers playing alongside the professionals. Fitzpatrick joined forces with his mother, Susan, for the team tournament, and it became a double success for the 29-year-old with victory in that event, too.

After his win, Fitzpatrick said: “It was kind of a bit of a free-wheeling week and just playing with my mum and trying to enjoy it as best I can and see what happened. Then played really well at Carnoustie and just got on a hot run these last two rounds.”

Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick said the win with his mother had been particularly special. He explained: “Even with all my wins, aside from a Major, you forget about them in the future, and you'll always remember the one that you won with your mum, so doesn't get better than that.”