Fitzpatrick softens Ryder Cup blow with ‘bucket-list’ success at Valderrama
Three weeks ago, Matt Fitzpatrick suffered the ignominy of becoming the first player in 58 years to have played in two Ryder Cups and failed to have recorded as much as half a point. Typical of the resilient Yorkshireman, yesterday he bounced back with victory at the Andalucia Masters to give himself the chance of denying the United States a piece of golf history this season.
Fitzpatrick birdied two of his last three holes to capitalise on Sebastian Soderberg’s late slip-up at
Valderrama to lift his first title of the season. His seventh Tour success will raise him back into the world’s top 25 and provide consolation following the defeat at Whistling Straits during which his Ryder Cup record extended to played five, lost five.
It was an appropriate venue to grab a measure of redemption as it was the Sotogrande layout where Severiano Ballesteros captained Europe to a famous Ryder Cup triumph in 1997.
“It’s on the bucket list to win around Valderrama, with the history that it has,” Fitzpatrick said. “To do it bogey-free on Sunday as well is extra special.”
Fellow Englishman Laurie Canter began the final round with a threeshot advantage as he looked for his first Tour win, but struggled to a 76. Soderberg, the 31-year-old from Sweden, was in control until dropping three shots on the last two holes and slipping back into a tie for second alongside Australian Min Woo Lee. That allowed Fitzpatrick to record a three-shot victory.
Fitzptarick moves up to fifth on the Race to Dubai, with countryman Tyrrell Hatton and Spain’s Jon Rahm in fourth and third and the US duo of Collin Morikawa and Billy Horschel in first and second place.
The US has yet to see a representative celebrating with the Harry
Vardon Trophy and, although Fitzpatrick will need a special run to net the prize, he did win the season finale – the DP World Tour Championship – last year.
It was another fine weekend for English golf with Charley Hull winning her first title in two years in New York. The 25-year-old overhauled world No1 Nelly Korda in the individual section of the Aramco Team Series – the Ladies European Tour group of tournaments sponsored by Saudi Arabia – with a brilliant third-round 65 to finish on 12 under par and prevail by a stroke.