Fitzpatrick answers Ryder Cup rejection with classy 63

There are two ways to react to Ryder Cup rejection – mope around and feel sorry for yourself, or shrug it off and show the captain what he will be missing. It is fair to say Matt Fitzpatrick falls into the second camp.

A 63 in the third round of the European Masters handed the young Yorkshireman a two-shot lead and put him in line to become the first player to retain this crown since Severiano Ballesteros 39 years ago. “He wouldn’t be the worst player to emulate,” Fitzpatrick said with a grin.

There can be no doubt that if the biennial dust-up – which tees off in less than three weeks – was being staged at Crans-sur-Sierre, Thomas Bjorn would have selected Fitzpatrick as one of his four wild cards. As well as last year’s win there was a second in 2015 and a seventh in 2016.

Saying that, many believed Fitzpatrick was unlucky not to be named anyway and so make his second appearance for Europe following Hazeltine two years ago. Fitzpatrick finished 12th in the standings and although the focus fell squarely on Rafael Cabrera Bello and Matt Wallace as the players most unfortunate, Fitzpatrick was actually the only one who challenged in the final event to earn his place by right.

Fitzpatrick needed to win in Denmark and proceeded to launch a weekend challenge that ultimately fell short with his tie for seventh behind Wallace. In truth, the 24-year-old knew his bid was over there and then.

“I’ve not played my best this year and I felt like it was always a very, very slim chance, so my expectations weren’t too high,” Fitzpatrick said.

“Thomas has gone for experience with Ian [Poulter], Paul [Casey], Sergio [Garcia] and Henrik [Stenson] and it adds to a really strong team. I’ll try again for 2020 and need to be in form.”

Certainly the world No 44 was in prime nick yesterday as he put daylight between himself and France’s Mike Lorenzo-Vera, who had a 64, on 12 under, with two further back to a group in third including Essex’s Daniel Brooks.

Fitzpatrick hit five birdies and an eagle, the highlights being a chip-in for a two on the par-four seventh and an outrageous 45-footer on the last.