Fitzpatrick back at the scene of unlikely glory

MATT FITZPATRICK can hardly believe what he is watching. ‘We were so small and so young!’ he exclaims. ‘How on earth did we end up winning? It’s a really weird viewing experience.’

It’s also one of the best in the long and rich history of the US Amateur Championship.

The story is of the two brothers, player Matt and caddie Alex, looking like they should be competing in the US kids Championship; instead, Matt, at the tender age of 18, became the first Englishman in more than a century to win the biggest title in American amateur golf in 2013.

‘My abiding memory was how relaxed the entire week was,’ recalls the Sheffield man, now 27. ‘The whole family was there and it honestly felt more like a holiday than a prestigious competition. I guess in a dream world it would be like that every week but it’s hard, as we know, when you’re grinding away on the PGA Tour and it’s taking your energy away.’

The venue was Brookline, and it comes as no surprise to learn that a local family of members who welcomed them into their home took the engaging brothers under their wing. Matt has been back on a number of occasions and will be staying with the family once more this week as the US open returns to the Boston beauty for the first time since Curtis Strange beat Sir Nick Faldo in a play-off in 1988.

‘It’s been on my radar since it was first announced a few years ago,’ says Fitzpatrick

( right). ‘ It feels special to be going there thinking that I’ve got a chance to win.’

Fitzpatrick’s confidence is backed up by a season to date where his game has clearly moved up a level. on Sunday at the Canadian open, he notched his seventh top 10 of the season.

‘ There were two areas that needed improving and that was my approach play and my short game,’ he says. ‘I started hitting some chip shots crosshanded a couple of years ago and now I use the method for all shots around the greens apart from out of bunkers. I’ve also put on some length off the tee.’ A seven-time winner on the DP World Tour, the only thing missing is a breakthrough first success in America. He had a golden chance to make it a major at the US PGA Championship last month, but spluttered in the final round, and missed out on the play-off.

‘I haven’t really had a chance to process it yet but I didn’t drive it well in the final round,’ he says.

‘one thing I have noted was how confident I felt before going out to play. I really had the belief that I was going to win.’

Now it’s back to Brookline. The pint-sized boy who stunned the amateur world nine years ago returns fully grown — and the leading English hope.