Scottish Daily Mail

Brilliant Brit’s stunning 60

Fitzpatric­k inches from record

- by DEREK LAWRENSON Golf Correspond­ent

MATT Fitzpatric­k enhanced his growing reputation on the European Tour with a stunning round of 60 in the KLM Open at Kennemer yesterday.

The Sheffield starlet, who celebrated his 21st birthday earlier this month, literally came within inches of recording the first ever round of 59 i n tour history. Standing over a 25-foot birdie putt on his 18th green, the ninth on the course, his effort was bang on line — but agonisingl­y pulled up just short of the hole.

The Englishman admitted that every pro golfer’s dream score was on his mind. ‘I was thinking about the 59 after the front nine,’ he said. ‘I was already celebratin­g going out in 28 shots actually, so to give myself a shot at the magic number was great. It’s a shame the putt on the last was short. I was so busy concentrat­ing on the line I forgot about the pace, but I’ll take 60 any day of the week.’

Indeed, it was the lowest round seen on the European Tour this season — albeit with preferred lies in operation — as Fitzpatric­k improved on his opening score by no fewer than 11 shots to leave himself right in the mix at halfway on nine under, just three strokes behind Danish pacemaker Soren Kjeldsen, who won the Irish Open in May.

After a glowing amateur career that saw him win the silver medal at The Open at Muirfield in 2013 and become the first Englishman i n more than a century to win the US Amateur, Fitzpatric­k turned pro last year and seems to be growing more comfortabl­e with his surroundin­gs by the week. He notched t op - t hree finishes in tournament­s in June, July and August, so no wonder he now has a coveted first tour victory i n his sights. ‘I wouldn’t say I’m chasing i t or anything but I do feel like I’m ready to win,’ said Fitzpatric­k, who shares the same Under Armour sponsor as American Jordan Spieth, and goes about his business in a similar, unfussy fashion. ‘ I’m certainly getting closer and hopefully it’s only a matter of time.’

Two years ago Fitzpatric­k was the outstandin­g member of a Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team pummelled on American soil, as his three points out of four matches counted for little in a 17-9 demolition.

Thankfully, there i s every reason to believe this year’s team from these shores will fare rather better, and not j ust because the match is being played on home soil at Royal Lytham this weekend.

Paul Dunne is the leading name after his exploits this summer, when he became the first amateur to lead The Open after three rounds since Bobby Jones in 1927, but shrewd judges insist there is little to separate him from the other four Irishmen in the team. Between them, they make up half of the 10-man side, and the obvious camaraderi­e they have built up playing for Ireland over the years should prove invaluable over what promises to be an exciting two days.

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