‘A big stepping stone’ How the Telegraph’s tournament helped Fitzpatrick come to the fore
Matt Fitzpatrick first came to the attention of the golfing world when he triumphed at the US Amateur in 2013, aged 18 – but he has credited another tournament for shaping his talent.
A few months earlier, in late 2012, he mastered the toughest of conditions at Close House in Northumberland to win the Telegraph Junior Golf Championship.
Fitzpatrick has described how the win had helped provide him with the mental breakthrough required to compete at the highest level.
Speaking in 2018, he was clear that his victory in the Telegraph finals week was one he still cherishes, despite, at that time, having four years as a professional, four tour wins and a seventh place at the Masters under his belt.
“[The] Telegraph victory was a big deal for me. It showed me I had the ability to compete at a higher level, which was hugely encouraging.
“Looking back, it was a big stepping stone.”