Alex Fitzpatrick Shoots Into Top 10 To Overtake Brother Matt On His Major Debut

Alex Fitzpatrick shot a 65 in Final Qualifying up the coast at West Lancs to qualify for his first Major – on the Saturday of The Open he managed another one.

The younger brother of 2022 US Open champion Matt, who is two shots worse at two-under after 54 holes, recorded seven birdies and dropped one shot to make a big move in the third round – it would have equalled the previous course record but for Jon Rahm’s earlier blistering 63.

Like the Spaniard he began the day on two-over and he ended it right up there.

The 24-year-old only turned professional a year ago and he has so far made 13 starts on the DP World Tour, with a best return of a little over €40k, and he’s currently sitting in 23rd spot on the Challenge Tour.

Should he, for example, finish Sunday in 10th spot he would collect $340,5000.

But that’s all a long way off and Fitzpatrick Jr was at his trademark best on and around the greens. 

Coming home there were a pair of 25-footers before draining one from 15-feet to move to four-under. When he signed his card he was the third best on the greens for total footage and having picked up over three shots on the field.

“It was a super special round. I'm not familiar with this environment and the amount of people out here but me and my caddie had a great time out there and things went our way, which was super cool. Yeah, just a bit lost for words really," Fitzpatrick explained.

"I've played two Walker Cups now. You understand you play in front of a lot of people and you're put under pressure a lot but this was a bit more of a different feel. The importance of the event creeps into your mind a little bit.

"I said this at the start of the week, I'm here to enjoy myself and it didn't matter how I did. I enjoyed myself a lot out there.”

The youngster is not putting himself under any undue pressure ahead of Sunday.

“Realistically it doesn't matter how tomorrow goes. Obviously I would like to play well, but at the end of the day it's been an amazing week, and memories that I'll always remember.

"Being with my brother and my family and all that sort of stuff, it's been a super cool week. I hope to do more of these as the years go by.”

And while there definitely isn’t any sibling rivalry he did add that he had once got the better of the Ryder Cup star.

“I saw a tweet the other day that said something like I'd never finished above him. But Valderrama, which he actually won, the year after he ended up missing the cut he didn't play well and I played well enough to make the cut.

"That tweet wasn't quite correct. I don't get to play with him very often so it's hard to beat him when you’ve only played about three events in your lifetime together.”