Matt Fitzpatrick has been left out of this year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year nominees despite capturing his maiden Major title at the US Open.
The Englishman defeated Will Zalatoris by a single stroke at the Country Club of Brookline, the same venue as his US Amateur Championship triumph in 2013, to become just the second English US Open winner since 1970.
His US Open win also featured what was arguably the greatest shot of the year, when he found the green on the 72nd hole from a tricky lie in a fairway bunker.
Shot of the year? @MattFitz94 pic.twitter.com/Q4A82DnOIIDecember 15, 2022
Fitzpatrick entered the world's top 10 for the first time in 2022 in a year where he also recorded two runners-up finishes and a T5 at the PGA Championship.
It was recently revealed that the 28-year-old “politely declined” an invitation to the awards, which do not historically favour golfers. The last golfer to win the award was Nick Faldo in 1989 after becoming the first Englishman to win The Masters.
The last golfer to finish in the top three was Rory McIlroy in 2014, who finished second after winning two Majors, The Open and PGA Championship, as well as the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and BMW PGA Championship. He was also a part of Europe's winning Ryder Cup team at Gleneagles.
"Try winning at least two majors next year, Matt Fitzpatrick. One just doesn’t cut it, I’m afraid," Sky Sports' Jamie Weir joked on Twitter, with a number of users critical of the BBC's perceived bias against the game of golf.
"Just ridiculous. He won the bloody @usopengolf and isn’t even nominated You couldn’t make it up. How much more credibility do want to lose? @BBCSPOTY," one user replied.
"What has happened here? Does anyone who understands sport actually work for the BBC - Matt Fitzpatrick winning the US Open was the stand-out achievement of the year," another said.
The BBC has relinquished all live golf over recent years, with its golf coverage now including highlights of some of the biggest tournaments including The Masters, The Open, AIG Women's Open and BMW PGA Championship.
This year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award nominees are gymnast Jessica Gadirova, footballer Beth Mead, curling's Eve Muirhead, cricketer Ben Stokes, snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan and athlete Jake Wightman.
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