Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images
Fitzpatrick was the only player to keep up with Wyndham Clark at The Players, and is trying to do something Europeans have struggled at.
Matt Fitzpatrick fired off a 3-under 69 on Friday to move to 9-under at the Players Championship. He is currently the only player within five shots of the current leader Wyndham Clark, who has blistered TPC Sawgrass and is 14-under entering the weekend.
In the 50 years of The Players, only five Europeans have won the event, and only two British winners — Sandy Lyle in 1987 and Rory McIlroy in 2019.
Following his second round, the Englishman provided insight into why this tournament hasn’t always been favorable to the British.
“You look through the course of history when the tournament was in May. It’s probably not something British players are used to, with it being Bermuda, firm, fast, 95 degrees,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think that’s probably one thing to do with it. Once it’s in March, it’s probably a little bit better—there’s not much grain out here that’s affecting anything.”
The Players Championship first year was in Georgia at the Atlanta Country Club in September 1974. They moved to Texas for the 1975 version and played it in August. The Tour first played this tournament in March of 1976, but wouldn’t find its permanent home in Ponte Vedra at TPC Sawgrass’ Champions Course until 1982.
It remained in March until 2007 when the PGA Tour moved the tournament to May. That was the case until 2019, when it moved back to March.
The Tour moved it back because they realigned the schedule, moving the PGA Championship from August to May.
Therefore, the only two times a Brit won was when the event happened in March. So, Fitzpatrick’s reasoning for the struggles doesn’t completely hold water.
But the physical conditions likely draws some parallels.
“It feels probably a little bit more like home, I guess, with the grass,” Fitzpatrick explained. “It’s a tough golf course; there’s no two ways about it. Some weeks you have it, some weeks you don’t.”
The 29-year-old’s best finish at The Players came in 2021 when he finished tied for 9th. However, it hasn’t been easy for him in his eight starts at TPC Sawgrass, as he has missed the cut four times.
Fitzpatrick is off to his best start at this tournament. He has carded six birdies in each of his two rounds thus far, helping him stay within striking distance of Clark.
Could Fitzpatrick be the third Brit to stake his claim as a Players champion? The former U.S. Open winner is No. 1 in strokes gained off the tee, picking up 4.157 strokes on his first shot. He is also No. 2 in strokes gained total, picking up eight shots on the field.
“I felt like I did everything well. I played solid overall,” he said. “I made a couple of putts when I needed to, drove the ball well, and my approach play was good, as well. So yeah, felt solid overall.”
Fitzpatrick sits solo second as the afternoon wave comes in. But if Clark’s tear continues, it may not matter to anyone in the field.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
