Fitzpatrick brothers target major breakthrough at PGA Championship

PHILADELPHIA: Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick will share a house this week as the English brothers pursue major success at the 108th PGA Championship at Aronimink, according to AFP.

Playing in the suburbs of Philadelphia, known as the City of Brotherly Love, the two golfers from Sheffield are preparing for the challenge of a demanding course, elite competition and the realities of living together during one of the sport’s biggest events.

Matt Fitzpatrick said the brothers have different habits away from the course. "We are different," elder brother Matt said. "He's messy, I would say. We shared a bathroom last week, actually, in the house that we shared, and it was a little bit messier than my side of the bathroom, I'll say. I'm very strict on my routine. I want to do this and I need to see whoever at this time. If he wants to fit that in, that's great, and obviously we want to play together. But yeah, I want him to be able to do his own thing."

Matt, ranked fourth in the world, arrives at the PGA Championship in strong form. The 2022 US Open champion finished runner-up at the Players Championship in March. Since then, he has won the Valspar Championship and the RBC Heritage, and also shared victory with his younger brother at the PGA Tour pairs event in New Orleans.

Alex Fitzpatrick, 27, has also enjoyed a productive run. He claimed his first DP World Tour title at the Indian Open in March, then accepted a US PGA Tour berth. He followed that by finishing tied ninth at Doral and fourth last week at Quail Hollow.

Second major start for Alex

This week will mark only the second major appearance of Alex’s career. His first came at the 2023 British Open, where he finished tied 17th. Matt said their arrangements this week are much the same as they were then, when they also stayed together. "It's the same as ever," said Matt Fitzpatrick. "He'll ask me when I'm playing and he'll either join me or he'll kind of fit in elsewhere."

Matt, 31, said he has taken particular satisfaction from watching his brother’s recent progress. "Impressed more than anything. Super proud of him for how he has been playing," Matt said.

The elder Fitzpatrick added that he has not yet thought about what it might be like if the two brothers were to find themselves competing against each other for the title on Sunday.

With both players arriving in good touch, the Fitzpatricks will be among the notable family storylines at Aronimink as they seek to turn recent momentum into a major championship breakthrough.