The form of the great winner’s ‘waste’ has it in search

Matt Fitzpatrick made an eagle and three birds on his way to a regular first round 66 in RBC Heritage This has the five back of the club of Justin Thomas club club.

“I think everything was pretty strong today,” Fitzpatrick said afterwards. “I felt like I really put it well. I really shattered it well.

Simple game, right?

Ehh… Obviously not, as Fitzpatrick would remind reporters throughout the rest of his press conference after the round on Thursday.

Four days removed from a 40th place at the end in MasterFitzpatrick was asked about his obstacles from his 2025 season so far, a question that led to one of the most brutally honest self -esteem you will ever hear from a world -class golf player. Fitzpatrick not only carried his soul, he tore a hole in his polo and removed him out.

But first, a refresh of the state game of Fitzpatrick, at least on paper.

The latest of his two PGA Tour’s victories came exactly two years ago, at the event, RBC Heritage; Fitzpatrick ended that season with six ends of Top-10 and more than $ 8 million income, good for the ninth in the FedEx Cup rankings. Last year, its shape was poured. In what was a season without a win, he compiled only three Top-10 and ended the 40th in the FedEx race.

And this year? The fall has continued. On the eight startups this week, Fitzpatrick has lost three cuts and not once ended in the top 20 places. Its world ranking has fallen to 75 playersHe split with his highly valued veteran, Billy Foster. It has been that kind of year.

Which brings us this week to Harbour Town and Fitzpatrick’s bright appreciation for his game.

“A waste, simple like this,” he said. “It has been terrible. Yes, it was the worst I have ever played, in fact.”

Mostly with the 30-year-old Fitzpatrick, his shortcomings have been on the goal.

“A little of everything,” he said. “Week every week seems to throw something to me, doing badly or shredding. It was mostly handcuffed have not been good enough, and then it is certainly pressured for everything else, I actually run it in order this year, and this is probably the only positive, but out of that, everything else has not been so good.”

Statistics support the summary. It ranks at a low 157 in SG: approach in green and 154 in SG: around green. His SG: Total ranking is not much better: 142nd. Fitzpatrick’s open win in Brookline in 2022 should feel like it came in 1922.

Fitzpatrick said he felt his game began to fall in the middle of last season. At the end of the year, he had what he called a “reset”. He got married, went to his honeymoon and broke away from the game. Then he reinstated. “I had like five or six weeks before Sentry and then the other three weeks after that to become really sharp,” he said. “I felt like I did it.” After a slow start in Maui, he gathered and finished T24, but his 2025 story has been gloomy since.

Fitzpatrick said his problems were extended to the composition of the supporting cast around him. He referred to “some things that are happening from the course” that he preferred not to dismiss, adding: “It’s not no one’s special fault, it’s just certain circumstances. It has been difficult to make a figure of figures technically. I’ve been a little more recently, and again, it’s not absolutely anyone’s fault.” Fitzpatrick has worked mainly with two British swing coaches, Mike Walker and Pete Cowan.

This week in Harbour Town, Fitzpatrick said he “got extra help” (he didn’t say from who) that “he gave me a little more confidence than where I am going, a little more direction.”

Fitzpatrick has played in three Europeans Ryder cup The teams, recently in the winning week of Europe in Italy in 2023. Asked about the possibility of making the 2025 team, which will play the US in Bethpage Black in September, the fitzpatrick’s response was unclear.

“Miles away from him,” he said. “Yes, I have no interest in this in the minute. This is not the plan.”

Attempt for Fitzpatrick: He has returned to a golf course this week where he has won. There is comfort in this, he said. Also for a comfort: there is still a lot of proper golf to play in 2025 and still a lot of time to rediscover its world beat form.

“There are three degrees with many points still for grasping, still many raised events and golf courses that I have played well in the past,” he said. “I still have to be a little optimistic, but there is no doubt about it, I have to start playing well and creating a few points very soon.”