For Matt Fitzpatrick, golf has always been his job—but football remains his greatest sporting passion. The 2022 US Open champion, now 30, admits he hopes to work in football in the future. For now, though, his focus is firmly on resurrecting his golf career, and his recent tie for fourth at The Open signaled that he’s back on track.
Fitzpatrick’s performance on the Antrim coast was his best-ever finish in The Open and made him the leading UK golfer at the final men’s major of the season. It was a significant result, particularly considering how poor his form was just a few months earlier.
Heading into April’s Masters, Fitzpatrick was far from his usual self. The previous month, he had missed the cut at the Players Championship and parted ways with long-time caddie Billy Foster—the same partner who had been on the bag during his US Open triumph in 2022.
The early months of 2025 brought frustration and self-doubt, compounded by the lingering disappointment of a lackluster 2024 season.
“I just didn’t have it,” Fitzpatrick admitted in an interview with BBC Sport. “I’d put in a tonne of work, my coaches had put in so much work and it just didn’t happen. There’s no stone left unturned for me, but it’s hard when you’re intending to hit a shot and missing it by quite a lot.”
By the end of the Masters, where he finished tied for 40th, Fitzpatrick had slipped to 75th in the world rankings. His game was in disarray, and uncertainty began to creep in.
What followed shocked many in golf: Fitzpatrick’s decision to part ways with long-time coach Mike Walker, a mentor who had been by his side since his teenage years.
“My relationship with Mike is more important than golf really,” Fitzpatrick explained. “He’s someone I’ve looked up to since I was 14 or 15. I could tell him anything and my respect for him is so high. At the same time, I wasn’t playing well and things probably needed to change. It’s my job and I needed to get myself together.”
Walker, alongside Pete Cowen, had guided Fitzpatrick through his amateur breakthrough in 2013 and his ascent to world number six. Their split highlighted just how seriously the Sheffield-born golfer was taking his quest to rediscover form.
The week after the Masters, Fitzpatrick began working with Mark Blackburn, an Alabama-based coach known for his modern approach to swing analysis.
“It was the first time I’ve ever had anyone look at my swing, or get a lesson off someone not named Mike Walker or Pete Cowen in 15 years,” Fitzpatrick said.
The switch appears to be paying off. His tie for fourth at The Open wasn’t just a statistical highlight—it was a confidence boost, proving his hard work and willingness to adapt is paying dividends.
Although golf remains his current career, Fitzpatrick hasn’t hidden his love for football. A lifelong fan, he’s keen to one day work within the sport, whether in an advisory role or another capacity.
“It may happen one day,” Fitzpatrick said. “But right now, getting my golf back to where it should be is my main focus.”
With his form returning and his mindset rejuvenated, Fitzpatrick’s immediate goals are clear: build on his Open performance and return to winning ways. But when his golfing chapter finally closes, don’t be surprised if Matt Fitzpatrick is spotted on the touchline instead of the fairway.
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