Matt Fitzpatrick has expressed frustration with his putting after failing to contend in the first two majors of the year, despite enjoying a stellar run on the PGA Tour. The 31-year-old Englishman has secured three victories on the American circuit in 2026, including a notable win over Scottie Scheffler at the RBC Heritage, and finished runner-up at the Players Championship. However, that form has not translated to major championships, with a tie for 18th at the Masters and a tie for 14th at the US PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club.
Putting Woes at Aronimink
Fitzpatrick, who closed with a bogey-free 65 in Philadelphia, believes his putting has been the primary obstacle. “I played pretty solid at the Masters tee-to-green and just didn’t make any putts there,” he told the Press Association. “And here it was the same thing. Sunday I shot five-under, bogey free and played basically the same as I did the first three rounds. I made some putts and that’s the difference. In the most perfect of worlds, I’d do the same thing and I’m stood here at 20 under par. But that’s not the way the game is, is it?”
Plans for Improvement
The Sheffield native is now taking two weeks off before the Memorial Tournament in Ohio, with his sights set on the US Open in June, a title he won in 2022. He intends to focus on his short game to ensure he can capitalise on his strong ball-striking in the year’s remaining majors.
Controversy Over Course Setup
The greens at Aronimink drew significant criticism from several top players. World number one Scottie Scheffler described some pin positions as “absurd” and the hardest he had seen on tour, while Rory McIlroy questioned whether the congested leaderboard resulted from “not a great setup.” Fitzpatrick agreed with his peers, stating, “I think I would agree with it all. It’s just one of those golf courses where I think if they put the pins where you see them in practice, then the scoring would be drastically different. The greens are what protect this golf course, so they obviously had to use that to their advantage. The PGA used that to their advantage to set it up to how they wanted to present it.”
Despite the challenges, Fitzpatrick remains optimistic about his game and is determined to address his putting ahead of the US Open, where he will aim to add a second major title to his collection.
