Sensational wire-to-wire win for English Rookie

A coming of age. A new era. Sheer brilliance! Whatever you like to call it, 21-year old Matthew Fitzpatrick from England pulled-off a unique victory in the British Masters at Woburn. The youngest player in the field led from day one and stood his ground on Sunday against an almighty siege from the best golfers in Europe for a wire-to-wire win on 15-under par (64-69-68-68), two strokes clear of Shane Lowry (Ireland), Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark) and Fabrizio Zanotti (Paraguay).

 

It was an exciting day on the parkland course of the Marquess at Woburn.  A final round which thrilled the enthusiastic golf fans – all 57,047 of them. The Brits especially.  When all around him were shooting birdies and grabbing the tournament lead for a hole or two, Englishman Fitzpatrick kept his cool and simply raised his own game another notch.

 

Sponsor’s invitation

 

By the turn, Kjeldsen and Zanotti had managed to squeeze a two-shot lead. Then Fitzpatrick, who incidentally was playing in the British Masters supported by Sky Sports with a sponsor’s invitation, fired back-to-back birdies at the 11th and 12th holes to nose ahead again with six holes to play. But Zanotti was not prepared to give up that easily.   He struck back with birdies at the 16th and 17th. Yet the Rookie from Sheffield was still not shaken. Just as in a Walker Cup match from his amateur days, he quietly and firmly replied with another birdie at the 17th to regain his two-shot lead. Despite a bogey at the last, Matthew Fitzpatrick emerged the British Masters Champion for 2015. He had won his first European Tour event.

 

What an awesome coming-of-age for the golfer who only won his tour card at the end of 2014 at Qualifying School Final Stage. With this win he collects a cheque for 671,550 euros; secures his European Tour playing card for next season; and with earnings totalling 1,353,190 euros, he has now soared to 12th position in the Race to Dubai.  Another golfing star is born.

 

Wendy Hoad