Matt Fitzpatrick cannot undo the harm of a first-round 76, ending the day scoring a 71 and sitting at three over… leaving the US Open champion unlikely to make the minimize
Matt Fitzpatrick was taking pictures freely and hitting bullseyes on Friday. The difficulty there’s he reserved his most incisive work for his phrases off the course on the Gamers Championship quite than his play on it.
The US Open champion’s second-round 71 on the Gamers Championship was unable to repair the harm brought on by a gap 76, along with his three-over tally extremely unlikely to be enough to maintain him round for the weekend.
Afterwards he made a compelling re-entry to one of many many political squabbles engulfing his sport. Particularly, the Englishman took goal on the relationship imbalance between the PGA and European circuits, along with his view that the latter is on a downward spiral to lesser significance due to its ‘strategic alliance’ with the previous.
Whereas the alliance agreed in 2021 was depicted as a monetary saviour for the DP World Tour throughout Covid, it has since come underneath scrutiny, with the PGA Tour’s roll out of ‘designated occasions’ seemingly limiting the chance of the elites crossing over to play in Europe. There are additionally considerations in regards to the provision which means the highest 10 in Europe every season will acquire playing cards to the PGA Tour.
Fitzpatrick mentioned: ‘You’ve solely acquired to have a look at the sector again dwelling and what number of instances the highest gamers are going again to play.
Matt Fitzpatrick wasn’t capable of make up sufficient floor to remain within the Gamers on Friday
After a surprising first-round 76, he responded with a second spherical 71 to complete at +3
Fitzpatrick griped post-round that the PGA Tour is not doing sufficient to assist the DP World Tour
‘My greatest gripe is that the PGA Tour aren’t doing sufficient, if it’s a strategic alliance, to assist construct up the DP World Tour.
‘Individuals will say I’m a kind of who has left the European Tour, however I haven’t. I nonetheless play over there, however one of the best gamers are over right here and I have to compete towards them as usually as I can. I’ll nonetheless return, however I actually don’t understand how usually you are able to do that when it’s all geared to taking part in right here.’
Whereas Rory McIlroy has been a eager backer and driver of adjustments to the PGA Tour, Fitzpatrick added: ‘The message (from the handing of PGA Tour playing cards to the highest 10) is that you simply’ve acquired to play over right here, and it’ll simply make it tougher for the European Tour to get robust fields going ahead.
‘The Tour gave the impression to be on path, then Covid got here, and the whole lot that has occurred since then has blown it out of the water actually.’
With the projected minimize at one over, McIlroy was hopelessly adrift at six over by way of 10 holes when play was suspended as a consequence of stormy climate. His taking part in associate, the world No 1 Jon Rahm, withdrew within the morning due to sickness.
