For Matt Fitzpatrick, 2022 will always represent something of a breakthrough year. A consummate professional and a steady player since joining the pro ranks in 2014, the likeable Englishman took the next step in his career when he etched his name into the annals of history with his thrilling US Open triumph at The Country Club in Brookline.
While winning comes easier to some than others, Matt’s is a story of hard work and irrepressible dedication to improvement. And a vital cog on the 28-year-old’s journey to success is swing coach Mike Walker, who oversaw Matt’s recent pursuit for extra distance, ensuring he kept the same DNA that made him one of the accurate golfers in the world.
We spoke to him about the making of Matt Fitzpatrick as a Major champion, and much more…
The Englishman has gained some 20 yards off the tee while retaining his renowned accuracy
(Image credit: Getty Images)
I remember watching him from the side of the 11th at Augusta one year. He was playing with Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas. Matt hits this unbelievable 7-wood into 20 feet, but Brooks and Justin are hitting 6, 7 irons. This is hard to compete with.
The stats guys said if he could maintain his accuracy but gain ‘X’ amount of yards, he’d gain ‘X’ amount of shots per round. I knew of Sasho [Mackenzie], and we ended up spending a couple of days with him. The Stack warrants a lot of credit for his recent success, but it came with its challenges.
2. What were the challenges?
He started to get neck discomfort. I was reluctant to change Matt’s pattern, so we didn’t do that. We had to adapt, which meant he ended up making accurate technical movements whilst doing the speed training with different weights (heavy and light).
It’s not accurate to say that all of his recent success has been attributable to The Stack. However, he can now compete with the game’s best in terms of Strokes Gained off the tee. He’s not the longest, but he’s much longer than he was, and he’s very accurate.
3. What’s the key to his accuracy?
Matt’s upbringing at a typically windy course…
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