Matt Fitzpatrick, who slipped from No. 8 in the Official World Golf Ranking at the end of 2023 to his current spot at No. 22, withdrew from the 2024 Olympics shortly after he shot an 81 in the third round of play on Saturday.
Here’s the official statement from the International Golf Federation:
Team Great Britain’s Matt Fitzpatrick, who entered this week with a preexisting right thumb strain, has withdrawn due to injury following the third round of the men’s Olympic golf competition.
In advance of the event at Le Golf National, Fitzpatrick had mentioned how he was enjoying the festivities, but the Englishman also admitted a high finish in the Games wasn’t something he’d consider a crowning achievement. The 2022 U.S. Open champ has four top-10 finishes at major events, two of them at the Masters.
Matt Fitzpatrick of Team Great Britain shakes hands with Collin Morikawa of Team United States on the 18th green in round two of mens stroke play during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Le Golf National. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
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“The Gold Medal isn’t at the top of every golfer’s list; the four majors are. There’s no doubt about that,” Fitzpatrick said before the tournament. “But I’d certainly say it’s underneath that. I think probably before I arrived here and kind of got the feel for the Olympics itself, you probably underestimate how big it is and once you are here, and you realize the gravity of the whole event and how much it means to other people, not just as an athlete and golfer, you realize that a Gold Medal would feel very special.
“So yeah, you definitely want to try and win one. So I would definitely say it’s higher on the list than I thought it would be, probably, growing up.”
Fitzpatrick had opened the tournament with a 73 and then followed with a second-round 64, but had a quadruple bogey on the 15th hole on Saturday, part of a 42 on the back nine.
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