Matt Fitzpatrick insists he is not putting extra pressure on himself despite calling 2026 the best golf of his career as he heads into the US PGA Championship.
In 2022, Fitzpatrick was playing what he believed was the best golf of his life. Four top tens in his first five starts, a tied 14th at the Masters, runner‑up at the Valero Texas Open and a tied fifth at the US PGA Championship all built towards his breakthrough Major victory at the U.S. Open.
He cracked the top ten in the Official World Golf Ranking and added four more top tens, including a tied sixth at the Genesis Scottish Open and a play‑off loss at the DS Automobiles Italian Open. For years afterwards, Fitzpatrick referred to that season as his “golden period”.
Until 2026 eclipsed it.
“I think 2022 was my kind of golden period that I sort of said for two, three years afterwards that this was always the best period that I had ever played,” he said during his Monday press conference at the 2026 US PGA Championship.
“But the start of this year has definitely eclipsed that because of obviously, a, the results, but b, the underlying numbers themselves have definitely been better.”
Having ended 2025 with a dramatic play‑off victory over Rory McIlroy at the DP World Tour Championship, Fitzpatrick began 2026 steadily but without any early indication of what was to come. A top ten at the WM Phoenix Open on the PGA TOUR followed a tie for 63rd at The American Express, but it wasn’t until the Arnold Palmer Invitational that he felt things beginning to click.
“I think leading up to THE PLAYERS, I didn't play very well at Bay Hill. But leading up to that point, I'd started the season pretty well. And obviously I'm massive into the data," he said.
“My tee‑to‑green numbers were really, really solid at that point. I think I was certainly top ten tee‑to‑green on maybe two of the weeks on the West Coast. Maybe even top ten or top five ball‑striking.
“I remember having conversations with my team, sort of like, I feel like I'm playing well, I'm just not getting anything out of the round. I wasn't putting very well at the start of the year. It was very average — giving myself chances, not making them.
“And obviously I kind of cashed that all in from THE PLAYERS to Zurich. I definitely felt the signs were there.”
That consistency turned into a runner‑up finish at THE PLAYERS, followed a week later by victory at the Valspar Championship. A top 20 at the Masters came next, before he beat Scottie Scheffler in a play‑off at the RBC Heritage to move to World Number Three. Seven days later, he claimed his third win of the year alongside his brother Alex at the Zurich Classic, who was fresh from his own maiden DP World Tour victory at the Hero Indian Open.
They haven’t yet had time to celebrate their win together, but Matt has been trying to savour moments more, especially after something Scottie Scheffler said last year stayed with him.
“Scottie talked about how we work so hard, we win a golf tournament, and we have 10 or 15 minutes of enjoyment before moving on to the next one. That really stuck with me," he said.
“So I’ve tried to take that into this year, particularly with the three wins I’ve had. The season can be such a blur, and it’s about taking a step back and remembering those moments — even on a week like this.”
Fitzpatrick, known for his meticulous analysis of his own performance, credits his recent success to that curiosity, his work ethic, and the team around him.
“I think just my curiosity and work ethic," he added. "The people around me. The people that I trust to advise me, whether it be Phil Kenyon, Mark Blackburn, Cressey Sports Performance where I train.
“The people that I work with I have a lot of faith in. I trust them with the information they are giving me because it's well researched and trusted.”
With that perspective, Fitzpatrick insists he isn’t putting any extra pressure on himself despite the form he’s in.
“I wouldn't say I put any more pressure on myself," he said. "I obviously know the situation that I'm in, even before playing well — I know how my game is, I just do.
“And I don't think it’s a case of putting any more pressure on. Particularly now, it could be easy to go the other way of, well, I've started well, I've had three wins, I can just kind of coast to the end of the season.
“But that's not really what I'm about. That's the worst thing I would want to do. So if anything, it's trying to let it happen still. My body feels similar to the last few weeks, my swing feels similar, and it's about letting it happen and trying to get into positions that give yourself chances of winning more golf tournaments.”
Those wins now involve Alex, who arrives at Aronimink for his US PGA Championship debut at a career‑high 83rd in the world, with form that includes two victories and three other top tens in his last five starts - including a top four finish last week.
His brother is a topic Matt is more than happy to talk about.
“I’m impressed more than anything," he said. "Super proud of him for how he's been playing and following up the win at Zurich with two brilliant weeks at Doral and last week.
“To battle back how he did yesterday after the start was really impressive. In years gone by, it probably could have gotten away from him. To be in contention to the 70th hole was a testament to how far he's come.
“We’ve not really been in contention yet together. Once on the DP World Tour in Switzerland, but yeah, I would imagine it's going to be a weird feeling when that time does come.”
The pair are also sharing a house for the second week in a row, and are set to play in their first Major together since Alex qualified for The Open Championship in 2023.
And while Matt is happy to have him around and they've been out practising on Monday, it’s still very much business as usual for him.
“It's the same as ever," he added. "This is the second time we've shared a house at a Major. It will be the same preparation for me. I'm very strict on my routine — I want to do this, I need to see whoever at this time. If he wants to fit that in, that's great.
“We always say we want to play together. But I want him to be able to do his own thing.”
