Struggling Matt Fitzpatrick makes Ryder Cup admission

Matt Fitzpatrick says the Ryder Cup is “miles off” his radar after the “worst golf I’ve ever played” during a miserable start to the 2025 season.

The Englishman, who split with longtime caddie Billy Foster last month, has not had a top-ten finish since the Memorial Tournament last June and has been in a constant battle with his game.

Now down to 75th in the world rankings, Fitzpatrick missed two cuts before finishing in a tie for 40th at The Masters last weekend.

This week, he is playing one of his favourite events, the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head, a tournament which he won in 2023.

And after shooting an encouraging five-under 67 to sit five shots off Justin Thomas’ lead in round one, Fitzpatrick spoke candidly about his abject start to the campaign.

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“It’s rubbish, simple as that,” the former US Open champion said. “It’s been awful.

“It’s been the worst I’ve ever played, in fact. So yeah, was plenty of room for improvement. Hopefully this is a good week to make a start. I feel like I’ve done some things this week that hopefully get me back on track and go from there.”

Fitzpatrick added: “Every week seems to throw something at me, putting bad or chipping bad. Mostly it’s been the irons have not been good enough, and then obviously that puts pressure on everything else, as well.

“I’ve actually driven it okay this year, and that’s probably the only positive, but outside of that, everything else has not been good enough, and then obviously that puts pressure on everything else, as well.”

The slump, Fitzpatrick believes, began as early as last June following that strong finish at the Memorial Tournament.

“I had a really – what I thought was a really good off-season to get things in place and did hit some targets that we wanted to do in the off-season,” he said.

“But I think there’s more to it than that, and it never translated on to the golf course. From a technical standpoint, just a little bit out of whack and just struggled.”

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Such struggles, of course, have jeopardised Fitzpatrick’s chances of making Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black this September.

While there have been six Europeans wins already so far on the PGA Tour, Fitzpatrick has been nowhere near contention.

He was asked if he had a fourth appearance in blue and gold on his mind during this malaise.

“Not in the minute,” he said. “Miles off it. Yeah, I’ve got no interest in that at the minute. That’s not the plan.

“The plan is to get myself playing well first and then obviously – I think everyone could say the same thing – It takes care of itself.

“Then it’s on everyone’s mind, but I’m a long way off it, so it’s not entering my mind at the minute.”

Ben Parsons is the Senior Writer at bunkered and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.