Nothing Better Than Playing with Your Brother

Last week, I wrote about how Matt Fitzpatrick’s win at the RBC Heritage pushed back against the line ‘nice guys finish last’. This week, Matt won again, but with a whole different meaning, something that means a whole lot more.

There is a special bond between brothers; sometimes it’s the stuff you do together, whether it be going to a meal and telling stories, playing golf, or the sadness of not having them around at all times. My brother is often my closest confidant, and while we have now lived apart for the better part of the last five-ish years, I still miss being able to walk down the hall every day and knock on his door. This was never more clear than when he was in the hospital with cancer (he’s fine now), and there were many nights that I lay in bed worried about what he was going through. Now the worst of it is being a continent apart, living separate lives – he is finishing college, and I am working. 

But some brothers live much further apart: Matt Fitzpatrick and his little brother, Alex, live a continent apart. Matt lives (most of the time) in the U.S., playing on the PGA TOUR; Alex lives in Europe, playing on the DP World Tour, which takes players around the world. Because of where Alex plays, the brothers don’t get to spend much time together during the season. 

Alex has been working his tail off to get his TOUR card, to join his brother in the States, but has not been successful, yet. This week, however, Matt and Alex got to play together at the Zurich Classic – the PGA TOUR’s lone ‘team’ event – where players have a partner and play two rounds of best ball and two rounds of alternate shot. Even though it’s two guys to a team, a win still earns you exemptions and a TOUR card – as any other tournament does. 

Matt, given his recent win and status, had no real reason to play in the event, except that he would get to play with his brother and give his brother the chance to earn his card. 

In what should have been an off week in preparation for the back-to-back Signature Events leading up to the PGA Championship, Matt helped his brother Alex earn his TOUR card. Matt hit a long bunker shot to tap-in range, and Alex knocked it in for birdie, giving the brothers the most meaningful victory they will ever have (Matt’s 2022 U.S. Open victory may be better).

There’s something about doing it with your brother, though. Every round of golf I play with my brother, no matter if I played poorly, means more because it was with him, and I can only imagine the feeling the Fitzpatrick brothers feel right now!