Why in-form Fitzpatrick's game puts him among Masters favourites
"There's stuff I want to improve," Fitzpatrick said after collecting his third PGA Tour title at the Copperhead course in Florida last Sunday. But recent rounds suggest he has developed qualities requiring mere preservation to prosper at Augusta. Last week the Englishman was second for strokes gained in his approach play, first for scrambling around the greens and fifth in performance off the tee.
These are impressive stats in bedrock categories essential for Augusta success. This is in stark contrast to where the 31-year-old from Sheffield was a year ago, when he was 61st in the world rankings and in a tailspin that saw him plummet as low as 85th a month or so later. "There's a big difference in my approach play," Fitzpatrick said after his one shot win over David Lipsky last Sunday.
"My irons are just so much better. "Better distance control, better accuracy left-to-right. Hitting the shape that I want to hit.
" The key to this current level of elite performance was discovered after he carded a two-under-par 70 to begin the Players Championship earlier this month. Fitzpatrick spent that afternoon on the Sawgrass range with coach Mark Blackburn. He called it "a really good session that felt like it really helped me".
"It's made a big difference over the last seven rounds of golf I've played," Fitzpatrick added. "I hit my irons really well. I think I was first in approach play for the first three rounds (at Copperhead).