Golf

Matt Fitzpatrick wins rain-delayed Dunhill Links alongside mother Susan

Event was reduced to 54 holes after torrential rain all weekend in Scotland

Matt Fitzpatrick of England poses on the Swilcan Bridge with his mother and playing partner, Susan Fitzpatrick. Photograph: Octavio Passos/Getty
Matt Fitzpatrick of England poses on the Swilcan Bridge with his mother and playing partner, Susan Fitzpatrick. Photograph: Octavio Passos/Getty
Mon Oct 09 2023 - 16:56

Matt Fitzpatrick enjoyed double delight at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship as a closing 66 at St Andrews clinched the individual title and helped him take team honours alongside mother Susan.

The Englishman had been sat on the lead for two days after torrential rain saw the weekend washed out and the event pushed to Monday and reduced to 54 holes.

Excellent scoring conditions greeted the field across St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie but nobody could get past Fitzpatrick, who reached 19 under to win by three shots from countrymen Marcus Armitage and Matthew Southgate and defending champion Ryan Fox.

In the team event, Susan contributed three birdies and an eagle in a 59 that got the pair to 35 under and sealed a five-shot tirumph.

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Fitzpatrick becomes just the second player to do the individual and team double after Pádraig Harrington in 2002 and 2006, while Susan becomes the second female winner at this event, following Maeve Danaher who won alongside Michael Hoey two years ago.

The victory caps a remarkable fortnight for Fitzpatrick, who was part of Luke Donald’s winning Ryder Cup team, earning his first point in his third appearance as Europe triumphed 16½-11½.

The win is Fitzpatrick’s ninth individually on the DP World Tour but he admits that winning alongside his mum in the team event is the highlight of the week.

“It doesn’t get better than this,” he said. “Winning at St Andrews, it’s just a very special place. We’ve been coming here for a long, long time as well and it doesn’t get better.

“We played last year and didn’t quite play so well and this year she’s played fantastic and I playing really solid as well. You just couldn’t ask for a better week.

“It’s amazing. Winning is difficult. I had a chance a few weeks ago in Switzerland and that one hurt a lot. I felt like I had been playing better than I had in the summer.

“This week, it’s funny, really, it was kind of a bit of a free-wheeling week and just playing with my mum and trying to enjoy it as best I can and see what happened.

“Then played really well at Carnoustie and just got on a hot run these last two rounds.”