The making of a Major Champion

Find out about the team effort that helped pave the way to Matt Fitzpatrick's US Open success

- Michael Weston

Matt Fitzpatrick's rise to the Major winners' circle has been a story of hard work and meticulous preparation. The 27-year-old is famed for leaving no stone unturned and this approach paid off spectacularly in June's stunning US Open win at Brookline. In his relentless quest to improve, Matt has gathered together a formidable team, including some of the best coaches in the business. Over the next ten pages, we talk to the man himself and three of those coaches about what he does in practice that sets him apart from the rest. We also speak to his caddie, Billy Foster, who offers some top strategy tips for your next round.

"It's like spinning plates. You work hard on your driving and then your putting disappears"

What does a typical day of practice look like for you?

It varies from week to week. My performance coach, Steve Robinson, looks at the practice data and performance data that we’ve got and the statistics where I need to improve. There’s also feedback from my coaches (Phil Kenyon, Mike Walker and Pete Cowen) and from my caddie, Billy [Foster]. Steve takes all this into account and then puts a plan together for the week. I’ll agree and maybe say I want to do a bit of this and a bit of that, but on the whole it’s Steve who controls it.

A typical day would start with a bit of putting, a couple of drills, some short game and then some approach play. Then I might go on the course with a target to achieve, whether it’s score-related or certain things I must avoid. It will vary, though. I tell people all the time, it’s like spinning plates – you work hard on your driving and then your putting disappears! You’ve just got to balance it out.

Do you have a favourite drill?