Rolex Series

Matt Fitzpatrick thinking big ahead of bid for Dubai hat-trick

Matt Fitzpatrick is ready to rip it up and go long at the DP World Tour Championship.

Matt Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick, a winner at Jumeirah Golf Estates in 2016 and 2020, has spoken about the extra length he has added to his game and the 28-year-old is looking forward to putting that to good use in his bid for a hat-trick at the fifth Rolex Series event of the year.

"Yeah, I'm a big bomber now," a smiling Fitzpatrick said on Tuesday morning.

He added: "I remember when I first came here in 2015, everyone said they didn't think that it would necessarily suit me because it is a big golf course.

"But there are things that you have to do well here. Putting is number one. That's the biggest influencer of playing well here, and driving is number two. And they are both my strengths.

"Over the years, particularly as I've got longer as well now, that's obviously been a big bonus and the greens are just so pure here as well. They are the same every year. They are like glass, and I putt well.

"So it's just being comfortable out here and having those two strengths of my game being what it takes to do well around here is a big help."

Fitzpatrick sits third in the DP World Tour Rankings in Partnership with Rolex having won his maiden Major title at the U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club, Brookline in the summer.

It was in the aftermath of that brilliant performance that Fitzpatrick's power was brought into focus.

He added: "The last two days, I played 18 this morning and nine yesterday, and there's definitely a few holes where I'm just going in with a little bit less club.

"I would imagine it might be a bit more so once the tournament comes up, probably a bit more adrenaline and hit it a bit further as well.

"You've seen Rory (McIlroy) all these years play so well around here, and he can take bunkers out whenever he wants and it definitely is a big advantage to have that length here."

Meanwhile, Tommy Fleetwood will be feeling quite at home this week having moved to the Middle East.

He started his week by opening the Tommy Fleetwood Academy at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

He said: "My family lives here now, kids go to school here. Dubai is where normal life is for us at this time.

"We've settled in really well. Everybody's been great.

"And the academy... I've lived my life playing the game. I've spent a long, long time near the end of the game, but also I have friends that play it for fun and I have kids that play, I have my dad that plays.

"So I feel like I'm constantly learning as much as I possibly can about the game. And when I go back to what I think is great about the game of golf, I do want to bring that to as many people as possible."

Looking ahead to Thursday, Fleetwood added: "I've had a lot of good rounds around this golf course. There's only really one year where I put it all together for four rounds, but I had an amazing week that week.

"I probably have played here more than anybody else over the last couple of months. But a lot of people here have so much experience on this golf course.

"We've been coming here for a long time, and it's got such a stable place in the Tour.

"A lot of people have experience on the golf course. So that doesn't really count. But having played here a lot, I think I can go out there, and the biggest challenge is just to play, play freely, go out and try and enjoy it.

"You're either going to play well or you're not going to play that great. But I just have to keep making sure that I keep my mind focused on what I have been doing and try and let those results come to me, and I believe in that."

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