If Matt Fitzpatrick wants to be part of the season-ending playoff events in the Middle East, he is going to need something approaching the victory he posted in this event last year.
At the end of a long week dominated by slow play that saw the opening two rounds both take about six hours to complete, the New Zealander reached the seven-under-par total that proved too strong for a formidable host of challengers down the stretch.
There is room for debate as to whether the claret jug is the most iconic item awarded to a tournament winner in golf, a chorus of folks representing a sleepy town in Georgia likely arguing that a certain emerald blazer has an awful lot of cachet, too.
We know this isn’t an Old Course first. Still, the improvisational nature of the shot, plus the lovely Scottish summer weather seen in the video, elevates it to legendary status.
Smith comes into Masters month after a three-week break from tournament golf following his runner-up finish in the LIV Golf event in Hong Kong where he was beaten in a playoff by Abraham Ancer.
If all goes to plan, a slightly “braver” target a few yards to the right of the clock will be an option for players in the AIG Women’s Open next August.
Australian Golf Digest
