Hallamshire's Alex Fitzpatrick goes one better than brother Matt to win Yorkshire amateur title

HALLAMSHIRE'S Alex Fitzpatrick has completed the double of winning both the men's and boys' Yorkshire titles in the same season.
New Yorkshire men's amateur champion Alex Fitzpatrick with Cleveland honorary secretary Frank Spenceley (Picture: Courtesy of Cleveland GC).New Yorkshire men's amateur champion Alex Fitzpatrick with Cleveland honorary secretary Frank Spenceley (Picture: Courtesy of Cleveland GC).
New Yorkshire men's amateur champion Alex Fitzpatrick with Cleveland honorary secretary Frank Spenceley (Picture: Courtesy of Cleveland GC).

Fitzpatrick shot a staggering 23-under-par 265 total at Cleveland to win by 13 shots – and also to go one step further than his brother, Ryder Cup player Matt.

In 2011 Matt finished runner-up in the Yorkshire amateur championship at Ganton, losing the final by one hole to Bondhay’s Dan Wasteney.

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The format was changed from stroke play qualification and match play finale to its current state of 72 holes of stroke play in 2015.

Fitzpatrick, who will represent Great Britain & Ireland boys’ team next month against Continent of Europe in the Jacques Léglise Trophy match at Ballybunion, set up his win at Cleveland with a 10-under-par second round of 62, having opened with a 69.

He had a three-shot lead at the halfway stage and stretched it to seven with a third-round 65 before closing in the same manner as he had begun, with a 69.

Joint runners-up David Hague (Malton & Norton; 70 69 66 73) and Fulford’s Charlie Thornton (70 66 67 75) finished on 10 under par, one ahead of Hallowes’ Sam Bairstow, who had shot 64 on Wednesday only to find his new course record surpassed by Fitzpatrick’s 62 in the space of 20 minutes.

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His other scores were an opening 70 and 72 73 on the final day.

Former Lee Westwood Trophy holder Nick Poppleton (Wath), who recently reached the semi-finals of the English men’s amateur championship and led at Cleveland after day one, placed fifth (67 70 70 73), two shots clear of the host club’s Sam Millington (71 68 70 73).

Completing the top 10 were Alwoodley’s William Shucksmith (72 70 72 71), Huddersfield’s Josh Morton (69 72 74 72), Pannal’s Dan White (73 71 69 74) and Cookridge Hall’s Tom Broxup (72 70 71 75).

Matt Fitzpatrick’s response on Twitter to his 18-year-old sibling’s success was short and sweet. “Very impressive!” he wrote.

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His fellow European Tour player Eddie Pepperell posted: “Keep him Amateur for as long as possible please Matt. We don’t need another baby faced Fitz winning out here just yet....!”

Punter David Sugden tweeted: “@SkyBet can I request a bet please the price on Alex Fitzpatrick to win a golf major ?” #RequestABet