Yorkshireman Fitzpatrick closing in on coveted world top-50 ranking after another fine showing

Sheffield's Matt Fitzpatrick stands on the brink of moving into the world's top 50 (Picture: Press Association).

Fitzpatrick has now amassed over £1.25m in prize money as he prepares to bring down the curtain on his first full season on the European Tour at the DP World Tour Championship, in Dubai.

But more pleasing for the 21-year-old is that he could achieve his aim of gaining an invite to play the Masters at Augusta for the first time as a professional, having already competed in the opening major of the season as holder of the US Amateur title, which he won in 2013.

The Yorkshireman stood 51st in the world rankings ahead of the BMW Masters and placed tied 13th at Lake Malaren where he shot 68 71 67 70.

The top 50 on the world rankings at the end of the calendar season will get an automatic invitation to play at Augusta next April.

Fitzpatrick had bogey-free rounds on days one and three and only four throughout the week, carding 16 birdies in all.

In the four events he has played since his breakthrough victory in the British Masters at Woburn, Fitzpatrick has had two top-10 finishes and another in the top-20, his worst display being in the Turkish Airlines Open where he placed 26th after a week's break.

Over the season he has had a total of 13 top-20 finishes, eight of those being inside the top 10.