Why Matt Fitzpatrick's parents will not be going to the Ryder Cup
Matt Fitzpatrick has confirmed his parents have not travelled to watch him at the Ryder Cup in New York partly because of crowd abuse.
Sheffield’s Fitzpatrick and the European team are expected to receive a hostile reception from a boisterous home crowd when the contest against the United States at Bethpage Black begins on Friday.
The Yorkshireman, who is playing in his fourth Ryder Cup, was previously targeted at the 2021 event at Whistling Straits.
As a result, his mother and father have decided against attending this time, although their participation in the upcoming Alfred Dunhill Links Championship – in which their other son Alex is also involved – also influenced their decision.
“They didn’t have a great experience in Whistling Straits,” said Fitzpatrick. “That’s not a lie or anything or making anything up.
“But the other thing is, both my parents are playing next week in the Dunhill. They didn’t really want to ruin that experience as well, because that’s obviously special to have that.
“So it’s a combination. It’s a lot of travel, it’s obviously a busy week. It’s a tiring week.
“And then they obviously want to have a nice week as well.
“No denying that they had a bad experience in the past, but there’s no reason why it has to be like that this time.
“Obviously I’ll miss them this week for sure, but they are doing what’s best for them and that’s what’s important.”
Fitzpatrick himself, having already been booed during practice, is determined not to let any abuse bother him.
The 31-year-old said: “I’m from Sheffield, so that’s probably a good start!
“Like I keep saying, the fans are what make this event. They’re what make this event so fun, so special, and it’s obviously a great opportunity for us to come and try and play our best golf in front of them.”
Fitzpatrick announced himself on the highest stage when he won the 2022 US Open, but his Ryder Cup record remains poor, having collected just one point in eight attempts.
He said: “It’s obviously frustrating, but all I can do is keep qualifying for the teams and keep giving myself the opportunity to improve on the record.”
Tyrrell Hatton admits he does not know how he will react if he is abused by American fans but has vowed to stay true to himself.
That could well lead to trouble, though, as the Englishman is a notoriously combustible character, well known for his on-course tantrums.
The atmosphere at the Bethpage Black is expected to be raucous, with the home fans urged to cause “chaos” by United States player Collin Moriwaka.
Preparing his players for possible heckling and abuse has been a key part of Europe captain Luke Donald’s preparations, which has included the deployment of virtual reality headsets programmed with abuse from an American crowd.
Asked how he is going to react if he is targeted, Hatton said: “I don’t know, it’s hard to say until you’re put in that position.
“Ultimately, I would just try and be true to myself and try and react in a way that is hopefully the right way to do it.
“I haven’t really thought about that too much to be honest.”
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau says Donald Trump’s appearance at the event can be a “great force” and “inspire” the United States to victory.
The golf-loving American president is attending the opening day of action at Bethpage Black on Friday afternoon as the US try to regain the trophy they lost in Rome two years ago.
He is the first sitting president to attend the Ryder Cup and his presence is sure to fuel American patriotism.
DeChambeau, who played with Trump for a video on his YouTube channel, is ready to harness it, saying: “I hope he will inspire us to victory.
“I think he’ll be a great force for us to get a lot of people on our side. I think it will be interesting and exciting to see how the crowd and everybody reacts. It’s going to be an electric environment.”
DeChambeau is back in the American team after failing to qualify in 2023 following his move to the LIV tour.