Matt Fitzpatrick

Golf can be as infuriating as it is beautiful and few players have experienced that quite like Matt Fitzpatrick this season.

The Englishman said his game was at an all-time low at The Players Championship in March following a run of just one top-10 finish in the past 12 months.

A US Open champion and an Olympian, he has long among the best players in the world, but his confidence with an iron had collapsed, his results suffered and he tumbled out of the world's top 80.

Yet at Royal Portrush, amid the driving rain and gusting winds on Thursday morning, he delivered perhaps his best round of the year.

A 67 gave him a share of the clubhouse lead on four-under-par by the middle of the afternoon, with a brilliant eagle on the par-5 2nd hole sparking the challenge.

Since he started working with swing coach Mark Blackburn in April, Fitzpatrick’s game has steadily improved.

On the game's biggest stage, he underlined it.

“The Players was the lowest I've been in my career,” he said.

“Statistically it could be the worst run that I've played as well. I just didn't feel good or know where it was going.

“At the RBC, I saw Mark for the first time and at that point, everything changed, with my approach play anyway.

“During the whole lull, my driving had actually improved this year compared to last year, so that was fine, but putting and chipping were off. You could argue I probably spent a bit too much time looking for my game rather than working on that.

“I didn't feel like that part of it was far away, and I wasn't necessarily worrying about that. It was just the approach play that I know needed massive improvement.”

Though he is major winner courtesy of that brilliant US Open success in 2022, Fitzpatrick’s Open record is relatively modest for a player of his talent.

This year marks his 10th attempt at winning the Claret Jug but his best result so far is T20 six years ago.

That was also at Royal Portrush and Fitzpatrick admits the course is to his liking.

He played sensible golf at the Dunluce links. A superb approach to the 2nd green left him a 22-feet putt that he confidently rolled in for eagle, while birdies followed at 6 and 12.

On the famous par-3 16th, named Calamity Corner, he chipped in from off the green for another birdie.

While remaining calm and well-aware of the distance to go in this Championship, Fitzpatrick was delighted with his round and is in awe of the course.

“I knew that,” he said when asked if he thought about his Open record.

“The Open venues haven't necessarily been great to me. I've not necessarily been playing great when I've come here either.

“But I like this golf course. I think it's a very fair test.

“I just felt like I did everything well. Just drove it well, approach play was good, and chipped and putted well. It was just an all around good day.

“I think this place is fantastic, it's a very fair test. It rewards good golf shots.”