There is a saying in cricket that goes: strong Yorkshire, strong England. Essentially, it means that the national team relies on the Yorkshire conveyor belt of talent to keep them moving forward. While the English cricket team has certainly benefited from the rich talent pool in Yorkshire, in general, this is a county that produces phenomenal sportspeople. Sheffield in particular has been a region that has continued to give England and the world some of the most talented athletes of all time.
A city of excellence
At least, consider for a second that all these sportspeople have come from Sheffield: Joe Root, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Kell Brook, Johnny Nelson, Kyle Walker, Harry Maguire, Jamie Vardy – the list could go on. As prolific as these athletes are, though, is golfer Matthew Fitzpatrick the greatest to have ever come from Sheffield? After all, this is a man who is always in contention to win golf’s biggest prizes.
Indeed, at 28/1 in the latest golf odds to win the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Fitzpatrick is once again being heavily tipped as someone who could lift the Claret Jug.
Fitzpatrick’s startling career numbers at 28
The 28-year-old has already tasted major glory after winning the 2022 US Open at Brookline Country Club by one shot over Will Zalatoris. By doing so, the Sheffield-born golfer became the youngest player from England to win a major since Tony Jacklin did when he won the US Open in 1970 aged 26.
Matt Fitzpatrick WINS the 122nd #USOpen! pic.twitter.com/Y8t5ZRlZ9J
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) June 19, 2022
Additionally, Fitzpatrick’s win in Massachusetts saw him become only the 13th man in history to win the US Amateur and US Open. It has been an extraordinary career so far that has included a further eight international wins while racking up £15 million in prize money on the PGA Tour – keep in mind Fitzpatrick has only been a member since 2020 after relocating to Jupiter, Florida.
On the European Tour, Fitzpatrick’s official prize money sits at just over £18 million having made his debut in 2013 before turning professional in 2014.
Talk about a hole in one!! @USOpenGolf pic.twitter.com/JJVC77Nibc
— Matt Fitzpatrick (@MattFitz94) June 16, 2023
Fitzpatrick’s career is an example of unwavering consistency and that is especially evident when considering that the Englishman has made 98 out of a possible 129 cuts on the PGA Tour – the world’s most competitive golf league. If you’re unfamiliar with the phrase, making a cut means having a low enough score after 36 holes to progress to the weekend. Every golfer who makes the cut gets paid while those who don’t go home empty-handed.
The steeliness in the man from the Steel City
Golf at the highest level is particularly ruthless but Fitzpatrick has thrived under the unforgiving glare. At 28, the man from Sheffield has accumulated over £30 million in prize money while also managing to lift the most coveted prizes in the game. There is more to come from Fitzpatrick which will undoubtedly include additional major championship wins in the future. If the jury is still out on whether he is Sheffield’s greatest, there surely won’t be any doubt left when he retires.
