From early-season struggles to Ryder Cup glory and a historic third DP World Tour Championship title, 2025 will go down as one of Matt Fitzpatrick’s finest years
Standing on the 18th green at Jumeirah Golf Estates last Sunday evening, Matt Fitzpatrick had every right to let the emotions flow. His third DP World Tour Championship title – secured in dramatic fashion after a play-off victory over Rory McIlroy – represented far more than another trophy for the cabinet. It was vindication, redemption, and confirmation that the long road back from his early-season struggles had been worth every minute of work.
“It means the world,” Fitzpatrick said, his voice thick with emotion. “I struggled at the start of this year, obviously, and to turn it around in the summer like I did and have a Ryder Cup like I did… the Ryder Cup in particular, I feel like it’s hard to top given everything. But the way that I played today, I feel like I really didn’t hit one bad shot all day. I’m so proud of myself, the effort that everyone puts in behind the scenes. Yeah, what a feeling.”
It was a feeling nearly 11 months in the making – a journey from the depths of a winless drought to the heights of championship glory.
Sitting down for an interview at Yas Links in Abu Dhabi just days before his Dubai triumph, Fitzpatrick was already in reflective mood about a season that had swung dramatically in his favour.
“It’s been a fantastic year since about May time,” he explained. “I’ve played pretty well since then and managed to turn my season around, which is always nice.”
For a player who has built his career on the philosophy of marginal gains – those famous one percent improvements that compound into excellence – the turnaround required identifying and fixing a fundamental weakness. The diagnosis was clear; the prescription, less so.
“I obviously looked at where my game was and what needed to change and improve,” Fitzpatrick said. “My irons were kind of the poorest part of my game; arguably, they’ve ended the season in the strongest part of my game. That has been the biggest turnaround. Obviously, I knew that something needed to happen in order to achieve that.”
The transformation of his iron play from liability to weapon proved to be the catalyst for everything that followed. By the time summer rolled around, Fitzpatrick was back among the game’s elite performers, his confidence restored and his game firing on all cylinders.
The pinnacle of that resurgence came at Bethpage Black in September, where Fitzpatrick played a starring role in Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph. His two and a half points were crucial to retaining the trophy, and the experience provided memories that will last a lifetime.
“To be able to do that and obviously finish at the Ryder Cup with two and a half points has made it a very special week, as well as getting the win with the team,” he said, the pride evident in his voice. “Everyone on the team has really, I feel like, has come together, and I couldn’t be happier.”
The Ryder Cup success came during what Fitzpatrick describes as a difficult period, making the achievement all the more meaningful. “Obviously in that down period, I had the support of my wife and my friends and family, and to turn it around and be here now is very special.”
After the emotional highs of Bethpage, Fitzpatrick arrived in the Middle East for the season-ending swing with momentum on his side. He’d always enjoyed success at Jumeirah Golf Estates, winning the DP World Tour Championship in both 2016 and 2020, and the course remained a firm favourite.
“I love that golf course; it’s one that I’ve really learned to play well, obviously, over the years,” he said before the tournament. “I’m disappointed to miss the event there last year, but nice to be back this year.”
Playing in the penultimate group on Sunday, Fitzpatrick produced a flawless display of ball-striking, posting a bogey-free 66 to reach 18-under par. As he signed his card, he could only watch the giant screens and wait to see if it would be enough.
It wasn’t – at least not in regulation. McIlroy, playing in the final group and needing eagle at the last to force a play-off, delivered one of the shots of the year: a sensational 15-foot putt that found the heart of the cup and sent the tournament into extra holes.
“Of course you do,” Fitzpatrick admitted when asked if he expected McIlroy’s heroics. “He’s one of the only few where you know you are going to a play-off. You are two clear with one to play and you know you are going to a play-off. In typical Rory fashion he did it again and you never like to see the way it ends, but obviously delighted.”
The play-off lasted just one hole. McIlroy found water with his tee shot on the 18th, then failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker. Fitzpatrick, despite some nerves of his own with his approach, got up and down for par to claim his second Rolex Series title and become a three-time DP World Tour Championship winner.
His immediate reaction on social media spoke volumes about his character: “Thank you to my wife, family, and team for your support always. And congratulations to Rory McIlroy – always fun to compete with you mate!”
With his first worldwide title since October 2023 secured and his confidence soaring, Fitzpatrick heads into 2026 with ambitious plans. The goals remain as lofty as ever for a player who has already won a US Open and claimed ten DP World Tour titles.
“It’s obviously always trying to win a Major; that’s the first goal on anyone’s goal sheet at the start of the year,” he said. “That’s what we play for, to try and win those and put your name into the history books. That’s the goal; that’ll be the main goal going into next year, as well as just continuing to try and win out on the PGA Tour and on the DP World Tour.”
The transformation of his iron play gives him every reason to believe those goals are achievable. Having identified the weakness, made the changes, and seen the results on golf’s biggest stages, Fitzpatrick enters the new season as a genuine threat at every tournament he plays.
As Fitzpatrick celebrated his Dubai victory, the MENA Golf Tour – a circuit he competed on early in his professional career – was preparing to reopen for business with Q School in Portugal. For the Sheffield star, the timing served as a reminder of how far he’s come and the importance of the developmental pathway that helped launch his career.
“It’s definitely a big help to give players opportunity,” he said when asked about the development tour’s return. “It’s always a real positive thing, particularly out here in the Middle East. Like you say, it’s a great initiative and has been for a number of years now. Obviously, it was great to be part of that when I first turned pro and came out on to give it a go and experience what it’s like.”
He still remembers those early days testing himself in challenging conditions. “I remember playing in pretty much the middle of summer out in the Middle East, and it was safe to say it wasn’t very cold.”
The revamped tour features guaranteed $100,000 prize funds at every regular season event – a significant upgrade that Fitzpatrick wholeheartedly endorses. “It’s massive. It really is. It’s massive. It’s a fantastic initiative to be able to do that and support the guys. Hopefully, it’s a good testing ground to where you’re starting; you can win a few times out there, and that bodes well for progressing to the next level and going from there, really.”
As the 2025 season draws to a close, Fitzpatrick can look back with immense satisfaction. From the struggles of the early months to the redemption of the summer, from Ryder Cup glory to a historic third DP World Tour Championship title, it’s been a year that will rank among the finest of his career.
The one percent gains philosophy has proven its worth once again. By identifying his iron play as a weakness and dedicating himself to improvement, Fitzpatrick transformed not just that aspect of his game but his entire season. The results speak for themselves: a Ryder Cup star, a season-ending champion, and a player heading into 2026 with every reason to believe his best golf is still ahead of him.
“I feel like I really didn’t hit one bad shot all day,” he said of his final round in Dubai. “I’m so proud of myself, the effort that everyone puts in behind the scenes.”
Those efforts have paid off in spectacular fashion. Three DP World Tour Championships. A Ryder Cup winner. A US Open champion who’s proving he’s far from done adding to that list.
