There’s everything at stake for Matt Fitzpatrick at Ryder Cup

Matt Fitzpatrick arrives at Bethpage Black for the 2025 Ryder Cup with a captain's pick status that could redefine his record in Europe’s favor. The 2022 U.S. Open champion has struggled at times on the international stage, going 1-7-0 in his first three Ryder Cups and recording his lone win in four-ball play in 2023. On Thursday, he acknowledged the pressure that comes with a spot that isn’t earned outright but noted that he still believes he earned consideration. "Of course it does," Fitzpatrick said, when asked if there were nerves about his place on the team. "I wasn’t necessarily thinking I was guaranteed a spot, but I felt like I thoroughly deserved to be in the conversation, given how well I had played to the point of selection."

Europe captain Luke Donald positioned the selection as a test of Fitzpatrick’s readiness, asking him to compete in both the British and European Masters and to show form in the final pairing before naming him to the side. Fitzpatrick cited Donald’s approach and said the captain has every right to pursue whatever path he thinks best for the squad, and that he believed he’d delivered a strong case to be included.

Fitzpatrick has already heard the crowd at Bethpage. His parents, who attended his first three Ryder Cups, won’t be on Long Island this year for a mix of schedule conflicts and a prior negative spectator experience at Whistling Straits in 2021. He recalled a moment from that 2021 singles match against Daniel Berger when a spectator yelled, "Slit his throat, Berger," a memory that has lingered as he enters his fourth Ryder Cup.

His 2025 form has started slowly, but recent results offered a brighter sign. He finished fifth at the European Masters and tied for sixth at the British Masters, part of a busy schedule that tested energy management ahead of Ryder Cup week. Fitzpatrick said the top-10 finishes were a bonus given the rough patch earlier in the year, and he emphasized that the rhythm was what mattered most as he prepared for the weekend.

He remains focused on sustained results rather than a single match. "It’s obviously frustrating," Fitzpatrick said of his Ryder Cup record. "But you know, all I can do is keep qualifying for the teams and keep giving myself the opportunity to improve on the record." As the matches unfold, Fitzpatrick has a platform to change the narrative around his Ryder Cup career, with Bethpage Black serving as the stage for a potential turnaround.