PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — A worn grip and a 4-gram weight may change the trajectory of Matt Fitzpatrick’s 2024 season.
What started in early 2023, when the 2022 U.S. Open champion was doing some swing testing which included incorporating a 4-gram weight into the grips of his driver and irons, created unintended havoc.
Fitzpatrick eventually removed the weight in the irons but failed to remove the additional weight in the driver, forcing many of his shots left due to extra face rotation. This made most of 2023 and the start of 2024 a nightmare until his driver grip had become so worn that it needed to be replaced.
Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
During a regripping before the WM Phoenix Open, a Titleist technician asked Fitzpatrick if he wanted the additional weight in the grip. He did not.
“As soon as I came out and hit the next day, it felt night and day,” Fitzpatrick said. “I could hit it as hard as I want, and it wouldn't go left. Previously, I felt like I hit it hard, and it would just go straight left.”
It wasn’t all ice cream and strawberries immediately for the 29-year-old, as after a T15 at Phoenix he missed the cut at the two signature events at Riviera and Bay Hill, with a T21 sandwiched in between at the Cognizant Classic.
Now, after an opening 6-under 66 at the Players Championship—his best score around Pete Dye’s masterpiece in 21 rounds—Fitzpatrick looks like his old self, consistently finding fairways and putting lights-out.
Thursday he was first in the field in strokes-gained off the tee and 10th in strokes-gained putting.
“I don't think you get on any hole and breathe a sigh of relief, like I've got a bit of a breather here, maybe a wide fairway or easy second shot,” Fitzpatrick said. “I just feel like every hole has got something that can catch you out.”
Fitzpatrick almost got caught out on the par-5 16th hole, as with 216 yards left he pushed his iron shot to where it just cleared the water bordering the right. But this had a happy ending, leaving 2 feet for an eagle that moved him to 6 under par, where he finished the round and to sit one shot behind Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Wyndham Clark.
221 yards ➡️ 2 feet@MattFitz94 takes on the flag at No. 16 🎯
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 14, 2024
He's one shot back after the tap-in eagle. pic.twitter.com/2NcQE20QaF
Oddly, the last 16 winners of the Players have had an early-late draw, so Fitzpatrick will be looking to change that karma with a 8:24 a.m. Friday tee time.
He will also be looking to improve a spotty record at the Players, with four missed cuts and only one top 10, a T9 in 2021.
“I felt like I just had to be patient all day and something I've been working on for this week,” Fitzpatrick said. “And it paid off today.”
