Matt Fitzpatrick's Coaching Change Sparks 2026 PGA Tour Run

Matt Fitzpatrick had dropped to 85th in the world rankings by May 2025, his lowest position in close to ten years, after splitting with longtime caddie Billy Foster and then with coach Mike Walker within a few months of each other.

What changed in Fitzpatrick's game?

Fitzpatrick soon began working with Alabama-based coach Mark Blackburn, a move he has credited with turning his season around. Results followed quickly: top-10 finishes at both the PGA Championship and The Open in 2025, then a run of three PGA Tour wins in 2026 that pushed his career total to five titles.

Fitzpatrick said the biggest change has been in his irons. "I feel very comfortable hitting the shots that I want to hit now," he said, adding that tighter control of start line, shape and distance has given him more birdie chances when paired with his putting.

How many times has Fitzpatrick won in 2026?

The Valspar Championship opened his 2026 win total, followed by a playoff victory over World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler at the RBC Heritage, his second title at that event. A week later, he teamed with younger brother Alex Fitzpatrick to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, their first PGA Tour title as a pairing.

A year after a decade-low ranking, Fitzpatrick has rebuilt his season from the irons out.

What did the Zurich Classic win mean for his brother?

The Zurich Classic result earned Alex Fitzpatrick his PGA Tour card, and he has since built on it with a string of strong performances that carried him to the Tour Championship. Matt Fitzpatrick said he hopes the pair can play together at the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in Ireland, where Alex would need to earn a place on the European team.

What is Fitzpatrick's Ryder Cup record?

Fitzpatrick's only major title remains the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club of Brookline. His Ryder Cup career began with difficult debuts before he became a key figure in Europe's wins at Marco Simone in 2023 and at Bethpage Black in 2025, where he won 2.5 points from four matches as Europe prevailed 15-13 for its first win on U.S. soil since Medinah in 2012.

Fitzpatrick has said another major and a run at World No. 1 remain his stated targets, alongside more PGA Tour wins, as he looks to build on a season that began with him fighting back from a career-low ranking.