“Child’s play compared to Ryder Cup” – Fitzpatrick on TPC Sawgrass crowd at The Players
As many people observed on Sunday afternoon, the ending of the Players Championship felt more like a Ryder Cup. And one particular player had to put up with a rowdy crowd more than anyone else.
That would be Matt Fitzpatrick, who took the lead late on Sunday while battling more than playing partner and Cameron Young down the stretch. A mostly American crowd at TPC Sawgrass at times turned hostile against the 31-year-old Englishman.
As Fitzpatrick said after, though, he was more than ready for the situation having dealt with more hostile galleries last fall at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
“Listen, the crowd, that was literally child’s play compared to Bethpage,” Fitzpatrick said. “If they think that that was anything, then they need to reassess. Get yourself up to New York.”
However, he did acknowledge that European crowds would have been more “polite” in a reverse scenario.
“Listen, that’s how it is. That’s how it is. I would hope it’s the exact same if—well, it probably wouldn’t be because we’re a little bit more polite in Europe, I would say, but I would hope it would be of similar intensity in Europe,” Fitzpatrick continued. “I knew it was coming. I had it with Jordan Spieth in 2023. Yeah, it’s funny to me. I find it hilarious.”
“That was literally child’s play compared to Bethpage.”
Matt Fitzpatrick was unbothered by the fans rooting against him at TPC Sawgrass. 😂 pic.twitter.com/SX7ce0ONsc
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) March 15, 2026
It’s pretty impressive that Fitzpatrick was able to laugh it off. He even cracked a joke to Young on the final hole.
“It was to the point that Matt looked at me on 18 and said, ‘Cam, do you hate me too?'” Young said after.
Cameron Young on the raucous crowds on 17 and 18:
“It was to the point that Matt looked at me on 18 and said, ‘Cam, do you hate me too?'” pic.twitter.com/thKqnCzmAj
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) March 15, 2026
Fitzpatrick bogeyed 18 to lose to Young by one shot. The 2022 U.S. Open champ still earned $2.725 million for finishing runner-up.
“I just felt like I did a ton of really good stuff,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s obviously frustrating not to come away with a little bit better.”
Article originally appeared on: GolfDigest.com