Reigning US Amateur champion Matthew Fitzpatrick celebrated making the cut for a first time in a PGA Tour event and then sang the praise of Crail Golfing Society in Scotland.

It was quite strange how Fitzpatrick came to single out the ‘Seventh Oldest Golf Club in the World’.

Here I was standing alongside good friend, colleague and fellow Crail member, Alex Miceli outside the locker room at the Harbor Town Golf Links course and venue for this week’s $US 5.8m RBC Heritage Classic at Hilton Head in South Carolina.

England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick competing in last year’s Open Championship at Muirfield. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)

It was raining pretty steady and the 19-year old Fitzpatrick had just posted a second straight level par 71 to be also level for the event and only five shots from the clubhouse lead.

I have known Fitzpatrick’s Canadian-born caddie Lorne Duncan for a long time as he has worked the European Tour for many years caddying for the likes of Peirre Fulke, Niclas Fasth and others.

I also have been chatting often this week with ‘Duncan’ as everyone calls him, but had not officially met Matthew.

So when a motorised buggy brought the pair back from the far off 18th green to the clubhouse, I introduced myself to the ultra-talented Sheffield-born Fitpatrick.

“Hi Matthew.  I’m Bernie McGuire. I’ve known your caddy for a long time so I thought I should introduce myself.  I’m working this week for a few UK papers including Daily Record, Herald and the Express in London”.

Crail Golfing Society and one of Matthew Fitzpatrick’s favourite courses in Scotland. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)

Alex and I then asked him about his round with Fitzpatrick revealing he had first played the Hilton Head course before during a family holiday.

I asked Matthew when he is next competing ‘back home’ and he indicated a number of events including he was going  to contest this year’s Scottish Open, and it was just the line a hard-working freelance golf journalist needed.

If you pick up a copy of today’s (Saturday) Scottish Herald and Daily Record you will read the fruits of my work and confirmation of Fitzpatrick’s debut appearance at Royal Aberdeen.

Once the formal part of the interview was over Matthew asked me where I was form.

I responded:  “I grew up in Sydney in Australia and I’m now living in Crail, Scotland.”

Fitzpatrick immediately replied:  “Oh, I know Crail.  I love the Balcomie course where you drive off the first to the fairway below.

“I’ve played a bit of golf in Scotland but Crail is one of my favourites.  I just like the course so much”.

And then Alex, who is working for Golf Week magazine contributed:  “I’m a member at Crail, as well.  And I agree.”

Fitzpatrick headed off to a well-earned lunch and Alex and I made out way back through the continuing downpour to resume ‘normal duties’ in the Media Center.