Reigning US Amateur champion Matthew Fitzpatrick has turned down defending his title later this year in Atlanta in announcing he will turn professional immediately following next month’s US Open at Pinehurst.
The 19-year old Fitzpatrick has signed with International Sports Management and the same firm managing the business affairs of fellow Englishman Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke.
Fitzpatrick had finished the ‘Low Amateur’ at the 2013 British Open at Muirfield in Scotland before travelling to the States to capture the 2013 US Amateur title in defeating Australia’s Oliver Goss at the Country Cub in Massachusetts, and with victory sending him to the top of the world amateur rankings.
England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick to turn pro at next month’s Irish Open. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
Victory earned Fitzpatrick invitations into the 2014 Masters, US Open and (British) Open Championship as long as he remained an amateur.
The Sheffield-born Fitzpatrick contested last month’s Masters but missing out by one shot, along with past Augusta winners Phil Mickelson and Charl Schwartzel, in playing all four rounds at Augusta National.
A week later he traveled to Hilton Head, South Carolina to finish T23rd in the RBC Heritage.
Fitzpatrick will turn professional in the week after the US Open at the June 19th commencing Irish Open at Fota Island in Cork.
The Irish Open will be the first of seven invitations he will be afforded from the European Tour over the remainder of the 2014 season in order to try and secure full playing rights for 2015.
He is the second Sheffield golf to join ISM within the past year, following in the footsteps of European Tour winner, and former fellow world amateur number one, Danny Willett.
“I’m sure I’ll be able to ask Danny a question or two if need any advice,” said Fitzpatrick.
