Nerves can have the best of the Ryder Cup stars, especially in the hostile away crowds. Couple that with a disappointing run and a 2-year winless drought, and you have the case for Matt Fitzpatrick. The European star has often struggled with Ryder Cup pressure and public scrutiny. And one insider believes that it might act as a weak point for the European squad.

Making a case for the American team, Kevin Van Valkenburg noted that the unforgiving Bethpage crowds might work in favor of Keegan Bradley‘s squad. Valkenburg recalled his first Ryder Cup experience back in 2016. That’s when Fitzpatrick first showed signs of struggle under the pressure of the US crowds. Playing in the unfamiliar courses is a nuisance in itself. Add to that the booing US crowds. Not exactly a pretty thing to picture. But that was the reality at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in 2016. Valkenburg noted that the English golfer jittered nervously as he shared the story on the Fried Egg Golf podcast.

“I can vividly remember the 2016 Ryder Cup, my first Ryder Cup. I was walking around kind of late Thursday afternoon, and Matt Fitzpatrick had found a hole all by himself where he was just pounding drivers over and over because he was trying to get away from the watchful eye of the hateful media. He was struggling big time, nervously trying to figure out his driver.”

The story perfectly paints the mental battles of Fitzpatrick. With the US media constantly pushing out competitive narratives between the two teams, the pressure was real for Fitzpatrick in his debut. The anthemic chanting of the US crowds further sent shivers down his spine. Adding in a lighthearted manner with a sharp edge to it, Valkenburg laughed, “I love it when somebody becomes the guy that the American crowd really rags on, really feels like they can rattle. I’m afraid that Fitzy might be that dude.”

Well, as it turns out, Valkenburg wasn’t wrong. The nervousness that had taken over Fitzpatrick before the onset of the showdown clearly affected his performance. Going against Zach Johnson in the singles match, Fitzpatrick was defeated 4&3. Moreover, the American duo Brooks Koepka and Brandt Snedeker defeated Fitzpatrick and Henrik Stenson 3&2. That contributed to Team Europe’s loss, resulting in a 0-2-0 record for the English golfer. In the following Ryder Cups, too, Fitzpatrick’s performance was underwhelming.

Quipping on the golfer’s 1-7-0 record in his three Ryder Cups, Valkenburg couldn’t help but draw comparisons with other players. “He’s probably the last guy on the team to be one of Luke Donald’s guys. You’d probably rather have Alex Norén if you’re Luke Donald,” Valkenburg stated. Sure enough, Alex Noren’s record sits at 2-1-0 with a 66.7% winning rate, despite only one Ryder Cup appearance back in 2018. Fitzpatrick’s disappointing 2024-25 stretch only makes a better case for Noren.

However, Luke Donald has placed his faith in Matt Fitzpatrick to represent the European Team this year at Bethpage. The away course would undoubtedly make things tough, but the pressure from the crowds would add a whole new layer of difficulty. In one disturbing incident shared by Fitzpatrick himself, he reveals that the crowds can sometimes take a nasty turn with their chantings.

“There were a few choice words said to me in particular coming down the last hole. Someone shouted, ‘Slit his throat, Berger,'” Fitzpatrick recalled. “That didn’t go down too well with mum and dad, as you can probably imagine.”

However, even though the records have been disappointing, his Ryder Cup career has seen a general upward trend.

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Matt Fitzpatrick’s Ryder Cup run

Beginning with his debut in 2016, Matt Fitzpatrick suffered a stinging heartbreak, losing both of his matches. Following that, in 2018, Fitzpatrick failed to make the team. However, the English golfer made a return at the Whistling Straits in 2021. Even though that couldn’t turn around his records, losing all three matches, Fitzpatrick’s performance on the PGA Tour got him on the Marco Simone team.

Fitzpatrick grabbed his first win here in a four-ball match alongside Rory McIlroy. However, he lost his other two matches. That leads to 1 win and 7 losses across all his appearances, providing him with only 12.5% of his potential points. Despite his Ryder Cup struggles, Matt Fitzpatrick has been making a steady return.

Even though he remains winless this year, the golfer rebounded from his disappointing start at the Rocket Classic with four consecutive Top-10 finishes. Making the team through the captain’s pick, Fitzpatrick is not only showing signs of improvement but is also trusted by the team. Ex-Ryder Cup Captain, Paul McGinley, said, “Matt Fitzpatrick is a guy who has a poor Ryder Cup record, [but] all of us behind the scenes are pretty confident that over time that’s going to rebalance itself and he’s going to have a great Ryder Cup very shortly. And this could be it.”

McGinley also praised Fitzpatrick’s iron game. “He’s a wonderful iron player. That’s been a real strength of his. He’s got a new direction in terms of what he’s doing with his swing coach,” McGinley added.

The faith from his team, alongside his new direction with his game, foreshadows a Ryder Cup breakthrough that no one might be prepared for. In just a matter of days, fans can see whether Fitzpatrick crumbles under the crowd pressure or marks his spot at Bethpage.