If Alex Fitzpatrick needed a glimpse into simply how life altering successful on the PGA Tour can be, he didn’t have to attend lengthy.
Whereas celebrating victory on the Zurich Traditional pairs occasion, in tandem along with his older brother and world quantity 4 Matt, at a golf membership simply north of Palm Seaside in Florida, Alex felt a congratulatory hand on his shoulder.
"I look over and it's Michael Jordan," Fitzpatrick says. "I'm like 'wow', it's insane.
"He walks previous the desk. He's acquired a bag filled with cigars, t-shirt untucked, he appears like the best particular person ever.
"He walked previous me, noticed Gary Woodland, who gained the earlier week, and was like 'wow, it's a room of winners in right here'. That was the best factor ever.
"Once I began to actually love basketball, I watched movies of him. I like his footwear. I cherished every thing about him. It was surreal having that second.
"I'm not somebody who will get starstruck however Michael Jordan, having him say stuff to me, it was a distinct world."
It’s a world, although, the place Fitzpatrick is wanting very a lot at house.
Along with his maiden DP World Tour win on the n in March, Fitzpatrick has 5 top-10 finishes in 13 begins on the PGA Tour.
Whereas cynics had been questioning the benefit of receiving a two-year tour card because of successful April's , 2026 has seen Fitzpatrick show his place alongside the world's greatest.
And so certain is he of his spot among the many elite, Fitzpatrick hasn't really leaned a lot on 2022 US Open champion Matt for recommendation.
"The reality is, we haven't spoken that a lot about a variety of stuff. I've picked his mind as soon as this 12 months, perhaps twice," he says.
"I really feel snug out right here and comfy across the group of individuals taking part in on this tour.
"I've been doing this a very long time, I've been taking part in golf since I used to be 4.
"I haven't requested him a variety of questions on how issues work, perhaps find out how to get higher with sure issues.
"He's all the time somebody I can textual content or name however he's nonetheless my brother and that's extra essential than the golf facet."
'I’ve my very own id'
When Netflix featured Alex in season two of its fly-on-the-wall documentary Full Swing, the episode was titled 'In The Shadows', and, whether or not on request of the manufacturing crew or not, he launched himself as "Matt Fitzpatrick's brother" first, then "skilled golfer".
This season, the youthful Fitzpatrick has been carving his personal path.
He adopted up the Indian Open and Zurich Traditional successes by ending tied for ninth on the Cadillac Championship in Might. He was then fourth on the Truist Championship at Quail Hole and it was at that event in North Carolina when he felt like he belonged at this degree.
"I've all the time had the self perception that I might compete towards one of the best gamers, however I by no means had the prospect or information to again up my very own perception," he says.
"It was good to really feel like I'm out right here for a great cause. At that time, I used to be assured in my recreation and at that time I felt I might keep on."
He says his outstanding rise from exterior the world's prime 250 to quantity 68 in simply 12 months was "kick-started" by working with Matt's former coach Mike Walker on a extra everlasting foundation.
Fitzpatrick provides that "backing himself" was his greatest choice however does he really feel like he has lastly solid his personal standing within the recreation?
"I’ve my very own id," he says. "This 12 months I've actually labored on what I need to obtain and who I’m as an individual.
"That's the massive step I've taken. The success on the course doesn't outline me."
'It's surreal'
With the qualification interval for the 2027 Ryder Cup beginning this week, each brothers might play their means into Luke Donald's European crew to face america at Adare Manor subsequent September.
However Fitzpatrick's speedy consideration is on a powerful end on the PGA Tour's season-ending Tour Championship within the FedEx Cup play-offs.
The Sheffield golfer will tee it up on Thursday sitting twenty fourth within the standings, with a assured £260,000 even when he finishes final within the 30-man area at East Lake, capping off a 12 months he describes "about as life altering as you’ll be able to think about".
Such has been his progress, merely taking part in in Atlanta, one thing which the likes of Justin Thomas, Shane Lowry and Rickie Fowler will not be doing, is sort of the achievement for the person ranked 291st on this planet final August.
Whether or not it's taking part in within the largest, most profitable tournaments in golf, or rubbing shoulders with basketball royalty, the sentiments for Fitzpatrick are the identical.
"It's very surreal," he says. "I'm simply making an attempt to take all of it in and profit from it."
