"A tough one to swallow and I feel for them" - Matt Fitzpatrick critiques LIV Golf's Saudi involvement and its impact on the PGA Tour
Matt Fitzpatrick feels that it was definitely a 'tough pill to swallow' for the golfers who turned down LIV Golf's offer amid the PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger. He said he was always going to be with the PGA Tour, and that's why the news didn't make much difference to him.
Fitzpatrick posted a 4-under 68 in the first round of the RBC Canadian Open on Thursday. During the post-round interview, he was asked about his reaction to the shocking merger announcement of the two rival circuits. He revealed that he didn't get any formal offer from the Public Investment Fund, and he wasn't interested in it anyway.
He was quoted as saying via Golf Digest:
"I purely spoke to them purely out of being nosy as to what they're going to do, what they're going to, what's the setup going to be. So, yeah, for me it didn't really make a difference. I was always going to be on the PGA Tour.
"Obviously for the guys that did turn down significant amounts of money then that's probably a tough one to swallow and I feel for them."
The World No. 8 player added that he knew he would be asked about the merger, and he gave good thought to how to answer the questions. Eventually, he concluded that it wasn't his job to comment on it.
He said:
"I spoke to a few close friends of mine and listened to what they had to say, successful businessmen. All I can do is go and play great golf myself. Whether everyone comes back and plays in the field, I've still got to beat them in front of me.
"Everyone in this field, I've got to beat them in front of me," he added. "So obviously there's a potential sour taste in there for some guys coming back. But at the end of the day, you're trying to beat the course and that's what I'm going to try and concentrate on."
Matt Fitzpatrick starts well at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, sits at T-5 after Round 1
Matt Fitzpatrick had a great start to the RBC Canadian Open 2023 as he carded a 4-under 68 on Day 1. He sits at T5 after the conclusion of the first round, with four players tied at first.
The 28-year-old Englishman put on an impressive performance on Thursday with the help of five birdies. He was going for a bogey-free first round until he ended up making one on the penultimate eighth hole at Oakdale Country Club.
Fitzpatrick has an important week coming up as he will be defending the US Open title, which begins on June 15 at Los Angeles Country Club.
The first position is shared by four golfers, as Justin Lower, Aaron Rai, Corey Conners, and Chesson Hadley are tied at 5-under 67.
Local star Conners carded a bogey-free first round that comprised five birdies. Notably, it has been 69 years since the event saw a Canadian winner with Pat Fletcher being the last player to achieve this in 1954.