Matt Fitzpatrick’s Scottish Open 2025 Comeback: Can He End His DP World Tour Win Drought?

Matt Fitzpatrick’s Scottish Open 2025 Comeback: Can He End His DP World Tour Win Drought?

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Matt Fitzpatrick arrives at the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open hungry to break an 18-month winless drought on the DP World Tour. The Englishman’s last victory came at the 2023 BMW PGA Championship, but recent form suggests he’s primed for a resurgence at The Renaissance Club.

Known for his surgical precision on links courses, Fitzpatrick has historically performed well in Scotland. With improved putting stats and top-20 finishes in seven of his last ten starts, this tournament could mark his triumphant return to the winner’s circle.

Summary
  • Matt Fitzpatrick enters the 2025 Scottish Open seeking to end an 18-month DP World Tour win drought, with his last victory dating back to the 2023 BMW PGA Championship.
  • Recent form shows promise, with top-20 finishes in 7 of his last 10 starts and improved putting (+0.5 strokes gained), though consistency across all four rounds remains his key challenge.
  • The Renaissance Club’s course setup perfectly aligns with Fitzpatrick’s strengths, as evidenced by his T8 finish in 2023 and top rankings in driving accuracy (68%) and greens in regulation (72%).
  • Bookmakers list Fitzpatrick as a +1800 sixth favorite, mirroring his 2023 odds when he finished runner-up, suggesting this event represents one of his best win opportunities.
  • A victory would mark his third Rolex Series win and first professional triumph in Scotland, potentially reigniting his career ahead of The Open Championship.

Matt Fitzpatrick’s Scottish Open 2025 Comeback: Can He End His DP World Tour Win Drought?

Matt Fitzpatrick
Source: mattfitzpatrick.golf
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Fitzpatrick’s Current Form: Signs of Resurgence Ahead of Scottish Open

Matt Fitzpatrick arrives at the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open with intriguing form that suggests he’s primed to end his DP World Tour victory drought. The Englishman has recorded seven top-20 finishes in his last ten starts, including a solid T12 at the U.S. Open where he demonstrated his major championship pedigree against the world’s elite. His statistical profile reveals significant improvement in key areas that should serve him well at The Renaissance Club.

Fitzpatrick’s approach play has been particularly stellar this season, ranking top 15 in greens in regulation. More surprisingly, his putting – traditionally considered his weakness – has gained over 0.5 strokes on the field in recent events. This balanced improvement makes him a legitimate contender despite his 18-month winless stretch. Notably, he’s made the cut in every major this season, a consistency milestone he hadn’t achieved since his 2022 U.S. Open triumph.

An analysis of Fitzpatrick’s last five tournaments shows:

  • U.S. Open: T12 (led field in fairways hit)
  • PGA Championship: T18 (4th in scrambling percentage)
  • Memorial Tournament: T22 (3rd in approach shot proximity)
  • Charles Schwab Challenge: T15 (2nd in driving accuracy)
  • Wells Fargo Championship: MC (only blemish in last three months)
While the win column remains empty, Fitzpatrick’s underlying metrics suggest he’s actually playing better overall golf now than during some of his winning periods. The Renaissance Club’s precision requirements perfectly match his current strengths.

The Renaissance Club: Why It Suits Fitzpatrick’s Game

The Scottish Open’s host venue presents a compelling opportunity for Fitzpatrick to end his drought. The Renaissance Club demands accurate driving rather than pure power, with small greens that reward precise iron play – two hallmarks of Fitzpatrick’s game. His career performance at this layout reveals a player consistently contending:

Year Finish Key Stat
2024 T15 2nd in Driving Accuracy
2023 T8 3rd in Greens in Regulation
2022 T22 1st in Scrambling

Fitzpatrick’s record in coastal winds further bolsters his case this week. He ranks top 20 for scoring average in windy conditions over the past three seasons – a crucial skill at The Renaissance Club where afternoon gusts frequently exceed 20mph. His ability to control ball flight and manufacture creative shots should yield dividends on this exposed links-style layout.

Don’t underestimate how Fitzpatrick’s 2022 U.S. Open win at The Country Club translates here. Both courses punish wayward driving and reward meticulous planners – exactly the type of golfer Fitzpatrick has always been.

The Win Drought: Analyzing Fitzpatrick’s Dry Spell

Matt Fitzpatrick’s last DP World Tour victory came at the 2023 BMW PGA Championship, where he held off Rory McIlroy in a thrilling final-round duel. While the subsequent 18 months haven’t yielded another trophy, a deeper examination reveals significant near-misses and consistent performances:

Fitzpatrick near miss
Source: pgatour.com

Since his last victory, Fitzpatrick has:

  • Recorded seven top-10 finishes worldwide
  • Finished runner-up at the 2024 Scottish Open
  • Posted three top-15s in majors
  • Maintained position inside world top 20 throughout drought

The Englishman’s statistical consistency during this period actually surpasses some stretches when he was winning regularly. His strokes gained metrics show improvement in driving accuracy (+12% fairways hit since 2023) and greens in regulation (+8%), with only putting remaining inconsistent at crucial Sunday moments.

Comparing His Drought to Peers

Fitzpatrick’s 18-month winless stretch appears less concerning when contextualized against other elite players:

Player Longest Winless Streak Cameback Win
Justin Rose 26 months 2023 AT&T Pebble Beach
Shane Lowry 33 months 2022 BMW PGA
Tyrrell Hatton 19 months 2024 Arnold Palmer
The narrative around Fitzpatrick’s drought ignores how modern golf’s depth means even elite players experience longer gaps between wins. His consistent contention suggests a breakthrough is imminent rather than indicating decline.

Tactical Breakdown: Fitzpatrick’s Path to Victory

For Fitzpatrick to lift the Scottish Open trophy, several specific elements must align:

Renaissance Club
Source: nbcsports.com

The Renaissance Club’s key holes where Fitzpatrick must excel:

  • Par-4 7th: Demands precise 280-yard tee shot to narrow fairway – Fitzpatrick hits fairway 78% of time vs field average 61%
  • Par-3 13th: Requires exact distance control in wind – ranks 3rd on Tour in proximity from 175-200 yards
  • Par-5 16th: Scoring opportunity where he’s gained 1.3 strokes per round this season

Weather conditions will play a significant role. Forecasts suggest increasing winds as the tournament progresses, which should benefit Fitzpatrick given his:

  • Top-10 ranking in crosswind performance
  • Ability to flight shots lower than most contemporaries
  • Proven patience in adverse conditions
Watch Fitzpatrick’s early-round putting stats closely. If he gains strokes on the greens Thursday-Friday, the confidence could carry him through the weekend pressure that’s thwarted him recently.

Expert Predictions and Betting Outlook

Golf analysts are divided on Fitzpatrick’s chances, with opinions ranging from optimistic to cautiously skeptical:

Source Prediction Odds Assessment
Sky Sports Golf Top-5 finish +350 good value
PGATour.com Win contender +1800 slightly long
BettingPros Fade candidate Win odds too short

The current betting market lists Fitzpatrick at +1800, making him sixth favorite behind Scheffler, McIlroy, MacIntyre, Schauffele and Kim. These odds partially reflect his strong course history – he was the same price when finishing runner-up in 2023 – and the expectation that links-style tests bring out his best.

Notable prop bets for Fitzpatrick:

  • Top English Player: +250
  • First Round Leader: +4000
  • To Make Cut: -250
  • Match Bet vs Viktor Hovland: -110
The smart money might be on Fitzpatrick top-10 (+200) rather than outright win. His game suits the course perfectly, but Sunday putting under pressure remains the unanswered question.

Historical Context: Fitzpatrick in Scotland

Scotland holds special significance in Fitzpatrick’s career trajectory. His amateur victory at the 2013 Scottish Open qualifier at age 18 announced his potential, while his 2022 Dunhill Links performance showcased his links mastery with four sub-68 rounds. The Renaissance Club presents his best opportunity yet for a professional breakthrough on Scottish soil.

Fitzpatrick in Scotland
Source: pgatour.com

Key Scottish milestones in Fitzpatrick’s career:

  • 2013: Amateur medalist at Scottish Open qualifier
  • 2019: First professional top-10 in Scotland (Dunhill Links)
  • 2022: 54-hole lead at Scottish Open before final round 73
  • 2023: Career-best T8 at The Renaissance Club

Fitzpatrick’s gradual improvement at The Renaissance Club – from T22 to T8 to last year’s near-miss – suggests he’s solving this particular puzzle methodically. With many top players using this event as Open Championship preparation, his focus on ending the DP World Tour drought could provide crucial extra motivation.

The ghosts of that 2022 final-round collapse still linger, but Fitzpatrick has shown remarkable resilience throughout his career. Sometimes it takes failing in a particular spot before breaking through – think of McIlroy at Augusta or Spieth at The Open.
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