Golfer Fitzpatrick: How Two Little Thieves Helped Him at the Wentworth Tournament.

Incident on the 18th Hole

According to The Sun: Matt Fitzpatrick noted that the "two little thieves" who stole his ball on the 18th hole at Wentworth did him a big favor.

The former US Open champion accidentally hit his final drive into the trees and was playing a backup ball when the signal for a 90-minute suspension due to lightning sounded.

Caddy Daniel Parratt asked if they should wait until the suspension was over to look for the first ball.

Fitzpatrick, 31, quickly called for the referee from the BMW PGA Championship.

“When the signal went off, Dan said, ‘What if someone comes up, finds your ball, and decides to take it?’ It was a great moment, as there’s a high chance that could happen.”

“We asked the referee if we should look for the ball to avoid the risk of losing it. He took us to the crowd where we thought my ball had landed. A few people saw two guys jump into the bushes and come out smiling with the ball.”

“So we decided that it was likely my ball, and I would take the penalty stroke from there when we got back.”

“I still made a bogey six, but had I played my backup ball, it could have been worse. So those two little thieves probably saved me a stroke.”

Success at the Championship

Fitzpatrick smiled, noting that the guys probably helped him. He joked, “It would have been better if they threw it on the fairway!”

Fitzpatrick with a score of six under par 66 continued his hot streak that earned him a wildcard at the Ryder Cup, and now he's likely to appear at Bethpage full of confidence.

“I played wonderfully, apart from that one wild shot. This is a competition every English player wants to win, and I’m no exception.”

Fitzpatrick trailed by a couple of shots to playing partner and Ryder Cup teammate Ludwig Åberg.

The Swede matched 64s set by another leader Tom Valiant, who made the first shot of the tournament at 6:40 am.

Rory McIlroy tried to finish in near darkness, but not as he would have liked. He lost his second shot in the water on the 18th hole, resulting in a bogey six and a total of 69 strokes.

Playing partner Shane Lowry managed to make five birdies over the last seven holes, shooting a score of 67, matching another Ryder Cup player, Justin Rose.

Rory McIlroy finished in near darkness.

This incident shows how unpredictable situations can become part of the game. Although Fitzpatrick faced difficulties, his humor and positive approach allowed him to turn the situation to his advantage. He now has every chance to show a strong performance at the next Ryder Cup, which boosts his confidence. Meanwhile, other participants are also trying to cope with the challenges of weather and the stress of competition, as demonstrated by Rory McIlroy, who, despite setbacks, continues to fight.