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Fitzy Said No to Another Collapse
Publication by EssentiallySports | March 23, 2026 | Edition #278 |
👋 Hey Golf Fans,
In Batman Begins, as Wayne Manor burns to the ground, a heartbroken Bruce laments to Alfred J. Pennyworth, “I failed.” To which Pennyworth replies, “Why do we fall, sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up.” Matt Fitzpatrick embodied that spirit at the Valspar Championship in the best way possible. He learnt from his mistakes at The Players and rose from the ashes he’d left behind. We’ll delve into that, talk about winners from across tours, share the tale of a damaged hole, a hideous lie, and a chaotic fight today.
Let’s get started…
Pros who come close to a big win and fall short often flop the next week. The heartbreak is often too much to bear. But look at the massive fist pump from Matt Fitzpatrick (-3/1st) after he dropped the birdie putt to win the Valspar Championship, and you’ll know he isn’t one of them.
It counts, especially after the disappointing week at TPC Sawgrass.
Fitzy started the day three strokes back of Sungjae Im (+3/T4). But Im was doomed to perpetuate the curse: No player holding a 54-hole lead or co-lead in the four Florida Swing events this season has won. Meanwhile, Brandt Snedeker (+5/T18) shared the lead with Matt, David Lipsky (-1/2nd), and Jordan Smith (-5/3rd) at times, until he three-putted for a double bogey on the 12th.
Fitzpatrick couldn't shake free until he drilled a 30-foot birdie putt on the 15th. Just like the previous week at The Players, he reached the 16th tee with a one-stroke lead. But it vanished when Lipsky matched him at 10 under with a birdie. On the 18th, Fitzpatrick sank the 14-footer birdie putt to sign for 11-under for the week. Lipsky narrowly missed his birdie chance, handing Fitzpatrick his first PGA Tour win since the 2023 RBC Heritage.
Fitzy stood alone in the field with a bogey-free weekend, becoming the third champ to post a bogey-free final round, and the first since Luke Donald (2012) and Kevin Streelman (2013). No one else fired four sub-70 rounds this week. He also made history as the first to win right after being a runner-up at The Players since David Toms in 2011. This catapults him to projected No. 6 in the world.
What a way to rise to the top.
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Hideous: Sooner or later, it bites us all: ball buried in a bunker, pinned under the lip. Jacob Bridgeman (-5/T14) drew the short straw in Round 2 at the Valspar Championship. He hacked one that barely cleared the trap. Just look at the hideous lie. Do you think you could’ve gotten out in one shot? We sure wouldn’t have.
Everything About This Is a Nightmare |
Damage: Imagine hitting so hard that you actually break the cup. Louis Oosthuizen’s approach shot on the 18th rocketed straight at the flag and smashed the cup so hard it left a scar. How bad? Well, see for yourself how badly the hole was damaged.
Choice: Annabell Fuller (-8/7th) ignited a firestorm with her Australian WPGA Championship getup. The 23-year-old rocked a crop top at Sanctuary Cove, as you can see here. But the controversy misses the point: LPGA stars aren't dressing to dazzle; they're elite athletes in action. Let them be comfortable.
Crazy: Lately, fan clash videos have rocketed up the viral charts. This one from LIV Golf South Africa delivers everything and then some. Two dudes brawl, pause, then another pair erupts a few yards away, sucking everyone back into the fray. Nobody’s paid enough to wrangle a pack of hotheads. Watch the chaotic moment here.
Special: If you read our report on why pros at the Cologuard Classic wore blue ribbons, you already know what this is about. Sponsored by Exact Sciences, the event doubles as a heartfelt hub for colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors, patients, and families. The survivors strolled the fairway with the final group, as you can see here.
Do Moments Like a Fan Fight Make Golf Events Feel Less Safe? |
Saturday’s Result: 77% of you said Tiger Woods won't make the cut if he plays this year's Masters.
Hainan Classic: Remember Jordan Gumberg? Yep, the daredevil who holed out for an eagle to keep his DP World Tour card last year. This week, Gumberg (-2/1st) birdied four of his first seven holes on Sunday to snag his second tour title, edging Jorge Campillo (-1/2nd) by one stroke. It was a win for the ages, and Jordan’s wife Luka celebrated it that way—watch it below.
When Your Wife Is Happier Than You |
LIV Golf South Africa: Bryson DeChambeau (-5/1st) is the hottest global star right now. Want proof? Listen to the thunderous roar of fans chanting his name. On a rain-soaked Sunday, DeChambeau and Jon Rahm (-8/2nd) both finished at 26-under par, sending the tournament to a playoff. Bryson sank the birdie putt, while Rahm could only muster par. But it was Bryson wiping away tears before even knocking in the winning putt that surprised everyone.
Fortinet Founders Cup: On Sunday morning, Hyo Joo Kim (+1/1st) had a five-stroke advantage over Nelly Korda (-3/2nd). But by the 10th, they were tied. However, Korda’s hope for a comeback win ended with this putting mistake on the penultimate hole. Despite a bogey on the 18th, Kim sealed a wire-to-wire win by one shot for her first title in two years.
Australian WPGA Championship: Hannah Green (-2/1st) became the first Australian to win three consecutive titles. And this time too, her husband was caddying for her. The chemistry is clearly working—check out how the couple celebrated it.
DP World PGTI Open: MJ Daffue (-3/1st) cruised to a bogey-free Sunday to snag his second HotelPlanner Tour title in two months. Starting four shots clear, he signed for a 69, edging out Jhared Hack (-4) and Saptak Talwar (-7) by one—watch his winning moment here.
As part of our Masters week countdown, we are looking at all 18 holes of Augusta National. With 14 days to go before the first major, today our focus is on the Chinese Fir, the famous 14th hole.
Chinese Fir, named after the exotic evergreen tree, is the only hole at Augusta National without a bunker. The all-time Masters scoring average on No. 14 is 4.17 strokes, making it the eighth-toughest hole there. The highest score recorded here is a quadruple bogey 8, posted once by Nick Price in 1993. The lowest is an eagle 2 on the par-4, achieved by several, including Felix Serafin (1946), Raymond Floyd (1984), and Martin Kaymer (2016).
Throw a ball into a basket. Then, try to copy that exact arc without looking at the hoop. Sounds difficult? That’s because you’re thinking about the exact trajectory instead of tapping into your subconscious. It’s the same reason you fumble while trying to pull off hole-outs like this one. Focus on reflective practice:
Select a straightforward chip shot you have a chance to hole out. After each shot, immediately analyze why it missed. Was it the alignment, the push, or the poor contact?
Observe closely where the ball is landing and where it’s rolling. It’s not always because you hit too hard. You might have just landed on a downslope. Take an easier route in the next shot.
Make tweaks based on these micro insights. Change ball position for spin or take longer swings for better contact. Let Marco Penge’s golf coach, Alex Buckner, demonstrate it to you.
Chase small gains. Get one foot closer to the pin than the previous shot, and then follow these other tips to improve your short game.
Skill Up Further💡 |
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