Matt Fitzpatrick has followed up his triumph in an epic finale to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai by claiming the Hilton European Tour Golfer of the Month award for November.
The 22 year old bolstered his reputation as one of golf’s rising stars when he holed a nerve-shredding birdie putt at the 18th to win by a single shot at Jumeirah Golf Estates, after countryman Tyrrell Hatton carded a bogey at the last.
The title was Fitzpatrick’s second European Tour win of the season - his third overall - and was enough to seal fifth place in the Race to Dubai Rankings, and a share of the $5million bonus pot.
The Englishman was previously named Golfer of the Month in October 2015 in recognition of his maiden victory at the British Masters supported by Sky Sports, and again in January 2016 when the entire European team received the honour following an emphatic 18 ½ - 5 ½ win over Asia to lift the EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM in Malaysia.
As a previous recipient Fitzpatrick already has Hilton HHonors Diamond Elite Status – the highest tier of the hotel’s renowned loyalty scheme – and he will now receive an additional 50,000 HHonors points.
Fitzpatrick made a promising start to 2016, finishing tied seventh at the Masters Tournament in just his second appearance at Augusta National.
His first title of the season came at the Nordea Masters in June, when he eased to a three-shot victory over Lasse Jensen at Bro Hof Slott Golf Club in Stockholm.
He recorded another three top ten finishes before making his Ryder Cup debut at Hazeltine National. Fitzpatrick then rounded off a memorable season on a high by holding his nerve to seal his biggest win to date in Dubai.
He was selected as the Golfer of the Month by a panel of golf writers ahead of Alex Noren and Thorbjørn Olesen, who were voted second and third following their victories at the Nedbank Golf Challenge and Turkish Airlines Open respectively.
Fitzpatrick said: “It’s fantastic to have three of these awards so early in my career, and getting this recognition again helps to round off a great year for me.
“A title at a Final Series event is very special, and particularly the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, which is a big milestone in the schedule. To win in the final week of the season, especially after such a close battle, really means a lot and this award makes it even sweeter.”
Phil Casey, Press Association Golf Correspondent, said: “With all three events of the European Tour's Final Series events taking place, November was always likely to provide outstanding contenders for the Golfer of the Month award, and so it proved.
“Thorbjørn Olesen threatened to leave the field trailing in his wake before holding his nerve to win the Turkish Airlines Open, while Alex Noren claimed a remarkable fourth win in 11 starts with a stunning 63 in the final round at Sun City.
“However, the panel felt that Matt Fitzpatrick’s dramatic victory in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai was the standout performance of the month. Fitzpatrick overcame a top-class field to edge out October's Golfer of the Month Tyrrell Hatton at Jumeirah Golf Estates, making a nerveless birdie on the 72nd hole to claim a third European Tour title at the age of 22 and confirm his status as one of the future stars of world golf.”
Hilton, the Official Hotel Supplier to The European Tour, is the Official Sponsor of the European Tour Golfer of the Month award, which recognises and rewards the best performances of European Tour members each month.
HHonors Diamond Elite Status provides its members with a host of fantastic benefits at 4,600 hotels within the Hilton portfolio around the world, including complimentary access to Executive Floors, late checkouts, 48-hour room guarantees and, pending availability, complimentary room upgrades.
