Alex Fitzpatrick clinched his first DP World Tour title with a two-shot victory at the Hero Indian Open, a week after older brother Matt triumphed at the Valspar Championship on the PGA Tour. They became the first brothers to win in back-to-back weeks across the PGA and DP World Tours.
“I idolise him. I’m just trying to be like him in every way,” Alex said of his sibling, a former US Open champion. “It can be hard sometimes when you’re constantly chasing someone’s accolades but luckily it’s my brother so it’s not horrific.”
Alex began the final round in India four shots behind defending champion Eugenio Chacarra and that deficit increased to six after five holes. A dramatic turnaround followed as Fitzpatrick fired and Chacarra imploded. Fitzpatrick picked up eight birdies in 12 holes from the sixth and took the lead at the 15th when his gain was coupled with Chacarra bagging his fourth of what became six bogeys on the day.
Chacarra recorded further blemishes at 16 and 17, giving Fitzpatrick a four-shot lead heading to the last. Although Fitzpatrick then double-bogeyed the 18th, he signed for a three-under 69 and finished on nine under. Chacarra’s three-over 75 left him in outright second on seven under, while England’s Andy Sullivan, France’s Ugo Coussaud and South Africa’s M. J. Daffue shared third on five under.
The victory came in Alex’s 87th DP World Tour start and followed Matt’s one-shot win in Florida the previous Sunday. Alex said he would see his parents and meet his brother in Florida to celebrate. “It has been a lot of hard work for a long time and I have a lot of people to thank for this. I am over the moon and am probably going to cry. I am ecstatic,” he added. “At no point today [did I think I had the win]. I asked my caddie how many putts I had from six feet so I think that says it all. I am mentally exhausted. It’s a challenge out here and I am happy to come out on top.”
Fitzpatrick’s final-round recovery included back-to-back early bogeys at three and four that left him two over after five, but he then picked up shots on three of his next four holes. After a bogey at the 10th he responded with five birdies in seven holes to seize control.
Chacarra, who had been seeking to defend his title, began with a bogey and repeatedly surrendered shots after brief rallies, his hopes evaporating with three dropped shots in a row from the 15th.
The next regular DP World Tour event is the Volvo China Open in Shanghai from April 23, with the season’s first major, The Masters at Augusta National, taking place from April 9.