Staff WriterIf there’s one thing the British Masters has never lacked, it’s drama – and it’s safe to say Matt Fitzpatrick delivered a fistful of it on Saturday with a shot that belonged in a whisky commercial: neat, bold, and gone before anyone could blink.
The Sheffield lad and 2022 U.S. Open champion rolled in a chip-in eagle at The Belfry en route to a three-under-par 68, grabbing a one-shot lead at 12-under as he heads into Sunday’s final round of the Betfred British Masters, hosted this year by Sir Nick Faldo – who, naturally, looked on like a man appraising a future captain’s pick.
And speaking of picks, Fitzpatrick has more than the trophy on his mind. “Just happy with where my game is at at the minute,” he said, trying his best to sound indifferent. “Just trying to be really patient, not force it, and just keep hitting solid shots.”
The goal? Make sure European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has no choice but to scribble his name onto the flight manifest to Bethpage Black. Fitzpatrick, ever the pragmatist, is keeping his mind sharp but his ego on a leash: “I would say my confidence is high but it’s obviously important to still keep my expectations as low as possible, as well.”
That sage advice comes courtesy of putting guru Phil Kenyon, who apparently teaches confidence like a priest teaches patience—quietly, but effectively.
Behind him, a familiar foe lurks. Alex Noren, the 2015 British Masters champ and as Swedish as IKEA on a Saturday, sits one back at 11 under. He’s followed closely by a couple of men who don’t seem to understand that pressure is supposed to make you buckle, not birdie.
Marco Penge, fresh off a win and still high on adrenaline or Red Bull (possibly both), fired a bogey-free 63—tying the course record with the sort of casual flair usually reserved for pub quizzes.
He joins Nicolai Højgaard in a share of third at 10 under, both two shots back and fully capable of making Fitzpatrick’s Sunday walk feel more like a gauntlet.
Not to be outdone, Scottish amateur Cameron Adam decided now was as good a time as any to throw his name into the hat, carding a 66 that was as clean as his amateur status, landing him in a six-man logjam at 9 under alongside Matt Wallace and Sweden’s Simon Forsström.
Meanwhile, all eyes are on Rasmus Højgaard, the only man left with a shot at Ryder Cup automatic qualification. The Dane’s third-round 69 moved him to seven under and T-14, which is just enough to keep calculators warm. He’ll need a T-29 finish with at least one companion to punch his ticket to Long Island.
Elsewhere, Angel Hidalgo brought literal fireworks to the third round. The Spaniard one-hopped an eight-iron straight into the cup at the par-three 7th—156 yards of pure theatre. That makes one hole-in-one, zero club twirls, and roughly a million cheers from the gallery.
All told, with 16 eagles or better flying around the Belfry on Saturday—including 10 tee shots that landed on the tenth green (seriously, lads?)—the Betfred British Masters charity campaign for Guide Dogs now stands at a whopping £90,500. That’s more than enough to train a few Labradors and maybe even teach them to putt better than half the field.
For Fitzpatrick, Sunday offers more than just another trophy. It’s been nearly a decade since he won his first British Masters title. “It would be amazing. To do it ten years apart would be pretty cool, too,” he said, before tossing in a jab at the current World No. 1. “Scottie Scheffler must be absolutely buzzing every week.”
Buzzing or not, Fitzpatrick’s got the final say tomorrow—and if his putter stays as sharp as his chip-in, don’t bet against him adding a second crown to his British Masters résumé.
