Brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick, two of the hottest golfers on the planet right now, are sharing more than just a family name this week at the 108th PGA Championship at Aronimink. They're sharing a house—and a shot at major glory.
The English siblings, hailing from Sheffield, have taken their sibling rivalry to the suburbs of Philadelphia. In the City of Brotherly Love, they'll navigate not only a challenging course and a world-class field but also the unique dynamics of living under the same roof during a major championship.
"We are different," admitted Matt, the elder brother at 31. "He's messy, I would say. We shared a bathroom last week, and it was a little bit messier than my side."
Matt, ranked No. 4 in the world and the 2022 US Open champion, has been on an absolute tear. Since a runner-up finish at The Players Championship in March, he's captured titles at the Valspar Championship and the RBC Heritage. He also teamed up with Alex for a victory at the PGA Tour's Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
But Alex is no longer just "Matt's little brother." The 27-year-old earned his first DP World Tour win at the Indian Open in March, then secured a PGA Tour card and promptly finished T9 at the Cognizant Classic and fourth at the Wells Fargo Championship last week at Quail Hollow. That hot streak has earned him $2.8 million in prize money over the past three weeks and rocketed him from No. 203 in the world rankings at the start of the year to No. 83.
This week marks just Alex's second major start, following a T17 at the 2023 Open Championship—where he also shared a house with Matt. The routine, it seems, is working.
"It's the same as ever," Matt said. "He'll ask me when I'm playing, and he'll either join me or fit in elsewhere. I'm very strict on my routine, but I want him to do his own thing."
Matt has watched his brother's rapid rise with a mix of pride and humor. "I'm probably known as Alex's brother now," he joked. "Super proud of him for how he has been playing."
With both Fitzpatricks in red-hot form, Aronimink could witness a family affair at the top of the leaderboard. The only question is: who gets the bathroom first on Sunday?