Matt Fitzpatrick arrived at the Travelers Championship determined to fix the one part of his game that let him down at the U.S. Open, and an equipment change delivered immediate results. Despite already winning three PGA TOUR events this season and climbing to a career-best No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Fitzpatrick admitted his driver had become a liability. After struggling off the tee during the weekend at Shinnecock Hills, where he eventually finished tied for 22nd, he decided it was time for a change.
The Englishman put a Ping G430 LST driver in the bag for this week’s event at TPC River Highlands, and the early returns were encouraging.
A New Driver Produces Immediate Results
Fitzpatrick missed only one fairway during Thursday’s opening round, carding a 6-under 64 that left him one shot behind early leader Eric Cole. His improved driving also showed up in the statistics, as he ranked eighth in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee after the opening round.
“Just getting comfortable with that and I… felt like I practiced well these first three days as well and just managed to find something that I felt was working a bit better,” Fitzpatrick said.
The search for a replacement driver has been anything but straightforward. Fitzpatrick revealed that his previous driver cracked the day before the Truist Championship, forcing him into an extended search for a club that matched both his swing and his visual preferences at address. Finding the right replacement proved more difficult than simply grabbing another driver off the rack.
Why Finding the Right Driver Isn’t Simple
“The detail is really important and it’s important to try to get that right as best you can. Everyone is different. Their habits, how they move the club, how they react to different clubs,” Fitzpatrick explained.
“I tried one in Canada and it was exactly… neutral, neutral, neutral and I hit it 50 yards right. That’s just the way I react. I think people think that guys just get a driver and it’s just going to go straight and away you go. There’s obviously a lot more to it than that.”
His comments offered a glimpse into the level of precision involved in equipment fitting at the highest level of professional golf. Small differences in club setup can produce dramatically different results, even for one of the world’s top players.
Statistically, Fitzpatrick’s driving this season has been respectable rather than dominant. He entered the week ranked 46th on the PGA TOUR in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee while sitting 12th in Driving Accuracy. Those numbers were solid, but the U.S. Open exposed enough inconsistency to convince him a change was necessary.
“You got to give yourself a chance at making some scores. Not only a chance of making birdies but just trying to make comfortable pars. I think for me that’s been, that was the big thing at the weekend (at the U.S. Open) that I struggled with,” Fitzpatrick said.
“I just, I didn’t hit my driver very well and I feel like that was kind of what held me back most of all.”
Strong Start Sets Up the Rest of the Week
The rest of Fitzpatrick’s game was equally sharp on Thursday. Although he signed for a 64, the score could have been even lower after he missed four birdie putts from inside 20 feet over his final five holes, including a six-footer on his second-to-last hole.
“Took advantage of the scoring holes there. Just felt like I kind of did, well pretty much everything really, really solid today. So overall just a really good day,” he said.
If his improved driving continues through the rest of the week, the equipment change could prove to be exactly what Fitzpatrick needed to put another PGA TOUR victory within reach. After one round, the new driver has already turned a recent weakness into a clear strength.
