Matt Fitzpatrick reveals why he doesn't always trust PGA Tour stats

In a recent interview, Matt Fitzpatrick revealed that when it comes to statistical analysis, you can't always trust official Tour stats.

Johnny Percival

22 Sep 2023

Renowned for his meticulous attention to detail and in-depth statistical analysis, Matthew Fitzpatrick has kept a shot-by-shot account of every single stroke he has made in both practice and competition since 2019.

His notes are so detailed, in fact, that he relies on them more heavily for analysis than the official statistics provided by both the DP World and PGA Tour.

In an exclusive interview with GolfMagic, discussing his addition to PGA Tour 2K23 as a playable character, Fitzpatrick revealed that he trusts his notes more than the statistics published on the official tour's websites because he believes they are more accurate.

Matt Fitzpatrick spoke to GolfMagic Reviews Editor Johnny Percival in London this week

Having recorded between 8,000 to 9,000 shots in a large Excel spreadsheet, he has a detailed understanding of all of his statistics and claimed that when it comes to stats, he prefers his own.

Discussing the topic, he said:

"We will use the PGA Tour stats, but I have my own benchmarks of where I want to get to, and I have my own stuff as well, and I trust my own stuff more than what’'s on the PGA Tour website and the DP World Tour website.

Fitzpatrick revealed one recent example that highlights where the disparity lies between his own data and the tour's and why it doesn't just affect him.

He said:

"You know, just last week, I was playing at Wentworth, and it had me on the board for a six-foot putt, but when I paced it out, it was closer to about 12 feet. Justin Rose had a putt on the same green that said three feet, but we paced it out, and it was six. "

The inaccuracy is clearly something that Fitzpatrick has discussed with others, and he told us that some people have a slightly more laid-back approach to it than he does.

The 2022 U.S. Open champion said:

"Some people say it levels itself out over the course of a year, but I’d rather just know that it’s trustworthy and correct."

The margins are fine in professional golf, and Fitzpatrick is one of the more dedicated players when it comes to analysing the finer details of his game. Revealing the reason for his intricate approach, he took us back to his playing days as a junior.

Discussing his decision, he said:

"I had tracked my stats beforehand, dating back to about 2012 as a junior, and for me, it was because I thought I needed to find an edge on everyone else, and I had to know where I needed to improve and where I didn't."

Jetting off with Team Europe for the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone this week, Fitzpatrick will likely be looking back through his notes from when he nearly won the Italian Open in 2022 on the same course.

Looking to improve on his 0-5-0 record in the event, the Englishman will undoubtedly be pulling out every trick in the spreadsheet in order to get an advantage over Team USA.

TAKE ME TO MORE DP WORLD TOUR NEWS!