Matthew Fitzpatrick opens up on split with caddie and coach: "It's my job and I needed to get myself together"

European Ryder Cup hopeful Matthew Fitzpatrick has opened up on the decision to sack both his caddie and coach. 

The Englishman, who won the 2022 US Open, has endured a pretty rocky season by all accounts.

A poor run of results led to Fitzpatrick splitting from legendary caddie Billy Foster in March. 

And he also decided to switch coaches from Mike Walker to the renowned Mark Blackburn. 

The decision was bound to be difficult, given Fitzpatrick has known the instructor since he was a teenager. 

But the 30-year-old has shown signs he is arresting a slump in form over the last three months. 

A top 10 finish at the PGA Championship, followed by four more at the Rocket Classic, Scottish Open, The Open and last week's Wyndham Championship provide evidence Fitzpatrick is hitting form at precisely the right moment. 

Fitzpatrick is hoping to make his fourth appearance in the Ryder Cup this September at Bethpage Black. 

"My relationship with Mike is more important than golf really," Fitzpatrick told BBC Sport's Iain Carter of the split. "He's someone I've looked up to since I was 14 or 15.

"I could tell him anything and my respect for him is so high. At the same time I wasn't playing well and things probably needed to change.

"It's my job and I needed to get myself together."

Fitzpatrick explained to the publication he credits his parents and wife Katherine for helping him through the dark times. 

"She was constantly reminding me that I won the US Open; 'you're a great player, you're going to get it back.'

"It really is true, you've got to have the right people around you and I feel very lucky that I've always had that."

The 2025 Ryder Cup matches will be played over 26-28 September. 

There are only three more events left before Ryder Cup qualification ends. 

As things stand, Fitzpatrick will likely need to be reliant on a captain's pick from skipper Luke Donald. 

Fitzpatrick is currently 12th in the standings behind Matt Wallace, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg, Justin Rose, Rasmus Hojgaard, Sepp Straka, Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood and Robert MacIntyre. 

Masters champion Rory McIlroy has already qualified. 

Fitzpatrick's record in the biennial contest is not spectacular, with the major winner only delivering one point from the eight matches he has been involved in. 

He's desperate to change that.

"Despite my record I still want to be part of it to give myself a chance to improve on it," he said.

"In the last 15 months there's been an extra effort to try and be a little bit more forgiving to myself and understanding my own psychology really," he admitted.

"My biggest thing I would take away from the slump is catching things earlier. I can't afford to get to that stage again.

"It was a tough time for me and the problem was it went on for so long. You can't afford to be behind the eight ball and you need to catch those things as early as you can, and turn them round as quickly as you can."