Fitzpatrick and Fox not giving up chase of McIlroy for European No 1 crown
CADIZ, SPAIN - OCTOBER 12: Matt Fitzpatrick of England attends the official press conference prior to the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters at Real Club Valderrama on October 11, 2022 in Cadiz, Spain. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy is hot favourite to be crowned European number one for the fourth time at next month's DP World Tour Championship, but US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick has other ideas.
The Sheffield star (28) is McIlroy's nearest pursuer and he's looking to retain the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters at Valderrama and head to Dubai seeking his third win in the season-ending event.
Admitting "a lot has changed" in terms of his expectations and confidence since his US Open win, Fitzpatrick said: "This is a chance for me to catch Rory this week, particularly round a golf course that I am comfortable on.
"Looking forward to having a chance going into Dubai. Winning the DP World Tour Rankings is on my list of goals. Hopefully can do it this year."
The Englishman will play alongside Alfred Dunhill Links winner Ryan Fox, who is third in the rankings, and looking to become the first New Zealander to be crowned European number one since Bob Charles in 1972.
"If I can keep doing that for the rest of the year, hopefully I can challenge Rory and Fitz for the title at the end of the year," Fox said of his goal of beating the course each week.
"I've got to do something special to beat those guys that have had fantastic years and are top-10 players in the world for a reason."
It's also a crucial week for Ireland's challengers in the English Trophy at Frilford Heath, which is the penultimate Challenge Tour event of the season,
Only the top 45 in the Road to Mallorca standings qualify for the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final from November 3-6.
While 15th-ranked Tom McKibbin is in a strong position in the race for 20 DP World Tour cards, Kinsale's John Murphy is 42nd, Rosapenna's Ruaidhri McGee 46th and Portmarnock's Conor Purcell 64th.
They are joined in Abingdon by James Sugrue and Gavin Moynihan with the Dubliner looking for form ahead of next month's Q-School.
On the PGA TOUR, Seamus Power has a week off ahead of a busy stretch and avoids the trip to Japan for the ZOZO Championship, where local hero Hideki Matsuyama pledged his allegiance to the US circuit but said the LIV Golf players deserve world ranking points.
"Personally, I think they should be able to," Matsuyama said. "However, there's a procedure that they have to follow, too, with the ranking points."
The LPGA Tour has a week off, but Leona Maguire makes her debut in the LET's Saudi-sponsored Aramco Team Series - New York at Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point.
Maguire captains a team featuring England's Liz Young and India's Tvesa Malik as an individual 54-hole stroke play tournament is played alongside a 36-hole team event with each tournament boasting a $500,000 purse.
"I always love playing stateside and New York is well known for supporting the Irish," Maguire said.
