Matthew Fitzpatrick is reportedly set to snub the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards due to its lack of golf winners. Fitzpatrick has enjoyed an impressive season on the PGA and DP World Tour, capped off by winning his maiden major title at this year's US Open.
The Englishman returned to Brookline - the place in which he was crowned US Amateur champion in 2013 - and saw off American starlet Will Zalatoris to secure the famous prize in June. His major win means he is likely to make the SPOTY shortlist ahead of this year's awards.
However, according to the The Telegraph , Fitzpatrick is set to turn an invite down to this year's ceremony due to its lack of golf recognition.
A golfer has not won the prestigious award since Nick Faldo in 1989, after the former world No. 1 claimed the first of his three Masters titles. Since then only two golfers have made the top three, with Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy coming second in 2011 and 2014 respectively.
McIlroy's snubbing came after the Northern Irish star won back-to-back major titles in the PGA Championship and The Open eight years ago, coming in behind two-time SPOTY winner Lewis Hamilton on that occasion.
The world No. 1 has announced himself as arguably the world's best player over the last decade, winning 23 PGA Tour titles and four majors.
However this has not proven enough to earn SPOTY recognition, and Fitzpatrick seemingly believes that if his Ryder Cup teammate has been unable to win it on a number of occasions, then his chances are even slimmer. The US Open champion is currently out in Dubai chasing down McIlroy for the end-of-season DP World Tour Championship.
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Despite the scintillating form of rival McIlroy, Fitzpatrick revealed he is not fazed about battling it out with the world's best player for the Tour crown. He said: "That Harry Vardon Trophy has some spectacular names on it and having coming so close in 2020 [when pipped by Lee Westwood] it would mean a lot and would cap off what has obviously been the best year of my career so far.
"Especially as I’ll have had to leapfrog Rory, the best player in the world. If this did, say, come down to me and Rory, head-to-head down the stretch, I would not be intimidated. In fact, I would welcome it. Going up against the world No 1 on Sunday is exactly what I would love to do.”
