Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open Champion, is conflicted about traveling to the DP World Tour season finale in Dubai – and for serious reasons. The defending champion of the lucrative DP World Tour Championship in the United Arab Emirates has raised security concerns due to the tense situation in the region and emphasized that his priorities have shifted since the birth of his child in August.
Tour officials are currently meticulously reviewing security protocols for the highly anticipated playoff finale in November, as well as for the Abu Dhabi Championship, which precedes the final. Fitzpatrick, the world No. 4, made no secret of his feelings at a press event on Wednesday: “To be completely honest, as things stand right now, I don't feel entirely comfortable.” He added: “A few things have changed for me in terms of perspective. I had a child in August, and that, of course, changes everything.” The uneasy feeling he gets from reading the news is currently a real obstacle for him, although he emphasizes that the situation can change quickly and there are signs of improvement.
Fitzpatrick knows that travel advisories have already been adjusted and that the Tour has been addressing this issue for a long time. “I think if the Tour goes there, they will have sought the best possible advice. But as things stand now, I wouldn't necessarily be keen to go.”
The 32-year-old made these statements at Wentworth, where the PGA Championship – the European Tour's flagship event – tees off on Thursday. Fitzpatrick will be teeing off there in a group with newly crowned Irish Open champion Shane Lowry and Tyrrell Hatton. For him, it's clear: “I think it's perhaps the best event on Tour. To engrave your name in the history books, alongside some of the past winners of this event, would be an incredible feeling.”
