Matt Fitzpatrick blames betting for golf fans’ bad behaviour
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England's Matt Fitzpatrick attending a press conference ahead of the 154th British Open at Royal Birkdale Golf Club near Liverpool on July 13, 2026.
PHOTO: AFP
LONDON – English world No. 3 Matt Fitzpatrick believes the growing popularity of sports betting is behind the rise of increasingly bad spectator behaviour at leading golf tournaments.
Golf has long prided itself on the sportsmanship of its players and fans.
But 2022 US Open winner Fitzpatrick has been heckled repeatedly at events in the United States, notably the 2025 Ryder Cup and the Players Championship in March.
While partisan home support and the influence of alcohol have been cited as key causes for the abuse, he said the issue of betting had to be considered as well, echoing recent comments by three-time Major winner Jordan Spieth.
“I’ve had my fair share (of abuse),” Fitzpatrick told reporters ahead of this week’s British Open at Royal Birkdale, near Liverpool.
“I would say every golfer that’s played a professional tournament has had a message of abuse from someone that is related to gambling.
“For me, it’s definitely becoming a problem. It would be very easy to influence a bet, whether it’s you’re shouting on someone’s backswing, shouting on a putting stroke. It’s really easy.
“Obviously, that is really hard to monitor, but it is definitely an issue.”
Fitzpatrick, 31, accepts noisy crowds are now a part of modern golf but insisted there had to be limits on how spectators behaved themselves on the course.
“I want an atmosphere at a golf tournament,” he explained. “I’ve said a million times, I love football, I love the atmosphere of a football match.
“Ryder Cup, playing away from home, succeeding in those atmospheres – there’s not a much better feeling.
“I’m all for an atmosphere, but obviously, I don’t want it to cross a line.”
Fitzpatrick, who tied for fourth a year ago, enters the 154th Open as one of the hottest golfers on the planet, a three-time winner this season on the PGA Tour and ranked No. 3 in the world.
“Hopefully I’ve not peaked yet obviously, but I just think I’m doing a lot of good stuff this year. Short game’s been really, really good, and so has my irons,” he said.
“That’s a first for me. My irons have never really been a strength. I’ve had good seasons but never really taken advantage of that, I don’t feel like; whereas now I feel like I’ve got that.”
Meanwhile, former Claret Jug winner Louis Oosthuizen withdrew from the British Open on July 13 due to a back injury.
The 43-year-old South African, who competes in LIV Golf, won The Open at St Andrews, Scotland, in 2010.
Oosthuizen also said he will miss the LIV Golf United Kingdom event in Rocester, England, which begins on July 23.
“It’s incredibly disappointing to miss two events I always look forward to, but my priority now is to focus on my recovery and make sure I’m fully fit before returning to competition,” he posted on social media.
Aldrich Potgieter, also from South Africa, will replace Oosthuizen as the first alternate. REUTERS, AFP,
