Netflix’s ‘Full Swing’ offers inside look at Fitzpatrick brothers’ rivalry

The first season of Netflix’s “Full Swing” took us behind the scenes of Matt Fitzpatrick’s stunning U.S. Open victory at The Country Club, which was also the site of his U.S. Amateur Championship triumph in 2013. Memorably celebrating Matt’s major achievement at Brookline was his younger brother Alex, who was also on hand in 2013, carrying Matt’s bag as his 14-year-old caddie.

Episode 5 of Season 2 on “Full Swing“ hones in on the Fitzpatrick brothers’ chase of the same dream. While Matt is a newly minted major champion and one of the world’s top-ranked players, Alex — World No. 705 — is toiling on the Challenge Tour, a developmental feeder for the DP World Tour. In order to live the life he desires, like Matt, Alex must earn the upgrade. It’s a relatable hook. Anyone with a sibling knows what it’s like to envy or be envied — and the Fitzpatricks are no exception.

Early on in the episode, Alex describes being best known as Matt’s little brother as both great and annoying, as well as a gift and a curse. The brothers are separated by four years in age: Matt is 29 and Alex is 25; but despite their rivalry, the most enjoyable scenes showcase the way the brothers support each other. They may be competitors both personally and professionally, but they revel in each other’s successes too.

After claiming his second PGA Tour win at the RBC Heritage in April, Matt takes a congratulatory FaceTime call from Alex while celebrating his playoff victory on the 18th green. Alex jokes that he watched (and fist-pumped) Matt’s win on a plane, and that he’ll be charging Matt for the $16 Wi-Fi fee.

The very next week, the brothers meet to team up at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. It’s a tournament Alex wouldn’t have access to without Matt’s invitation, and an opportunity to prove not just to himself but to others that he can hang with the world’s best Though the duo finished in the middle of the pack, T19, Alex ends up disappointed in his performance.

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But things soon turn around for Alex when he makes it through the Open Championship qualifier for the 2023 Open at Royal Liverpool. There, at the year’s final major, Alex manages to best his brother for the first time in professional competition. His 17th-place finish beats Matt (T41) by four shots — a nice full-circle moment in the episode’s final minutes.

“I’m not in awe of these guys anymore like I used to be,” Alex says. “I’ve gone from, Am I gonna get off the Challenge Tour? To, I’m gonna win the Open Championship here.”

As Alex comes off the green after his third-round 65, there’s someone waiting to greet him in the tunnel. It’s Matt, and the two embrace.

“Bloody brilliant!” Matt says to Alex as they walk to the scoring area.

As Alex basks in the glory of a round well-played — the most high-profile moment of his young career — the brothers cross the elevated walkway together.

“Good job, Alex!” a fan shots as she sees them. Then, after a beat: “You, too, Matt!”

Golf.com Editor

As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of female varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everyone on the masthead. She can out-hustle them in the office, too, where she’s primarily responsible for producing both print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Is­sue, which debuted in February 2018. Her origi­nal interview series, “A Round With,” debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in both in the magazine and in video form on GOLF.com.

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