Matt Fitzpatrick can double his season’s earnings to £1 million (Dh5.6m) with a first European Tour title in the British Masters, but insists securing a return to the US equivalent is more important.
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Fitzpatrick added a second round of 69 to his opening 64 at Woburn to share the halfway lead with Soren Kjeldsen on nine under par, one shot ahead of Richard Bland and Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
The 21-year-old is in his first full season on the European Tour after coming through the qualifying school last November, but is currently 36th on the Race to Dubai after four top-three finishes, three of them in his last seven events.
Despite earning £503,605 (Dh2.8m) so far this year, Fitzpatrick still lives with his parents and was getting stick from playing partner Chris Wood for his mode of transport, namely a “four or five year-old Ford Mondeo”.
.@MattFitz94 takes a share of the #BritishMasters lead with Soren Kjeldsen on nine under par pic.twitter.com/dgDodBVTjR
— PA Sport (@pasport) October 9, 2015
Asked about the prospect of winning his first title this weekend, Fitzpatrick said: “Hopefully it will come with time. I have said to everyone it’s not something I am absolutely chasing and focusing on. If I don’t win between now and the Masters but get into Augusta on the world rankings, I will be a happy man.”
Fitzpatrick is currently ranked 111th and will need to reach the top 50 by the end of the year or March 28 to get into the year’s first major.
Kjeldsen, who carded five birdies and two bogeys to add a 68 to his opening 65, turned professional the year Fitpatrick was born.
