Alex Fitzpatrick disclosed that his father bribed him with a new phone to caddie for brother Matt during his 2013 U.S. Amateur victory. The revelation came ahead of Alex's debut in the 2026 Cadillac Championship, following the brothers' recent win at the Zurich Classic. Fitzpatrick described the arrangement as a reluctant favor turned win-win.
Alex Fitzpatrick, 13 at the time, carried his older brother Matt's bag at the 2013 U.S. Amateur at the Country Club in Brookline. Matt won the tournament, a precursor to his 2022 U.S. Open triumph at the same venue. But Alex needed convincing from their father, Russell Fitzpatrick, who promised a new phone to cover the caddying costs instead of hiring a professional. “I only caddied for [Matt] at the U.S. Amateur because my dad promised me a new phone,” Alex said Tuesday at Trump Doral in Florida. “That was the only reason why I caddied for him, because it was too expensive to buy a caddie for the week, so I got dragged into that one.” He received the phone after Matt's victory, calling it “a win-win all around.” The story surfaced after the Fitzpatrick brothers teamed up for an emotional win at last week's Zurich Classic of New Orleans. That victory earned Alex his first PGA Tour title, a two-year PGA Tour card, over $1 million in prize money, and spots in remaining Signature Events. Matt, on a hot streak with three PGA Tour wins since late March and ranked World No. 3, sent Alex an encouraging text post-Zurich. Alex tees off Thursday at 1:20 p.m. ET in the 2026 Cadillac Championship, launching his PGA Tour career solo.
