NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. (AP) — Alex Fitzpatrick was whisked around Aronimink by golf cart to make some national media hits — life is good when you're trendy in the golf world — and could only laugh at one stop when asked about comments made by his older brother earlier in the day suggesting that Alex is the messy one in a shared house.
“Here we go again,” Alex Fitzpatrick said with a laugh.
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Alex Fitzpatrick, of England, hits off the third tee during the final round of the Truist Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Alex Fitzpatrick, of England, reacts with his caddie after a birdie on the fifth hole during the final round of the Truist Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Alex Fitzpatrick, of England, chips on the 15th hole during the final round of the Truist Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Alex Fitzpatrick practices on the ninth hole before the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Aronimink Golf Club Monday, May 11, 2026, in Newtown Square, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Matt Fitzpatrick, right, and Alex Fitzpatrick walk down the ninth hole during practice before the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Aronimink Golf Club Monday, May 11, 2026, in Newtown Square, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Hold up, the younger Fitzpatrick said.
Time to clear the air — and clean the room — it's actually big brother Matt who can be a bit unkempt, especially in the bathroom.
“I’m a normal brush my teeth at night guy,” Alex said after practice rounds Monday. “He's got all these different things on the side of the counter and stuff. I'm not as bad as what he makes it out to be. He's exaggerating a lot. He's a bit of a neat freak.”
The brothers out of Sheffield, England can agree more these days that it might be better to share a trophy — as they did in April when they won the Zurich Classic team event — than share a house.
Only one can win at the PGA Championship this weekend at Aronimink Golf Club and each brother is a strong contender to win the first major in the Philadelphia region since the 2013 US Open at Merion.
Matt Fitzpatrick has three PGA Tours wins this season while Alex shared one win with his brother and entered Sunday with the lead at Quail Hollow before a double bogey on 17 derailed his shot at winning the Truist Open.
It’s rare for brothers to win in tandem on the PGA Tour. There haven’t historically been many team events, but brothers Danny and David Edwards did it at the Walt Disney World Team Championship in 1980.
“I think a lot of people feel like that once they get to this stage or even to the DP World Tour that they need to change a bunch of things and that’s going to help success,” Alex said. “I just felt like I keep doing what I’m trying to do. I’ve got a circle around me that I really trust. All the advice that I get is great.”
Alex has finished tied for ninth and fourth in his first two signature events since the Zurich Classic and has won about $2.84 million over that span. Pretty good for a golfer who wasn't on the PGA Tour before that date.
A day later, Alex tried to put the late fade at Quail Hollow behind him as he practiced for the PGA.
“I think if I looked back two months ago and someone said you’d finish fourth at the Truist Championship, I’d have kicked myself," if he was crushed, Fitzpatrick said. “I was disappointed in just in that I wish I’d have scored a little better. Overall, it was a great week and I have no complaints.”
Little brother's recent hot streak has sparked a bit of a role reversal in their dynamic.
Alex Fitzpatrick is 27 — about 4 1/2 years younger than Matt — which has led to years of answering questions about his brother.
Matt Fitzpatrick was a U.S. Amateur champion in 2013 and the U.S. Open champion in 2022, both at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. He beat Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world, in a playoff in April at Harbour Town.
“It can be such a blur at times, and I think it is trying to take a step back and kind of remember those moments, even on a week like this and think about, oh, yeah, I won the Valspar or I won Harbour Town, whatever it may be,” Matt said.
Fitzpatrick has enjoyed the roles this season of watching, winning — and analyzing — his younger brother.
“I have to get used to that now because he’s had it for much longer than me,” Matt said. “I’m probably known as Alex’s brother now, as opposed to him being Matt’s brother. I love talking about my brother. It’s an amazing position to be in to have that privilege to talk about how well he’s doing. I’d so much rather have these questions, conversations, than the opposite of, you know, why is he not playing well."
Maybe one of the brothers can talk Sunday about the feeling of winning a major.
“I’d say my head is still spinning and I haven’t woken up from the dream yet,” Alex said.
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Alex Fitzpatrick, of England, hits off the third tee during the final round of the Truist Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Alex Fitzpatrick, of England, reacts with his caddie after a birdie on the fifth hole during the final round of the Truist Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Alex Fitzpatrick, of England, chips on the 15th hole during the final round of the Truist Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Alex Fitzpatrick practices on the ninth hole before the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Aronimink Golf Club Monday, May 11, 2026, in Newtown Square, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Matt Fitzpatrick, right, and Alex Fitzpatrick walk down the ninth hole during practice before the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Aronimink Golf Club Monday, May 11, 2026, in Newtown Square, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The pesky Rays put all the pressure on the big, bad New York Yankees.
Richie Palacios hit a two-run single in a four-run fifth inning and Tampa Bay took advantage of New York's sloppy defense, beating Cam Schlittler and the Yankees 5-2 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in their AL Division Series.
The Rays are one victory from reaching the American League Championship Series. Game 3 in the best-of-five playoff is Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
“That’s a byproduct of having a really good clubhouse and a bunch of selfless teammates,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “They don’t care who gets it done. They just want to get it done. The biggest cheerleaders are coming from the guys within the dugout. Good teams do not rely on just one or two people. We rely on all nine in the lineup, the guys on the bench and certainly our entire pitching staff.”
Ben Rice homered twice for the Yankees, who are on the verge of elimination — which would extend their drought without a World Series championship to 17 seasons. They were dominated by Drew Rasmussen in the series opener and have scored just two runs in two playoff games against the AL East champion Rays with three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge out of the lineup due to a calf injury.
“Well, we’ve got to win. We’ve got to play the first inning of Game 3,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “We’ve got to come out and play well. So we’ve responded all year. We need to do it again. Obviously, we need to play better and it starts with just one at a time. I don’t even get ahead of myself and win three. We’ve got to go win one and we’ve got to play better Wednesday night to make that happen.”
The small-ball Rays chased Schlittler, the likely AL Cy Young Award winner, in the fifth aided by New York's defensive miscues.
Jonathan Aranda lined a single to start the inning and Junior Caminero ripped a double to right-center. With the infield drawn-in except second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., who was standing several feet further back on the dirt, Liam Hicks hit a slow bouncer to second that scored Aranda for a 2-1 lead. Chisholm's only play was at first because he wasn't all the way in like the rest of the infielders.
Chandler Simpson then hit a grounder that shortstop George Lombard Jr. flubbed, scoring Caminero to make it 3-1. It was initially ruled a hit and then changed to an error and eventually a fielder's choice. Brent Headrick replaced Schlittler and struck out Victor Mesa Jr. After Simpson stole second, Jonny DeLuca reached on a grounder when Lombard's throw to first was wide for New York's fourth error.
Palacios followed with a hard single to center that increased Tampa Bay's lead to 5-1.
“It was just one of those games things kind of compiled and stacked up on top of each other," Lombard said. “It wasn't ideal. We put ourselves in a bad spot.”
That was plenty of support for one of the best bullpens in the majors.
Freddy Peralta allowed one run and three hits in 4 2/3 innings, Cam Booser pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth and Ian Seymour gave up one run in three innings. Bryan Baker finished with a perfect ninth for his second save in two games.
Schlittler, who was 14-6 with a 1.95 ERA and dominated Boston in the opener of the wild-card round, lasted 4 1/3 innings. He allowed four runs — two earned — and six hits while striking out only two.
Rice sent a 2-2 changeup into the right-field seats to tie it at 1 in the fourth, ending New York's scoreless drought in the ALDS. Rice hit 41 homers in the regular season. His drive awakened Yankees fans in the ballpark, who were drowned out by Rays fans until that point.
But a sellout crowd of 40,226 was mostly full of cowbell-ringing Rays fans who reveled in New York's misery.
Peralta retired the first two batters in the fifth before Austin Wells ripped a double and Ryan McMahon walked. Booser replaced Peralta and walked Rice to load the bases, but the lefty escaped when Cody Bellinger flied out to the warning track in center.
The Yankees made three errors in the first inning but Schlittler limited the Rays to one run. New York became the first team to commit three errors in the first inning of a postseason game since the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the 1975 AL Championship Series against Boston, according to Sportsnet Stats.
Yankees rookie Spencer Jones hit a towering flyball off a catwalk at quirky Tropicana Field that was caught by Mesa for an out in the second inning. Jones kept running around the bases as the ball rattled around and fell to Mesa, who ran over from right field to make the catch in center. DeLuca thought he was camped under it in center but started pointing upward when the ball hit one of the two rings high above the field and below the roof. Mesa caught it several feet in front of DeLuca. Umpires conferred and confirmed the out, per the stadium’s ground rules.
Yankees LHP Max Fried (5-5, 2.80 ERA) and Rays RHP Nick Martinez (15-6, 3.10) are the projected starters for Game 3.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
Tampa Bay Rays' Jonathan Aranda celebrates hitting a single during the fifth inning in Game 2 of an American League Division Series baseball game against the New York Yankees Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler leaves Game 2 of an American League Division Series baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fifth inning Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
Tampa Bay Rays' Jonathan Aranda, right, scores past New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells during the fifth inning in Game 2 of an American League Division Series baseball game Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Bryan Baker celebrates a victory over the New York Yankees in Game 2 of an American League Division Series baseball game Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero celebrates after hitting a single as first base coach Corey Dickerson (10) watches during the third inning in Game 2 of an American League Division Series baseball game against the New York Yankees Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
New York Yankees' Austin Wells slides into second for a double during the fifth inning in Game 2 of an American League Division Series baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
New York Yankees' Ben Rice watches his solo home run during the fourth inning in Game 2 of an American League Division Series baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Victor Mesa Jr., right, catches a fly ball hit by New York Yankees' Spencer Jones that hit the ceiling of Tropicana Field for an out as Rays second baseman Richie Palacios (1) watches during the second inning in Game 2 of an American League Division Series baseball game Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Rays' Richie Palacios celebrates after hitting a two-run single during the fifth inning in Game 2 of an American League Division Series baseball game against the New York Yankees Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
