Reigning champion Matt Fitzpatrick says atmosphere at US Open is "disappointing"

Defending US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick is not pleased with the "disappointing" atmosphere at Los Angeles Country Club this week, and he's not the only one.

Fitzpatrick, 28, won the 122nd US Open this time last year with a clutch par on the 72nd hole at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.

It was a fairy-tale first major for the Englishman, who had won the US Amateur on the same course nearly a decade prior.

Though he made an ace during the second round at this year's tournament, this week hasn't been the same story for Fitzpatrick.

And on Saturday, he said he thinks the atmosphere at Los Angeles Country Club has been "disappointing."

"Very poor…It’s disappointing on the USGA side," Fitzpatrick told Barstool Sports' Dan Rapaport. "They want a great tournament—from what I’ve heard a lot of members bought tickets and that’s why there’s so many less people. Hopefully it’s not the same for other U.S. Opens going forward.”

Matt Fitzpatrick on LACC atmosphere.



“Very poor…It’s disappointing on the USGA side. They want a great tournament—from what I’ve heard a lot of members bought tickets and that’s why there’s so many less people. Hopefully it’s not the same for other U.S. Opens going forward.”

— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) June 17, 2023

Fitzpatrick also doesn't appear too keen on the California course, itself, either.

"I just think the golf course is interesting, to be polite," he told reporters after his round on Saturday. "There's just too many holes for me where you've got blind tee shots and then you've got fairways that don't hold the ball. There's too much slope.

"I think the greens certainly play better when they're firmer. I definitely think that's the case. They're rolling really, really well. Some of the tee shots are just -- I think they're a little bit unfair. You hit a good tee shot and end up in the rough by a foot and then you're hacking it out."

He added:

It seems as though Fitzpatrick isn't the only player unhappy with the US Open venue this year.

Viktor Hovland was brutally honest as well when it came to his thoughts after Saturday's round.

"You know what, I'm not a big fan of this golf course, to be honest. I think there's some good holes. I don't think there's any great holes. I think there's a few bad holes," he told reporters.

Earlier this week, after his round on Friday, Brooks Koepka shared similar thoughts.

"I'm not a huge fan of this place. I just think that there's a -- I'm not a huge fan of blind tee shots, and then I think there's just some spots that no matter what you hit, the ball just ends up in the same spot," the five-time major winner said. "I think it would be more fun to play on just like a regular round than it would be a U.S. Open. I mean, there's, what, two 8s yesterday. That doesn't happen."

On Thursday, Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele each separately shot a new US Open 18-hole scoring record with a pair of 62s.

After 54 holes, Fowler and Wyndham Clark shared the lead at 10-under par.

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