PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — As Cameron Young and Matt Fitzpatrick separated themselves down the stretch at the 2026 Players Championship, there was no question who the crowd wanted to win.
The TPC Sawgrass fans came out in droves this week, selling out tickets from Friday to Sunday and setting an overall attendance record, with more than 200,000 spectators parading around the grounds throughout the week. Down the stretch, they crowded around the closing stretch to watch Young and Fitzpatrick battle it out.
And they had a clear favorite: Young.
Fitzpatrick was the target of many jeers and boos, and at times he was laughing before hitting shots at what the crowds were saying.
“The crowd, that was literally child’s play compared to Bethpage,” Fitzpatrick said. “If they think that that was anything, then they need to reassess. Get yourself up to New York.
Matt Fitzpatrick on the crowd down the stretch.
“That was literally child’s play compared to Bethpage. If they think that that was anything, then they need to reassess. Get yourself up to New York.” pic.twitter.com/HoNXbRV1Yl
— Cameron Jourdan (@Cam_Jourdan) March 15, 2026
“Listen, that’s how it is. That’s how it is. I would hope it’s the exact same if — well, it probably wouldn’t be because we’re a little bit more polite in Europe, I would say, but I would hope it would be of similar intensity in Europe.”
Fitzpatrick was on the European Ryder Cup team that was subject to fan abuse and controversy last fall at Bethpage Black, and he has spoken in the past about how fans have treated him at tournaments in the U.S. when he was in contention.
As the two separated on the back nine, the cheers grew for Young while the heckles became noticeable for Fitzpatrick. And it’s what he expected when his name went to the top of the leaderboard.
“I knew it was coming,” he said. “I had it with Jordan Spieth in 2023 (at the RBC Heritage). Yeah, it’s funny to me. I find it hilarious.”
The 2022 U.S. Open champion was looking to become the first player from England to win the Players, but a bogey on the 72nd hole allowed Young to win by one shot.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Matt Fitzpatrick calls out fans down the stretch at Players 2026
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