Fitzpatrick in fine shape after fixing weighty problem

MATT FITZPATRICK revealed a weight had been lifted from his game before he climbed into contention at The Players Championship.

- Neil McLeman

The world No.11 shot rounds of 66 and 69 to sit five shots off the clubhouse lead, held by his successor as US Open champion, Wyndham Clark.

Fitzpatrick said: "It felt a bit more like my old self. How long have I not felt like my old self? Since February of last year probably."

The Sheffield star then recounted how he had put weights in the grips of his irons during "testing" at the start of last season, then tried the same with his driver.

He took the weights out of his irons the following month but "forgot" about the four grams added to his biggest club until this February.