


PGA Tour star Matt Fitzpatrick has about had it with Hollywood’s lack of enthusiasm at the U.S. Open.
“Very poor,” Fitzpatrick said to describe the atmosphere at Los Angeles Country Club this weekend, according to Barstool.
“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.”
The 28-year-old, who won last year’s U.S. Open in Brookline, Mass. for his first major win, seemed surprised by the reaction to his hole-in-one on Friday.
“I wish it would have been louder,” he said.
A few images shared on the USA Network broadcast show a mostly empty field, despite a 23,000-person capacity limit at the tournament per day.
Golf Digest reported Sunday that the possible 23,000 fans included 14,000 for suites and hospitality tents.
This leaves 9,000 tickets available for purchase, of which 4,500 were made available to the general public while the other 4,500 were sold to members of the Los Angeles Country Club.
The report also claimed that the LACC members attempted to purchase all 9,000 remaining tickets, while a USGA official declined to comment on the matter.
This, combined with the Los Angeles lifestyle that includes fashionably late showings to Lakers and Dodgers games, tells the story of a lackluster showing for this weekend’s major.
“This US Open crowd feels like a practice round, it’s cool because it’s easy to go wherever you please, but makes the stage feel less than it should for our major,” The Ringer’s Tate Frazier wrote on Twitter.
Fitzpatrick isn’t the only player in the field who has issues with this year’s U.S. Open.
“I’m not a big fan of this place,” LIV Golf defector and PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka said of LACC on Friday, citing blind tee shots and tough-to-navigate fairways.
Fitzpatrick entered Sunday at 1-under, nine shots off the lead, and Kopeka was 10 shots behind at even.