Primetime 585 Shining Star: Evan Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick comes from an athletic family with a personal legacy to Notre Dame Batavia, with uncles who won both state championships and sectional titles during their time playing for the school. He has followed in their footsteps since eighth grade as an involved player on the school's varsity baseball and varsity basketball teams.
In his first year on the baseball team, they won sectionals and moved on to the state championship final four. During 15 games, Fitzpatrick batted a .438, two games of which he pitched and earned two saves with a 0.00 ERA.
In the 2023-2024 season, Fitzpatrick started four games and went 4-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 36 strikeouts. This season, he is 4-1 with a 0.40 ERA, with 47 strikeouts and a batting average of .410.
After being a part of the sectional championship basketball team in the 2024 season with his brother Ryan, he went on to shine this past season with 120 points with 21 3-pointers, having been a starter every game. His athletic director described him as the team's 'do it all guy.'
Fitzpatrick most recently showed his talents in Thursday night's baseball game against Oakfield-Alabama, where he allowed the lead-off batter of the game to make one base before getting 21 following batters out of the game in a row. He faced one batter above the minimum for a perfect 2-2 game and struck out 7 batters with no walks. He finished the game with 68 thrown pitches, 53 of which were strikes.
Academically, Fitzpatrick ranks first in his class.
News 8 and Primetime 585 would like to congratulate Evan Fitzpatrick on his success!
Primetime 585 Shining Star: Evan Fitzpatrick
Churchville-Chili baseball is the Primetime 585 Spotlight team
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USA Today
3 days ago
- USA Today
Scottie Scheffler grasps control of 2025 British Open after stellar Saturday at Royal Portrush
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Matt Fitzpatrick is annoyed with his putting coach Phil Kenyon. Not for something he did or didn't do to help Fitzpatrick's game but rather because Kenyon has shared his secrets with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. 'His putting is night and day,' said Fitzpatrick, who was paired in the final group on Saturday at the 153rd British Open with Scheffler. 'He's just not missed a putt today. There isn't one putt that he's missed, and that's obviously the difference that's taken him to this unbeatable run.' Scheffler is the leading the field in Strokes Gained: Putting this week and whenever his putter heats up – and outshines his otherworldly ball striking – Scheffler is going to be tough to beat. On Saturday, he shot a bogey-free 4-under 67 at Royal Portrush Golf Club to improve to 14-under 199 – his lowest 54-hole total at a major – and assume a four-stroke lead over China's Haotong Li. Scheffler stayed patient, even when he endured an early 3-putt par, even when he failed to make a birdie in his first six holes and even when he needed to salvage pars at Nos. 11 and 14. 'I think anytime you can keep a clean card around a major championship, you're going to be having a pretty good day,' Scheffler said. 'Sometimes major championships it can be tough to make birdies, and today was one of those days where I just had to give myself some looks and was able to hole a few.' The two-time Masters champion already added the PGA Championship to his trophy case in May and now he's 18 holes away from a Claret Jug and a third leg of the career Grand Slam. Asked how satisfying it would be to conquer links-style golf, he replied, 'it would be nice, but I'm not going to be thinking about that tonight.' Scheffler will be bidding for his 17th Tour title and fourth career major and will attempt to become the seventh Open Championship winner to record four rounds in the 60s. He'll be paired in the final round with Haotong Li, who was a member of the International Team in the 2019 Presidents Cup but suffered the yips and hadn't played in a major in three years. He shot 2-under 69 on Saturday and is alone in second. 'I'm actually quite looking forward to it,' he said of playing alongside Scheffler on Sunday. 'Four shots behind, kind of like play for second, especially play with world No. 1. I just try to play my best out there and hopefully make something happen.' Fitzpatrick, who is seeking to become the first Englishman since Nick Faldo 33 years ago to win the British Open, is in third after shooting even-par 71. He knows he faces an unenviable task on Sunday. 'Let's be realistic, he's five ahead. It's not easy. But if you get off to a good start, you get 3-under through 6, like some of the guys today, 7 the par-5, and all of a sudden you're kind of right back in it, you would hope,' he said. 'It's clear what I have to do tomorrow.' Four golfers are tied at 8 under, including Chris Gotterup, who won last week's Scottish Open, Harris English, Tyrrell Hatton and Rory McIlroy. The world No. 2 has had his fair share of battles with Scheffler and was honest as ever in assessing the uphill battle he faces. 'He's playing like Scottie. I don't think it's a surprise. Everyone's seen the way he's played or plays over the last two or three years. He's just so solid. He doesn't make mistakes,' McIlroy said. 'He's turned himself into a really consistent putter as well. So there doesn't seem to be any weakness there. Whenever you're trying to chase down a guy like that, it's hard to do.' But much like Fitzpatrick, McIlroy can envision a path to coming from behind and stealing the trophy from one of golf's top frontrunners. McIlroy has done it before, most notably at the 2023 FedEx Cup. 'I've got a chance,' McIlroy said. 'I need to get off to a great start like I did today, and if I can do that, anything can happen. I've come from a few shots behind before at big tournaments and was able to win. If I can get off to one of those hot starts again, maybe Scottie feels a little bit of that a couple of groups behind, and you never know. Scottie is the best player in the world right now. I think it's clear for everyone to see. He's just consistently so good each and every week he tees it up, so it's going to be a tall order to be able to catch him tomorrow. But I'm going to look forward to the challenge.' Whomever comes out on top will have the honor of being known as the Champion Golfer of the Year.
USA Today
4 days ago
- USA Today
'Absolute, true mastery': Scottie Scheffler goes low, takes British Open lead to weekend
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland – Forget about all the pre-championship talk that Scottie Scheffler still needs to learn how to play links. On Friday, the world No. 1 golfer could have taught a Master Class, reeling off eight birdies to shoot 7-under 64 at Royal Portrush Golf Club and grab a one-stroke lead over Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick at the midway point of the 153rd British Open. 'Tiger Woodsdid this, Jack Nicklaus did this, and I think it's a testament to the truest mastery, the absolute height of the game, and it's so rare that you see someone take this game to a level where there is no past, there is no future, they're just completely in the moment,' Golf Channel's Brandel Chamblee said. 'What we've seen the last two days is absolute, true mastery.' After shooting 68 on Thursday despite hitting only three fairways, Scheffler found the short grass more often and his putter, which had been more foe than friend on slower greens than he is used to last week in Scotland, heated up. He ranks second in Strokes Gained: putting this week. It added up to his 19th career 36-hole lead or co-lead on Tour and fourth this season. Scheffler, who won the PGA Championship for his third career major in May, is poised to win a third leg of the career Grand Slam. Not even a wild weather day could slow him down as he improved to a 36-hole total of 10-under-par 132. 'It was super sunny when we were on the driving range, I'm out there in short sleeves, it's warm out. Then we get to the 1st hole, it's still sunny. Then all of a sudden, you look around and it's super dark and it starts pouring rain,' he said. 'You're like, boy, I wonder how long this is going to last.' Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 U.S. Open champ, would like his run of good form to continue for at least two more days. He opened with rounds of 67 and 66 as he attempts to become the first Englishman since Nick Faldo 33 years ago to win the British Open. Fitzpatrick will be paired alongside Scheffler in the final group on Saturday but said the pressure will be on Scheffler. 'He's going to have the expectation to go out and dominate. He's an exceptional player. He's World No. 1, and we're seeing Tiger-like stuff. I think the pressure is for him to win the golf tournament,' Fitzpatrick said. 'For me obviously I hope I'm going to have some more home support than him, but it's an exciting position for me to be in given where I was earlier this year.' Scheffler and Fitzpatrick have company from Brian Harman (65) and Haotong Li (67), who are two back. Harman won the 2023 British Open and looks to have regained the form that allowed him to cruise to the title two years ago. Making his Scheffler is into the joint lead. 'One of my favorite traits about Brian is when people count him out and don't believe he can do something, it almost motivates him more to be that bulldog,' Golf Channel's Johnson Wagner said. 'He's a gritty guy, he's a little undersized so people always underestimate him like they did at [the 2023 Open] and he just slammed the door on them. I wouldn't count Brian out just yet.' Further down the leaderboard is a party of five at 5 under, including Dane Rasmus Hojgaard, Englishman Tyrrell Hatton (the top LIV contender), Scotland's Robert MacIntyre and Americans Harris English and Chris Gotterup. Hojgaard's twin brother, Nicolai, and Tony Finau are a shot further back at 4 under and T-10. Among those lurking at 3 under include Northern Ireland's own Rory McIlroy and U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley. 'I'm excited for that opportunity,' McIlroy said. 'I didn't have this opportunity six years ago, so to play an extra two days in this atmosphere in front of these crowds, I'm very excited for that. I feel like my game's definitely good enough to make a run.' Bryson DeChambeau rallied to make the cut on the number with a 65 on Friday. Seventy golfers advanced to the weekend with a 36-hole total of 1-over 143 or better. Among those sent packing were Collin Morikawa, who for the first time in his career failed to record a top 10 at a major; Patrick Cantlay, who missed his third cut in a row at a major; LIV's Joaquin Niemann and Australian Adam Scott. The Claret Jug and the honor to be called Champion Golfer of the Year still is very much up for grabs but it won't be easy to chase down world No. 1. 'It would not surprise me at all if he leaves everyone in the rearview mirror,' Chamblee said.
Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Los Angeles Times
Scottie Scheffler closes second round with 64, sets daunting pace at the British Open
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — The rain pounded Royal Portrush right when Scottie Scheffler poured in a birdie putt on his first hole Friday in the British Open. No matter. Nothing stopped the world's No. 1 player on his way to a seven-under 64 to build a one-shot lead going into the weekend. Scheffler made eight birdies on another wild afternoon of weather at Royal Portrush, and his 15-foot birdie attempt on the 18th stopped inches short for another. The result was a one-shot lead over former U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, who made four straight birdies to start the back nine until he cooled on the home stretch and had to settle for a 66. The rain was heavy at times but never lasted long. The wind was breezy but never at strength that can cause fits. The scoring was lower, nearly two shots easier than the opening round. Except for a few chasers, Scheffler made it look like it wasn't enough. He was at 10-under 132 as he chases the third leg of the career Grand Slam, having won the PGA Championship by five shots in May. Brian Harman got the best of the weather — surprising sunshine — and took dead aim in his hunt for another claret jug. Harman played bogey-free for a 64 that left him only two shots behind, along with Li Haotong of China, who had a 67. Everyone else was five shots behind or more. That includes Rory McIlroy, who went around Royal Portrush in his native Northern Ireland with plenty of cheers but only a few roars. McIlroy had a 69 but lost a lot of ground because of Scheffler, Fitzpatrick and Harman. He started the second round just three shots behind. He goes into the weekend seven shots behind the top-ranked player in the world. Fitzpatrick was at his lowest point just four months ago when he changed his caddie and coach and began pulling himself up. And now he takes that into the weekend against Scheffler. 'He's going to have the expectation to go out and dominate. He's an exceptional player. He's world No. 1, and we're seeing Tiger-like stuff,' Fitzpatrick said. 'I think the pressure is for him to win the golf tournament. For me, obviously I hope I'm going to have some more home support than him, but it's an exciting position for me to be in given where I was earlier this year.' Fitzpatrick was rolling along until a pair of short putts he missed, from five feet for par on the 14th and from three feet for birdie on the 17th. Even so, he holed a 25-foot par putt on the final hole and assured him being in the last group at nine-under 133. Scheffler was sharp from the start. He hit eight of the 14 fairways — compared with three in the opening round — though his misses never left him too badly out of position. But he is seeing the breaks on smoother Portrush greens, and he looks confident as ever. None of his eight birdies were closer than seven feet. Five of them were in the 10-foot range and then he threw in a 35-foot birdie on the sixth. His lone bogey came on a drive into deep grass on the 11th that kept him from reaching the green. The statistics led to a shrug. 'Overall, I'm hitting the ball solid,' Scheffler said. 'The tournament is only halfway done. I got off to a good start.' Harman was called the 'Butcher of Hoylake' when he won the claret jug at Royal Liverpool two years ago because the British media were fascinated by the Georgia native's love for hunting. Now it's about his golf, and it was superb. Harman played bogey-free, only once having to stress for par as Royal Portrush allowed for some good scoring in weather that again did not live up to its expectation. Not that anyone was complaining. Temperatures were warm, at least by Irish standards. The breeze was noticeable without being overly punishing. 'They're very different golf courses, but the golf is similar,' Harman said. 'You've got to be able to flight your golf ball. You've got to know how far everything's going. Then you can't get frustrated. You're going to end up in funny spots where it doesn't seem fair, and you just have to kind of outlast that stuff.' The group at five-under 137 included Harris English (70), Harman's former teammate at Georgia; Tyrrell Hatton of England (69) and Chris Gotterup (65), who wasn't even planning to be at Royal Portrush until winning the Scottish Open last week. Also still around is Bryson DeChambeau, who made a 13-shot improvement from the first round with a 65. Still, he was 11 shots behind. McIlroy wasn't at his best in the opening round and was pleased to be only three behind. Now he has a real mountain to climb. But at least he's still playing, unlike in 2019 at Royal Portrush when he shot 79 and then had a terrific rally only to miss the cut by one shot. 'I didn't have this opportunity six years ago, so to play an extra two days in this atmosphere in front of these crowds, I'm very excited for that,' McIlroy said. 'I feel like my game's definitely good enough to make a run.' That was before Scheffler began to run away from so many except a small collection of challengers. But this is links golf. And this is the Emerald Isle, where the weather seems to have a mind of its own. Still, Scheffler has gone 10 tournaments without finishing out of the top 10 and would appear to present a challenge every bit as daunting as Royal Portrush. Ferguson writes for the Associated Press.
