How on Earth Could The BBC Snub Matt Fitzpatrick

CALL me biased if you like, but it is an absolute disgrace that neither US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick nor Rory McIlroy made the short list for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

The nominees were gymnast Jessica Gadirova, footballer Beth Mead, curling's Eve Muirhead, cricketer Ben Stokes, snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan and athlete Jake Wightman. Seriously? 

Golfers don’t have a great record in this end-of-the-year sporting celebration - the last one to win it was Nick Faldo in 1989, and McIlroy was the last golfer to finish in the top three. He did that in 2014 after winning both The Open and the US PGA Championship. 

I have to ask myself if the omission of Fitzpatrick and McIlroy has something to do with the fact that the BBC’s coverage of golf these days is almost totally non-existent. It boils down to highlights of The Masters, The Open, AIG Women's Open and BMW PGA Championship, often broadcast when most of the population have gone to bed!

Let’s be clear - Fitzpatrick is only the second Englishman (after Justin Rose in 2013) to win the US Open since Tony Jacklin did so way back in 1970. He did so at Brookline, where he also won the US Amateur Championship.

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

And 2022 saw McIlroy win the Tour Championship, FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai, as well as returning to the top of the world rankings. 

There is not the slightest doubt in my mind that Stokes is on the list because he just happens to be the captain of an England Test side that has produced some thrilling cricket in 2022, but if there was going to be a cricketer on the short list it should surely have been Johnny Bairstow.

Fitzpatrick’s victory at Brookline was no ordinary success. It was achieved thanks to an incredible shot at the final hole after he dumped his drive into a bunker but still managed to somehow find the green. He cracked the top 10 in the world rankings and, just for good measure, was tied fifth at the US PGA Championship.

I take comfort from the knowledge that I am not the only person on the planet who cannot quite fathom how on earth Fitzpatrick missed out on the final six.

"Try winning at least two majors next year, Matt Fitzpatrick. One just doesn’t cut it, I’m afraid," Sky Sports' Jamie Weir wrote on Twitter. 

And Weir wasn’t the only Twitter viewer to express his disbelief. "Just ridiculous. He won the bloody @usopengolf and isn’t even nominated. You couldn’t make it up. How much more credibility do want to lose? @BBCSPOTY," one user replied.

"What has happened here? Does anyone who understands sport actually work for the BBC - Matt Fitzpatrick winning the US Open was the stand-out achievement of the year," another said.

Matt Fitzpatrick wasn't nominated by BBC Sports Personality of the Year, but he does feature in Derek's Top 10 Golfers of 2022!