Fitzpatrick wins silver at Open

Published Jul. 21, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Matthew Fitzpatrick started the British Open being mistaken for Tiger Woods' ball-carrier on the range. He ended it taking home a silver medal for the top amateur and being hailed as the latest prodigy in British golf.

Fitzpatrick's birth certificate may say he is 18 but the fresh-faced youth did not look out of place as he strode confidently around Muirfield this week.

Playing alongside Fred Couples - a man nearly three times his age - Fitzpatrick shot a 1-over 72 on Sunday for an overall score of 10 over, beating fellow amateur and compatriot Jimmy Mullen by five shots.

Fitzpatrick says ''I can't imagine any other amateur event ever being as hard as the course we've played this week.''

He now heads to Northwestern University in Chicago for four years on a golf scholarship.