Matt Fitzpatrick made his red carpet debut with Katherine Gaal at the 2023 premiere of Netflix's 'Full Swing'

Matt Fitzpatrick made headlines when he won the 2023 RBC Heritage Golf Tournament, and by his side was his girlfriend Katherine Gaal.

The pro golfer celebrated his win with a rare public display of affection as he embraced Gaal; the couple then posed for pictures on the course with the trophy.

“This one is the one that I’ve always wanted to win,” he said in a press conference afterward. Noting that he has been coming to Hilton Head Island with his family since he was young, the English-born player added, “this place is just a special place for me.”

During the same press conference, he told a reporter: “I knew [the shot] was good because my mom and my girlfriend were jumping up and down with their arms in the air.”

Fitzpatrick is often referred to as the hardest-working golfer in the world. According to those close to him, “Fitz” has consistently logged every shot he’s ever hit since he was 15. Professional caddie Billy Foster said, “I’ve worked with some great players, but he’s by far the most professional player I’ve ever worked for.”

In 2022, his hard work paid off and he won the U.S. Open, almost 10 years after winning the U.S. Amateur on the same course. “It was 10 million times better than I ever thought it would feel. For me, it’s the greatest feeling I’ve ever had,” he told The New York Times about the achievement.

But despite such public success, Fitzpatrick keeps his personal life fairly private, only sharing a handful of photos of his life outside of golf on Instagram. As for Gaal, she keeps an even lower profile.

The pair, who began dating in January 2023, did make a rare public appearance that February at the premiere of Netflix's documentary series Full Swing, in which Fitzpatrick is featured.

So, who is Matt Fitzpatrick’s girlfriend? Here’s everything to know about Katherine Gaal and her relationship with the professional golfer.

She was a Miss New Jersey runner-up

While Fitzpatrick hails from Sheffield, England, Gaal is an all-American girl. She was born and raised in New Jersey and even competed in the Miss New Jersey USA pageant. In 2013, she was awarded first runner-up.

The following year, she received the Amity Award, an award given by her fellow contestants, according to her LinkedIn profile.

She went to Pennsylvania State University

Gaal attended the Pennsylvania State University and graduated with a double major in finance and broadcast journalism. While there, she was active in her school’s extracurriculars. She joined the Pi Beta Phi sorority, acted as a student mentor and was selected to be part of the Wall Street boot camp.

On top of her degree, Gaal earned an Alternative Route to Teaching certification for K-6 and special education.

She’s a marketing manager

After graduating from college, Gaal went on to establish a career in marketing. For the last four years, she’s been working at Commvault, a software development company where she is now the regional marketing manager.

Although she works in business, she does have some experience in the sporting world. She was previously a tennis professional at the Bay Head Yacht Club in New Jersey, and she often joins her boyfriend for the occasional round of golf, as evidenced by Fitzpatrick's Instagram.

She and Fitzpatrick went Instagram official in January 2023

It’s unclear when the couple met or began dating, but they became Instagram official in January 2023. Fitzpatrick posted a series of photos on Instagram with the caption: “2023 kicked off in Maui! 🌺.” The pictures show Fitzpatrick and Gaal on a golf course in Hawaii, marking Gaal’s first appearance on his social media.

The following month, on Feb. 14, he shared a sweet snapshot of them on Instagram with the caption, “To my favorite person, happy Valentines! ❤️”

A few days earlier, the pair made their red carpet debut at the premiere of Netflix’s Full Swing, an eight-episode docuseries about the lives of professional golfers. Fitzpatrick is featured in the series where he talks about keeping detailed records of his shots since the age of 15.

“I’m always, always, always pushing to be better. The analytics show me in black and white where I need to improve," he says in the series.

She’s supportive of his golf career

Aside from her appearances on his social media, Gaal has been spotted showing her support for Fitzpatrick during the 2023 PGA tour. In April, she even caddied for him during the Masters Par 3 contest, as Fitzpatrick shared on Instagram. She was also on hand with the rest of Fitzpatrick’s family when he won the RBC Heritage over defending champion Jordan Spieth.

At the press conference afterward, Fitzpatrick briefly spoke about her reaction to his final winning shot. The golfer later shared photos from the tournament on Instagram, including a shot of him and Gaal smiling as they held the trophy.

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