Alex Fitzpatrick earned his PGA Tour membership in April 2026 by winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans alongside his brother. But that was far from the highlight of his month. Alex, brother Matt, and fellow pro golfer Gary Woodland were recently hanging out at Michael Jordan’s club, Grove XXIII, in Florida when the NBA legend strolled in, cigars in his hand. The 27-year-old was starstruck and spoke about the “unbelievable” interaction with the NBA legend on the No Laying Up podcast.

“The coolest thing that happened was [when] me and my brother were at the Grove, which is Michael Jordan’s place. And we were sat there; this was just after the Zurich, and Gary Woodland was sitting at the bar. So there were just three of us in the room. And Michael walks in, and he pats me on the shoulder.

“[A couple] of my friends, but he walked past, and he was like, ‘It’s just a room full of f****** winners in here.’ I was like, ‘That’s so cool.’ Because he just strolled in with his cigars. And it was like, this is the coolest thing ever. I would say that by far the thing I would be like, this is unbelievable.”

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Interestingly, MJ was once dismissive of golf, and famously referred to it as a “sissy sport.” However, his view of the game changed over time, and the NBA legend developed a deep passion for the sport. These days, he is an avid golfer and regularly hits the course, often playing 36 holes in a single day. 

He has described golf as more than just a sport, calling it “a therapeutic thing for me” and suggesting that he feels “incomplete” when he cannot play. That’s the reason Jordan owns The Grove XXIII. Notably, the Hall of Famer did not buy an existing course. Instead, he purchased the former citrus grove land and built a 15,000-square-foot clubhouse along with an 18-hole course designed by Bobby Weed. 

The course opened in fall 2019 at an estimated construction cost of $15 to $20 million. Jordan also often attends major golf tournaments, including the 2025 Ryder Cup. And of course, his love for the sport has brought the NBA legend face-to-face with several big-name golf players over the years. 

In fact, ahead of the 2026 season, Tony Finau officially signed as a head-to-toe Jordan Brand ambassador, transitioning from his long-term Nike partnership to wear the iconic Jumpman logo. Regardless, Jordan, of course, has long retired from basketball, having won six NBA championships, earned five regular-season MVP awards, and secured six NBA Finals MVP awards.

Compared to Michael Jordan, Alex Fitzpatrick has barely dipped his toe into the sport. Since earning his PGA Tour membership thanks to the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the Englishman has made nine starts. While he is yet to win his first individual event, Alex Fitzpatrick has recorded 4 top-10 finishes.

Alex Fitzpatrick is next expected to tee it up at the Wyndham Championship (August 5-9, North Carolina).