English golfer Matt Fitzpatrick has managed to win his first major title, keeping his nerves to win the US Open all at once.
US Open
- Matt Fitzpatrick (CAT) 6 below
- Will Zalatoris (USA) 5 below
- Scottie Scheffler (USA) 5 below
- Hideki Matsuyama (JAP) 3 below
- Collin Morikawa (USA) 2 below
- Rory McIlroy (NIR) 2 below
In a dramatic finale back in Brookline, the lead was cut and shifted between three main protagonists.
The leaders of the night, the Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick and the American Will Zalatoris, came and went with the world number one Scottie Scheffler, as no one could make the winning break.
But the 15th proved the key hole, as Zalatoris missed a long-pair putt and Fitzpatrick sank a long birdie putt to set up a two-shot buffer.
The world number 18, who won the U.S. amateur title in 2013, held on to finish with 6 less, winning by a shot from Scheffler and Zalatoris.
Before claiming the title, Fitzpatrick had another great play to play, when he entered a street bunker on the 18th, apparently ceding the advantage to his teammate Zalatoris.
Will Zalatoris fired four birdies at six holes around the turn to stay in competition, but finished off a Matt Fitzpatrick shot back. (Getty Images: Patrick Smith)
However, he got on his nerves and got a brilliant recovery by landing him 15 yards beyond the flag to let him run. Only his bird putt was lost to seal the victory, but Zalatoris’ bird putt to force a playoff barely slipped through the hole.
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“If I’m brutally honest, I hit a 3 wood in the street bunker (on the 18th) and if there’s one shot that I haven’t really been good at, it’s a street bunker shot.
“But then I hit one of the best shots I’ve ever made.”
The victory was Fitzpatrick’s first on the PGA Tour.
“It’s what you dream of when you grow up,” Fitzpatrick said.
“It’s what I’ve been working on for so long. Doing it here for my first major title is very big.”
The Englishman, only a quarter of his country to win the U.S. Open in 100 years, said his patience was the key to victory.
“I told Billy (caddy Billy Foster) if I got 18 greens right, I think I got a chance,” said Fitzpatrick, who managed to hit 17 greens in regulation.
“I approached him like he did (touch 18).”
Scheffler and Zalatoris finished with 5 under. Last year’s Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama had the round of the day, charging in the top five with a 5 under 65 for a total of 3 under 277.
But he was too far behind to really threaten the top three.
American Collin Morikawa shot a 4 under 66 to finish fifth set along with Irishman Rory McIlroy in 2 under.
Australian Marc Leishman and Adam Scott finished together with 2-overs, tied at 14th. Min Woo Lee fired a final round of 3-overs to finish at 5-overs, while Todd Sinnott finished the tournament with another shot back at 6-overs.
Posted 1 hour ago 1 hour ago dig. June 19, 2022 at 10:47 pm, updated 5 m ago 5 minutes ago dig. June 19, 2022 at 11:42 p.m.