BREAKING: Matt Fitzpatrick Wins Epic U.S. Open

Matt Fitzpatrick won an epic U.S. Open on Sunday afternoon at The Country Club at Brookline. 

Fitzpatrick fired a four-round score of six-under to out duel will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler by one shot. 

“Unbelievable. Yeah, it’s just — the feeling’s out of this world. It is so cliche, but it’s stuff you dream of as a kid. Yeah, to achieve it, I can retire a happy man tomorrow,” said Fitzpatrick with the trophy beside him in his press conference.  

It is the first major victory of his career. 

Matt Fitzpatrick tees off on the first hole during the final round at the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. on Sunday, June 19, 2022. (Robert Beck/USGA)

It is his second victory at The Country Club after winning the U.S. Amateur in Brookline in 2013. 

“This week around The Country Club, I’ve won around here before. I love playing this golf course. It suits me so well. It suits my game well. I’ve been playing well for a while, and I think it all just fell into place that this was the place it was going to happen,” Fitzpatrick said. 

Fitzpatrick is the first player from outside of the U.S. to win both the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur. 

How it Went Down 

Fitzpatrick and Zalatoris traded leads in the first several holes with Zalatoris holding a two shot lead at one point early on. 

Zalatoris then made back-to-back bogeys to fall into a tie for the lead with Fitzpatrick and Scheffler at five-under. 

A Scheffler bogey dropped him back and it was an uphill climb for him from there. 

On the 15th hole, Fitzpatrick took the lead for good with birdie putt to put him at six-under and a two shot lead with three to go. 

On the closing holes, Scheffler and Zalatoris both made birdies to get within one shot heading into 18. 

Scheffler, the reigning world #1, just missed a birdie putt on 18 that would have tied Fitzpatrick. 

Fitzpatrick put his tee shot on 18 in the bunker, and Zalatoris put his in the fairway, giving Zalatoris the early advantage. 

However, Fitzpatrick hit an incredible shot out of the bunker with a nine iron and onto the green to give himself a birdie look. 

Matt Fitzpatrick PHOTO: Joe Calabro

“One good thing is the way the lie was is it forced me not to go towards the pin. It kind of forced me to go well left anyway. If I had to hit straight, it was kind of a chip across the green or whatever it was. But I just feel like I’m a fast player, and when I look back, it just all happened so fast. It was like just kind of natural ability took over and just played the shot that was at hand, if I was a junior trying to hit it close,” Fitzpatrick said about the shot of the tournament. 

“Matt’s shot on 18 is going to be shown probably for the rest of U.S. Open history because that — I walked by it, and I thought that going for it was going to be ballsy, but the fact that he pulled it off and even had a birdie look was just incredible,” said Zalatoris after the round.

Zalatoris put his shot just inside Fitzpatrick.  

Fitzpatrick’s birdie putt just missed and he tapped in for par. 

Zalatoris’ birdie putt also just missed on the left side and he went into a crouch with his head in his hands.  

“With about six feet to go, I thought I had it. I was just checking my phone earlier, and a bunch of people were saying that Zinger had said that everyone missed that put high. I was the closest one all day. I was, like, thanks for the consolation prize,” added Zalatoris.

Another close call for Zalatoris. 

“I think this one probably is going to take a little bit more processing than that one. Like I said, I’ve got no regrets. I thought I played great all week, especially getting off to the start that I did today. It stings obviously. Obviously to have three runner-ups so far in my career in majors, but keep knocking on that door,” he added.  

Fitzpatrick won the U.S. Open. 

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