Matt Fitzpatrick wins U.S. Open to claim first major championship
Matt Fitzpatick had to wait until the final putt of the tournament to win his first ever major championship in the 122nd U.S. Open from The Country Club.
Matt Fitzpatrick shot a final round 68 to win the 122nd U.S. Open from the Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. It’s not only the first major championship of the 27 year old’s career, it’s his first win on the PGA Tour.
Final pairing came down to the wire
He came into Sunday’s round at four under after shooting a two under 68 in the first and third rounds. He was paired with Will Zalatoris who was the leader after coming into the final 18 at -5.
Zalatoris went bogey-bogey on the second and third hole to relinquish the lead, but responded with birdies on 6,7 and 9. Scottie Scheffler rocketed up the leader board with a fantastic start birdieing four of the first six holes and had a chance to join Fitzpatrick at -6 on the 18th hole, but missed by a matter of inches and finished with a final round 67.
Zalatoris, like Fitzpatrick was in search of his first major and held steady for much of Sunday afternoon. Both were neck and neck well into the back nine, but a two shot swing on 15 turned the U.S. Open on his head.
Fitzpatrick takes control on 15
On the Par 4 15th Zalatoris sent his second shot into the left side bunker and two putted for bogey while Fitzpatrick put his tee shot in the gallery. His second shot from the landed gently on the green and sunk the putt from just over 10 feet.
It wouldn’t be an easy end for Fitzpatrick who drove his tee shot into the sand on 18. His second shot was placed perfectly into the middle of the green leaving himself a makeable putt, but Zalatoris who was just a stroke behind stuck his shot inside allowing himself to read the Fitzpatrick putt. The Englishman had a chance to win it with his birdie putt, but left his effort just low of the hole. Zalatoris almost exactly the same putt and left his putt low of the hole.
Fitzpatrick had a subdued smile and a stoic celebration as he watched the putt roll past the hole as he became just the second man, after Jack Nicklaus to win the U.S. Open and the US Amateur on the same course.