BROOKLINE, Mass. — For a guy who has won seven times on the DP World Tour, Matt Fitzpatrick has certainly had his ears full here in the United States.
Despite being a very accomplished player, wrestling often and playing in two Ryder Cups, Fitzpatrick was often asked about his lack of a win on American soil.
Well, those questions are over.
On one of the country’s most hallowed grounds in sport, the Englishman beat Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler on an overcast, overcast Sunday at the Country Club to win the 122nd US Open.
After taking a share of the lead with a 50ft birdie on the 13th and then taking the lead with a 19ft birdie on the 15th, Fitzpatrick’s bid from 18ft on the final hole to win the championship – set up by a brilliant bunker shot from 155 yards – missed on the left. He was left standing to stand on the side of the green as Zalatoris lined up a 14-foot birdie putt that would have forced a playoff. But Zalatoris’ effort missed by a hair and Fitzpatrick sank into the arms of his caddie, the legendary Billy Foster.
Welcome to the brotherhood of US Open champions Mr. Fitzpatrick.
“The feeling is out of this world,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s so cliché, but it’s something you dreamed of as a kid. To achieve this, I can retire a happy man tomorrow.”
Minutes after scoring his biggest victory to date, he received a congratulatory call from Jack Nicklaus, who has become a frequent lunch companion at the Bear’s Club in Florida. Fitzpatrick, 27, who won the 2013 US Amateur here on the course Francis Ouimet made famous in 1913 with his stunning upset over Ted Ray and Harry Vardon, joined the Golden Bear as the only two players to have won the US Amateur and the US Open on the same course. Nicklaus did it at Pebble Beach in 1961 and 1972. Juli Inkster is the only player to have won the US Women’s Amateur and the US Women’s Open on the same course (Prairie Dunes, 1980, 2002).
“Any time you share a record with Jack Nicklaus, it’s amazing,” Fitzpatrick said. “So for me, it’s amazing to have that too. He called me there just at the presentation to congratulate me. Coming from someone like that, it means the world.”
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Fitzpatrick closed with a 2-under 68 to finish at 6 under. Zalatoris signed for a 69 and Scheffler a 67, as both finished 5 under.
It was another heartbreaking ending for Zalatoris, who lost in the playoffs to Justin Thomas at the PGA Championship last month. He remains winless on the PGA Tour but is as confident as he’s ever been that a win is coming.
“I think this one is probably going to need a bit more processing than (the PGA),” Zalatoris said. “As I said, I have no regrets. I think I played well all week, especially taking the start I made today.
“It obviously stings. Obviously to have three finalists so far in my majors career, I keep knocking on that door. Obviously we’re doing the right things. I’d pay a lot of money for about an inch and a mi -time, and I’d probably be a three-time major champion at this point. We’ll just keep doing what we’re doing.
Scheffler, who has won four victories this year including the Masters, held the lead late on the front nine but was again beaten by the shortest hole on the golf course. After reaching 6 under, Scheffler bogeyed 10 after an errant drive, then put three putts to 11th (who was only playing 108 yards) to bogey. He doubled on 11 in the third round and followed that up with three straight bogeys. He birdied on the 17th and narrowly missed 23 feet on the 18th to find himself one shot short.
“My game is still in a good position. I gave myself a chance to win the US Open. I performed really well today under a lot of pressure. I made some key putts early on to start the game. day,” Scheffler said. “I just played quality golf. It just happened that putts were going around the edge instead of going in. That’s kind of what I felt like was happening most of the week. I was hitting a lot of good putts, and they just weren’t fall. A few breaks here or there, and I’d be the one holding the trophy.
“Hat tip to Fitzy. He plays really good golf, and he really deserved to win this event. I don’t know if you noticed, but I feel like he’s made extreme improvements on the tee in a matter of months.”
Former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama went home with the best score of the week, a 65, to finish at 3 under.
Two-time major winner Collin Morikawa squandered his chance for a third with a 77 on Saturday but bounced back with his second 66 to finish 2 under.
“I hope a lot of 7 overs don’t happen in the future, but it kind of made me refocus and kind of get back into things,” Morikawa said. “Really start off the tee, put it in the fairway, then worry from there.”
Rory McIlroy, who signed for a 69, also finished at 2 under. The four-time major winner has now played 29 majors without winning his fifth.
“Another top five in a major. I guess that really doesn’t mean anything,” McIlroy said. “The game is here. The game is here. I still have a start next week in Hartford before going to the Open Championship.
“I’m going to rest two weeks before the Open and play some links golf and get ready and I’m looking forward to it. Again my game is in good shape. I have one more chance this year to try and get that major.”
Fitzpatrick won his first major on his 26th attempt. He has been on a steady ascent each year and Sunday’s victory lifted him to 10th in the Official World Golf Rankings, the first time he cracked the top 10.
He always worked as hard as he could and looked for unconventional ways to improve his game. Like his cross chipping, which he started earlier this year. Leaving the flagstick in the hole while putting he started last year. And always checking his thousands of notebooks which contain data on every shot he ever landed as a professional.
En route to rounds 68-70-68-68, Fitzpatrick kept his ball in play for the most part (he hit 17 greens in regulation time in the final round), didn’t double bogey all week ( who are killers in majors), and put together extremely well throughout.
And he took advantage of his extra length that he added to his arsenal.
With each year improving came more opportunities for the dramatic. Like his bunker shot on the 72nd hole.
“It’s one of the best shots I’ve ever landed, there’s no doubt about it,” he said. “You look throughout the week, the shots you’ve hit and the different times, it’s weird because it’s probably such a huge shot right now. If I’m being honest, I’m looking back at my three approaches in 15, 16 and 17 like all very, very good shots; 18 was just a bit of success and hope.”
With two Country Club wins, he now holds a special place in Fitzpatrick’s heart. Whether or not he plays another major here, he will surely come back.
“I love playing this golf course,” he said. “It suits me so well. It suits my game well. I’ve been playing well for a while and I think everything has fallen into place for that to happen here.”
Follow Steve DiMeglio on Twitter @Steve_DiMeglio.
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