US Open golf 2022 LIVE leaderboard: Matt Fitzpatrick edges Will Zalatoris to win
Fitzpatrick becomes the first English winner of the US Open since 2013
England’s Matt Fitzpatrick produced a moment of magic on his way to claiming his first major title and a historic double in the 122nd US Open at Brookline.
A shot behind playing partner Will Zalatoris with six holes to play, Fitzpatrick holed from 50 feet for birdie across the 13th green to draw level and briefly moved two shots clear with another on the 15th.
World number one Scottie Scheffler closed to within one with a birdie on the 17th and Zalatoris did likewise on the 16th, but the American agonisingly missed from 14 feet for another on the 18th to force a play-off.
The victory means Fitzpatrick joins 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus as the only players to win the US Amateur and US Open on the same course, Nicklaus doing so at Pebble Beach in 1961 and 1972.
With his brother Alex on the bag, Fitzpatrick won the US Amateur at Brookline in 2013, the same year Justin Rose became the last Englishman to win the US Open at Merion.
For the second major in succession, Fitzpatrick contested the closing round from the final group, having partnered Mito Pereira in the US PGA at Southern Hills last month.
On that occasion a closing 73 meant Fitzpatrick missed out on the play-off between Zalatoris and Justin Thomas by two shots, Thomas securing his second US PGA title in the three-hole shootout.
Three birdies in the first five holes of the final round had vaulted Scheffler into the lead, but Fitzpatrick holed from seven feet for birdie on the third and two-putted the short par-four fifth for another after driving the green.
The 27-year-old from Sheffield then three-putted the sixth from long range to drop his first shot of the day, but his increased length off the tee paid off again on the par-five eighth as he hit the green in two to set up an easy birdie.
That took him back into a share of the lead and he soon led on his own as Scheffler dropped his first shot of the day on the 10th and then three-putted the 108-yard 11th - the hole which cost him a double bogey in round three.
Zalatoris had almost holed his approach to the seventh and also birdied the ninth to close within a shot of playing partner Fitzpatrick, who surprisingly missed from four feet for par on the 10th after splashing out of a bunker.
A birdie on the 11th took Zalatoris into the outright lead for the first time and moments later he had a two-shot lead, Fitzpatrick three-putting from just a few inches closer to the hole on an identical line.
However, Zalatoris bogeyed the 12th and saw his lead wiped out in spectacular fashion on the next, Fitzpatrick letting out a massive roar after holing from 50 feet across the green for an unlikely birdie.
Another birdie on the 15th, coupled with a bogey from Zalatoris, briefly gave Fitzpatrick a two-shot lead but Scheffler and Zalatoris kept up the pressure with birdies on the 17th and 16th respectively.
Zalatoris then left a birdie putt on the 17th fractionally short and agonisingly missed from 14 feet on the last to force what would have been a fourth straight play-off in US Opens at Brookline.
Former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama posted a closing 65, the lowest round of the week, to claim fourth place on three under, with Rory McIlroy and Open champion Collin Morikawa sharing fifth on two under.
McIlroy felt he was just one great round from claiming a fifth major title and first since 2014 following a battling 73 on Saturday, but mixed four birdies and four bogeys in his first 14 holes and eventually signed for a 69.
Defending champion Jon Rahm began the final round just a shot off the lead but struggled to a closing 74.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Scheffler only has 6ft for birdie at 14 after that exceptional pitch but he gives the slope too much credit and pushes it on the high side of the hole. That’s a huge chance missed for the world No 1 and he knows it.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
What a stunning response from Fitzpatrick! He’s 48ft from the flag with a putt that’s going down and across a huge slope. He’s just trying to lag it to the flag but it trickles down the slope, picks up speed and rattles the middle of the flag. There’s a huge fist pump from the Englishman.
Suddenly the pressure on Zalatoris is huge. It’s far from easy but he was able to get a good read from Fitzpatrick’s putt and the ball just catches the right lip and drops. That was a great save to avoid a two-shot swing. The pair are tied for the lead at -5 with five holes to play.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
That’s a brilliant effort out of a jumpy lie. Zalatoris will have about 10ft to save par.
Up at the par-5 14th, Scheffler misjudged his second and got caught in the rough just before the second tier of the fairway. The lie is poor but the world No 1 plays it wonderfully, pre-empting the lack of spin and the ball rolls up the green and settles well within birdie range.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Zalatoris’s line is blocked by a tree and he’s forced to lay up short of the water. It’s still a tricky punch and the ball catches the downslope and runs into the rough. It’ll be a very tricky up and down from there.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Zalatoris flares one out to the right and could be in trouble again here.
Fitzpatrick plays it safe and hits it 240 yards to the middle of the fairway. It’s a good 200 yards in from there and he turns his approach over a little and it draws towards the back left corner of the green. It’s on the surface but it’ll be a very tricky downhill putt from there.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Matsuyama does hole that putt and a 65 is not only the best score of the day but the entire week. The 2021 Masters champion sets the clubhouse lead at -3.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
After being forced to lay up in the fairway, Zalatoris has to try and get up and down from 84 yards. The pitch pulls up a fraction short though and spins back into the fringe. He has a fine effort from there but the ball dies off just at the end and that’s a tap-in bogey for our leader.
Fitzpatrick stands over his putt knowing a birdie will see him regain a share of the lead but he leaves it short. It’s a simple par though and the lead is cut to just one at the top.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Matsuyama has played brilliantly today. He’s five-under for his round and standing over a long putt for birdie at the 18th. He knows he needs to make it to move to -4 and give himself an outside chance and unsurprisingly the ball sails quite a way past the hole. That’ll be a tricky one to save par and avoid tainting what’s been a fantastic performance.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Zalatoris has to hack one out onto the fairway after finding that thick rough at 12.
Fitzpatrick meanwhile is in a great position with 160 yards to the flag. He doesn’t love the approach but it’s still safely on the green and he’ll have a 25ft putt for birdie.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Here’s that fine birdie putt that’s given Zalatoris the upper hand on this back nine.
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