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
Fitzpatrick can’t hole it. It’s left on the high side but he’s in for a par. Zalatoris has to hole this birdie putt to take it to a play-off.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
It’ll be Fitzpatrick to go first and, if he can hole this, he will be the US Open champion.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
What a stunning shot from Fitzpatrick! He takes an eight iron, gets it over the lip and the ball stops dead about 20ft past the flag.
Zalatoris goes next knowing only a birdie will do. It’s inside Fitzpatrick’s, more like 15ft, and he’ll have the benefit of a good read.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
It’s Zalatoris to go first at the 18th. He takes the aggressive approach off the tee with a driver and it’s a fantastic fade that just misses the bunkers down the left.
Fitzpatrick steps up for the highest pressure tee shot of his entire career. And he turns it over and it hooks into the bunker down the left! What’s more, he’s quite close to a bit of the face that juts inwards. It’s going to be very difficult to find the green from there.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Up on the 18th green, Scheffler has a birdie putt from 23ft to tie Fitzpatrick for the lead. It’s a fantastic effort but it just slips past the hole. He’s in the clubhouse at -5.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Zalatoris has the line but he leaves it short! He can’t believe it.
Fitzpatrick now has a birdie putt that would give him a two-shot lead down the last but it’s so quick down the slope. He barely touches it and it trickles on the low side for a simple tap-in par.
The Englishman takes a one-shot lead down the last.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Both Fitzpatrick and Zalatoris are perfectly positioned in the fairway at 17.
Fitzpatrick goes first and hits a fantastic pitch just past the flag. He’ll have 11ft for birdie but it’s straight down the hill after sticking on the bank.
Zalatoris goes next and he does get the backspin off the slope. He’ll go first from 12ft but he’ll have the advantage of going up and across the slope.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Here’s a look at that stunning tee shot from Zalatoris at 16.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Fitzpatrick lags it nicely to the hole for a tap-in par. Now it’s Zalatoris’s turn. It’s got a bit of right to left but it’s one he should expect to make... and he does! Right in the middle of the hole. What a finish we are having here. Fitzpatrick leads by one ahead of Zalatoris and Scheffler.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
The final group head to the 16th tee. Fitzpatrick just about flies the bunker and gets a decent roll up towards the hole. He’s a good 35ft away from there though and will happily take par.
Zalatoris needs something special and oh boy does he deliver. From 210 yards, he flies it to just 6ft!
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