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 final round hole locations
Here we go then, let’s hope for a good one!
The hole locations are available to look at below.
Will we see some complaints or do the USGA fancy a tear up on the back nine unlike traditional US Open set-ups.
US Open 2022: Final round underway
The first group in the final round are underway, Harris English (+10) and amateur Stewart Hagestad (+12) will hope to enjoy the next four to five hours before putting their feet up and watching the conclusion of the US Open.
Matt Fitzpatrick revels in new-found status as one of golf’s big hitters
Matt Fitzpatrick revelled in his new-found status as one of golf’s big hitters as he played his way into contention for the second major in succession.
A month after finishing fifth in the US PGA Championship, Fitzpatrick is poised to challenge on the back nine on a Sunday at the US Open at Brookline, the scene of his US Amateur triumph in 2013.
And it was achieved partly in thanks to his increased length off the tee, the 27-year-old from Sheffield averaging 317.7 yards in driving distance, two yards ahead of playing partner and two-time major winner Dustin Johnson.
“It was a little bit weird,” Fitzpatrick admitted. “I’ll be honest, when I saw I was playing with DJ, part of me was thinking, ‘Don’t try and go after it when DJ hits’. Like, don’t try and keep up, because I know I’ve got some extra length.
“Hitting the drives I hit this week so far and seeing where he’s hit his has been quite eye-opening for me. It’s great for me to give me more confidence going into the rest of the year, the next five years.
“I’ve just got to try and hopefully just take advantage more of it. If now on paper I’m hitting it past DJ, you look at the success he’s had, if I can emulate that, then I’ll be a very happy man.”
Seamus Power reacts to round of 70 to sit +1 at US Open
“That got me going on the right path heading into the back nine,” Power said. “I need more of the same on Sunday and hopefully I can finish a little stronger.
“I am going to have to play a little bit better and hopefully if a couple of putts drop you never know.”
US PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas was accidentally introduced as Justin Thompson on the first tee and was then overheard expressing his frustration after being denied a drop from near a drain in the fourth fairway.
“That’s what pisses me off, because so many other people would lie about being able to hit that, but it’s just like, I’m not going to hit it (the drain),” Thomas complained. “That’s bull****, man.”
Speaking after a round of 72 left him three over par, Thomas said: “I called an official to get a ruling on it, and in the spirit of the game I wasn’t going to hit the drain.
“I felt like I very easily could have told her (the rules official) that I was going to and gotten a free drop, but I wasn’t.”
Will Zalatoris reacts to lead heading into final round of US Open
“After the US PGA that was a bitter pill to swallow, but I feel good about my game,” Zalatoris said.
“Tomorrow is going to be no simple test, you look at the major champions on the leaderboard and this course is a beast. The job is not even close to being done.”
Will Zalatoris sets testing clubhouse target as winds play havoc at US Open
Matt Fitzpatrick, who won the 2013 US Amateur at Brookline, was just a shot behind with four holes remaining
Matt Fitzpatrick hoping Brookline ‘edge’ can secure US Open title
Matt Fitzpatrick believes his previous success at Brookline gives him the edge over his rivals heading into the final round of the 122nd US Open.
Nine years after winning the US Amateur title at the same Massachusetts venue, Fitzpatrick shares the 54-hole lead with American Will Zalatoris, a shot ahead of defending champion Jon Rahm.
World number one Scottie Scheffler, Keegan Bradley and Adam Hadwin are two shots off the pace, with Rory McIlroy, Sam Burns and Joel Dahmen another stroke back and the last of just nine players in red figures.
Matt Fitzpatrick hoping Brookline ‘edge’ can secure first major title
He won the US Amateur title at the Country Club nine years ago
Matt Fitzpatrick takes share of lead into final round of US Open
Matt Fitzpatrick will take a share of the lead into the final round of the US Open as he seeks a first major title and historic Brookline double.
Defending champion Jon Rahm looked set to finish an eventful day on top of the leaderboard when he birdied the 14th, 15th and 17th to take the outright lead, only to run up a double bogey on the 18th.
Rahm was unlucky to catch a fairway bunker with a well-struck drive, but then drilled his second shot into the face of the hazard and found more sand in front of the green with his third.
The resulting six dropped the Ryder Cup star back to three under par, a shot behind Fitzpatrick and Zalatoris, who had overcome the blustery conditions to shoot 68 and 67 respectively.
For the second major in succession, England’s Fitzpatrick will contest the closing round from the final group, having partnered Mito Pereira in the US PGA at Southern Hills last month.
Matt Fitzpatrick takes share of lead into final round of US Open
The Englishman will compete on Sunday from the final group alongside Will Zalatoris
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