Matthew Fitzpatrick finished on six under to claim a first victory as a professional on American soil, holding off the challenge of Will Zalatoris and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler in a thrilling final round at Brookline
Monday 20 June 2022 16:16, UK
Matthew Fitzpatrick described the feeling of securing his maiden major victory at the US Open as "out of this world" as he edged out Will Zalatoris and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler by one shot in a thrilling final round at Brookline.
Fitzpatrick also won the 2013 US Amateur at The Country Club, and such fond memories as well as a familiarity with the course helped cement a belief that "this could be the time".
Fitzpatrick shot a two-under 68 on the final day, birdieing two of his last five holes to celebrate a first success on American soil as a professional and become only the fourth Englishman in the last century to win the US Open.
"The feeling's out of this world," Fitzpatrick said. "It is so cliche, but it's stuff you dream of as a kid. To achieve it, I can retire a happy man tomorrow."
Retirement is the furthest thing from the 27-year-old's mind, however. Sky Sports' Paul McGinley believes he is "on the verge of something big" and that he has the game capable of winning "a number of major championships".
That's certainly the target for Fitzpatrick. "Six is the number," he said, which would see him match Nick Faldo's haul of major wins.
"That's the number that we all agreed on. I've got a bit of a way to go, but it's a good start."
He added: "You want to go win more now, there's no doubt about that.
"It's easy to still go off track. I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing, and hopefully more will come. I'm delighted with one so far."
Fitzpatrick produced something special on the final hole to secure victory. His drive found a bunker down the left side, but he managed to land his second shot on the green just 12 feet from the pin.
"If there was one shot I've struggled with this year, that I just do not want, it's a fairway bunker shot," said Fitzpatrick.
"I guess ability just took over, it's one of the best shots I've hit of all time. When I saw it leave the sand and felt the strike, I couldn't be happier."
Fitzpatrick's victory at Brookline saw him become the first Englishman to win a major since fellow Sheffield native Danny Willett won the Masters in 2016.
Fitzpatrick is an avid Sheffield United fan and believes his mentality compares with his hometown club.
He said: "I feel like I'm the same deal - not expected to do well, not expected to succeed.
"I've won a major today. I feel like I certainly worked hard for it and that's kind of where I've grown up from, that's the mentality of everyone around there.
"It's certainly like an underdog mentality, and you work for what you get."
Fitzpatrick reserved praise for Billy Foster after his win, saying he helped give him the belief he could go on and win the tournament after another near-miss at the PGA Championship last month.
"Billy had been saying for a while, the time will come," Fitzpatrick said. "You're playing so well. Just keep doing what you're doing. It will come. It will happen.'
"I put myself in position after two rounds and then played well yesterday. I just really believed this could be the time.
"For whatever reason, because of my success here before, it just felt like this was the time."
For Foster, it was also the much-loved caddie's first major success after coming close with numerous other pros over the years, including Lee Westwood and Seve Ballesteros.
Speaking to Sky Sports after Fitzpatrick's win, Foster said: "Unbelievably emotional. Forty years caddying; I knew somebody would get that giant monkey off my back. It was a gorilla, never mind a monkey!
"He played absolutely brilliantly. He did my head in by missing a few short putts, but he didn't need to win by four, did he? One was good enough.
"It means a lot. Obviously, Westy [Westwood], Darren Clarke, Seve, they had their chances over the years, Thomas Bjorn I was caddying for that day when he left it in the bunker at Sandwich [2003 Open] and that really hurt - I thought about it every day for six months, it broke my heart.
"But that has put a lot of bad memories to bed. It means everything to me."
Sky Sports expert Rob Lee...
Winning US Opens are always so difficult because the golf course tries to beat you up. Matt has played well for a long time. It didn't happen for him at the PGA Championship. Another opportunity comes your way, but you're not guaranteed to close the deal, no matter how good you are.
The combination of his calmness, his ball-striking - he only missed one green - and his caddy Billy Foster got them over the line. It was a fantastic final round.
Matt is a phlegmatic golfer. I find myself watching him, screaming at the television most of the time, because he can roll it in from 75 feet and the crowd go mad, but he's deadpan, there's no reaction. You saw what Matt Fitzpatrick is after he won and got his business concluded. He was fantastic in his interviews.
That second shot he hit into the last hole took me back to Sandy Lyle in 1988 at the Masters when he clipped one onto the green and holed it for a birdie. That shot Matt hit from the bunker was world class.
You've got to think the way Matt plays, he's got a flatter ball flight than most and when you put that together with links golf, St Andrews is going to fit his eye really well.
Plus the fact you sometimes get 20, 30, 40-yard putts - he's a beautiful putter as well. That's always a key factor at St Andrews.
Yes Tiger Woods is going to be in town along with Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and all the top players in the world, at the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews. It's all building up to the final major of the year to be maybe one of the greatest shows on earth.
Matt is going to be there with a very big chance of winning his second major championship.
Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland
Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland
Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland
