Golf
Matt Fitzpatrick’s win a victory for golf at exciting U.S. Open
Matt Fitzpatrick’s win a victory for golf at exciting U.S. Open
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SportsWriters
With the match on the line and a playoff looming, Matt Fitzpatrick hit the shot of a lifetime. Fitzpatrick hit a 9-iron that navigated around the steep lip — a “squeezy fade,” he said — carried the front bunker and settled 18 feet from the pin.
The two-under 68 gave him his first major win in the United States, in a fierce battle down the stretch against runner up Will Zalatoris.
Fitzpatrick had won the U.S. Amateur at Brookline in 2013, making him only the third person to win a U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Open on the same course. Jack Nicklaus did it at Pebble Beach, and Juli Inkster won the U.S. Women’s Amateur and U.S. Women’s Open at Prairie Dunes.
Hideki Matsuyama had the low round of the week with a 65, but he finished at 3-under 277, and that was never going to be good enough.
Rory McIlroy had a 69 and finished in a group four shots behind with Collin Morikawa (66).
The turning point
On Sunday, Fitzpatrick had some huge breaks. There was none larger than when he and Zalatoris were tied on the 15th hole, a 500 yard, par 4, and facing a blind tee shot over a large hill.
Fitzpatrick hit far right. Zalatoris’ then just missed and wasn’t that far offline. But Fitzpatrick’s ball landed in a bare area trampled down by the fans. Zalatoris wasnt so lucky as his ball ended up in deep rough. Zalatoris ended up bogeying the hole while Fitzpatrick ended up with birdie. It turned out to be a two-shot swing turning the match into Fitzpatrick’s favor.
Fitzy!
Matthew Fitzpatrick holds a two-shot lead after a birdie at the par-4 15th! #USOpenpic.twitter.com/JB2SZO7jXR
— Golf On Tap (@OnTapGolf) June 19, 2022
"We're walking down and he goes, 'I barely miss the fairway' and I've got a horrible lie and he misses it by 30 yards and he's OK."
- Zalatoris’ caddie - Ryan Goble
Sealing the victory
Fitzpatrick hit the shot of his life, when he nailed this fading approach to the 18th out of an unfortunate lie from a fairway bunker.
This bunker shot by Matthew Fitzpatrick on 18 on Sunday essentially ensured his U.S. Open championship.
What a beautiful shot.pic.twitter.com/JvuWsQkKbC
— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) June 19, 2022
“Matt’s shot on 18 is going to be shown probably for the rest of U.S. Open history,” Zalatoris said. “I walked by it, and I thought that going for it was going to be ballsy. But the fact that he pulled it off and even had a birdie look was just incredible."
- Will Zalatoris
“The feeling’s out of this world,” Fitzpatrick said. “It is so cliche, but it’s stuff you dream of as a kid. Yeah, to achieve it, I can retire a happy man tomorrow.”
- Matthew Fitzpatrick
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Matt Fitzpatrick’s victory a win for golf at thrilling US Open https://trib.al/7UCXyxJ