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
It’s a move in the wrong direction for Justin Rose, who couldn’t miss a week ago when he shot a final round of 60 at the Canadian Open.
Rose’s putt moves from left-to-right and is short, so he’ll take a bogey. He’s back to +6.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
There's a big more red on the leaderboard now, encouragement for later? Three players are -1 through six, including Daffue, who once led of course, Max Homa and Callum Tarren. They are all +6 overall and in a tie for 45th.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Here’s the standard anybody yet to tee off will gladly take on two, as Chris Gotterup takes a rare birdie.
He’s the only player under par on the course.
-1 through three and +6 overall to be in a tie for 47th, it’s a first major for the recently-turned professional, following bright seasons with Oklahoma and Rutgers.
He’s one to watch as he picked up the Haskins Award, awarded annually to the top college golfer in the country.
Former winners include Matthew Wolff, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Matt Kuchar, Luke Donald, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Bryson DeChambeau, soon to be a LIV Golf player, is having a tough time, again. The former US Open champion is +3 through four holes today.
He's +11 overall and way back in a tie for 60th - the good news is he literally can't finish that low in the new Saudi-backed tour as there aren't that many players in it.
Tyrrell Hatton is also in a tie for 60th, just +2 today and +11 overall.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
So the early scores are in, Austin Greaser, the amateur from UNC, is having a troubling start, he's +6 through four and +14 for the tournament alongside Harris English (+4 today), with fellow amateur Stewart Hagestad one better on +13 with a gentle start today, +1 through six.
Elsewhere, perhaps the best starts have been by two Europeans: Sebastian Soderberg of Sweden (+8) and Wil Besseling of the Netherlands (+9) are both level par through six and five holes respectively.
Of the 15 players out on the course, nobody is under par yet for today.
Rory McIlroy: US Open 2022 third round one of my toughest days in a long time
“It was one of the toughest days on a golf course I’ve had in a long time,” McIlroy said after carding at three-over round of 73. “I just needed to grind it out, and I did on the back nine.
“To play that back nine at even par today was a really good effort, I thought - kept myself in the tournament.
“I’m sort of going home thinking that I held this round together when it could have got away from me quickly.”
Will Zalatoris on US Open challenge today
Will Zalatoris on the task at hand today, with a share of the lead alongside Matt Fitzpatrick:
The former Wake Forest star said: “Obviously this golf course is an absolute beast. And you look at the major champions on that leaderboard, it's going to be no small test tomorrow.”
US Open 2022: Is it Will Zalatoris’ time?
Will Zalatoris, 25, continues to relish the major championships, leading the US Open as we begin the final round.
The San Francisco native has played in just eight majors before this week, with five top-10 finishes. It’s a streak matched last by Ernie Els, a two-time U.S. Open winner no less.
He’s Masters runner-up, on debut in 2021, and was beaten in a play-off by Justin Thomas in last month’s PGA Championship, it doesn’t get much closer. So to have no PGA Tour wins, let a lone a major is surprising, is it now his time?
“I think especially coming off the PGA, it gave me a lot of belief and confidence that I belong in this situation,” he said. “I’ve put myself in this situation a few times in my career, and obviously have to go out and get it tomorrow.”
Keegan Bradley emotional after surging into Brookline contention at U.S. Open
“Honestly, it was one of the most amazing moments of my entire life,’’ said an emotional Bradley after finishing up on Saturday.
“I got to feel what it feels like to play in Fenway, to play in the Garden, to play in Gillette Stadium. I felt like a Boston player there.
“That was a moment I’ll never forget the rest of my life, and I appreciate the fans giving me that, and I hope to have them cheer again [Sunday].’’
US Open 2022: Play-off rules and history at Brookline
If it can’t be settled in 72 holes, the US Open will go to a play-off, with history hinting at overtime at the Country Club, having gone there on the three previous occasions it has hosted this tournament.
Amateur Francis Ouimet firstly stunned British duo of Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in 1913.
Then, 50 years later, it was the legendary Arnold Palmer who lost an 18-hole playoff for the second year in a row, with Julius Boros prevailing.
And last time out it was Curtis Strange who edged out Nick Faldo in 1988 to land the major.
With 16 players separated by just five shots, we could be in for a late one, but it won’t be that late, with 18-hole play-offs before.
Now it will be a two-hole aggregate playoff if any players are tied up after 72. If they’re still tied up after two extra holes, we go to sudden death.
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