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
This is far from over though. Zalatoris steps onto the 13th tee with that newfound lead and slices his tee shot into some thick rough down the right. Fitzpatrick goes next and finds the heart of the fairway.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
The final group comes to the short par-3 11th. Zalatoris and Fitzpatrick’s tee shots are almost equal, both settling right of the flag and leaving around 17ft for birdie. It’s the American to go first and he holes it!
Fitzpatrick got a great look at the line but there’s a bit of a rush of blood and his putt dives low of the hole and runs on about 4ft. The return effort lips out. A huge two-shot swing and the US Open is suddenly very much Zalatoris’s to lose.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Now it’s Fitzpatrick who falters! He found the fairway at 10 but it’s a giant par 4 and he still has 200 yards to the pin. His approach catches the front bunker and he misses a 5ft putt to save par.
Zalatoris found the green and had a long look at birdie but is forced to settle for par. That’s still good enough for a share of the lead now though.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Scheffler three-putts at the 11th. It’s only playing 108 yards but the change in elevation is throwing players off and the world No 1’s tee shot settles a good 40 feet past the flag. He’s left with a nervy 5ft putt for par and it lips out!
Fitzpatrick’s lead stays at one shot but it’s now Zalatoris, his playing partner, who is his closest challenger.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Fitzpatrick and Zalatoris both find the fairway at 10.
Up at the 18th, Jordan Spieth taps in for a 74 and ends the tournament at +7. It hasn’t been the 2015 champion’s week.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Fitzpatrick crouches down in disbelief as his birdie putt at the 9th fails to drop. He’s still our new outright leader though after Scheffler failed to get his bunker shot inside 12ft at the 10th and was forced to settle for his first bogey of the round.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
This is some fightback from Zalatoris. He was two-over through his first three holes but a fantastic 17ft putt at the ninth makes it three birdies in the last four and he’s now only one shot off the lead.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Here’s another look at that brilliant 3-wood from Fitzpatrick to reach the 8th in two.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
And now Scheffler makes a mistake! A huge 321-yard drive found the first cut down the right at 10 and his approach flies long into the back bunker. It’ll be a tricky up and down from there.
US Open 2022: Latest final round scores
Scheffler might be four-under-par for his round but Fitzpatrick is refusing to be blown away. He hits a wonderful drive down the fairway at the par-5 8th, makes it up the false front with his second and a tricky two-putt birdie sees the Englishman retake a share of the lead at -6.
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