US Open
Golfer Fitzpatrick triumphs nine years after amateur title
Matthew Fitzpatrick celebrates with the trophy after winning the tournament. Photo: Julio Cortez/AP/dpa
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Matthew Fitzpatrick is now a Major winner. He faltered on the last hole. But the grandiose blow to the rescue caused emotional scenes on a significant course.
After the triumph at the US Open, golfer Matthew Fitzpatrick embraced his younger brother Alex.
Nine years before the greatest success of his career, the now 27-year-old Englishman had previously won the course at Brookline’s Country Club outside of Boston. Back then as an amateur, his brother was the caddy – after a wafer-thin victory in front of Will Zalatoris and world number one Scottie Scheffler, Alex was one of the first to congratulate him on Sunday (local time).
Fitzpatrick was overjoyed after winning his first major tournament for a record $3.15 million in prize money. “The feeling is out of this world,” said the Sheffield golf pro, who shed tears of joy during the first of many hugs. “It’s such a cliché, but this is stuff you dream about as a kid. To have achieved that: I can retire tomorrow a happy man.”
competition badly impressed
At his age, the Brit still has a few good years ahead of him – and has already secured a place in the sporting annual reviews of the USA. And probably those in England too. Because how he solved the tricky situation on the last hole, when the tee shot landed in the sand bunker and he apparently served Zalatoris the chance to catch up on a silver platter, also impressed the competition. “Matt’s shot at 18 will probably show them to the end of US Open history,” said Zalatoris. Fitzpatrick made it from the bunker onto the green. “One of the best shots I’ve ever hit,” Fitzpatrick said.
He then missed an opportunity for a birdie on the green, giving Zalatoris another chance to level and force a playoff. But the 25-year-old American narrowly missed the hole with his putt from about four meters, crouched down, clasped his hands over his head – and was beaten. “Today is Father’s Day and I’m sure it cost my father a year or two of his life,” Zalatoris said after the drama on the 18th green. For the third time in the past seven majors, one of the major golf tournaments ended in second place for him.
Golf icon congratulates by phone
The Fitzpatricks family, on the other hand, shot up from their seats at that moment and, seconds later, ran happily onto the pitch. While Zalatoris has to wait, Matthew Fitzpatrick finally did it, not only claiming his first major win of his career, but his first ever as a pro in the United States. For the four rounds on the difficult par-70 course outside of Boston he needed a total of 274 strokes – one less than Zalatoris and Scheffler.
“It’s something I’ve worked for so long, for so long,” Fitzpatrick said at the awards ceremony. “To do that, my first win, a major – it doesn’t get any better than that.” Before him, only the great Jack Nicklaus had managed to win the amateur title (2013) and the US Open on the same golf course, and he was one of the first to congratulate him on the phone.