Matt Fitzpatrick Captures Maiden Major at The Country Club

Matt Fitzpatrick took home the US Open trophy on Father’s Day in emphatic fashion. Hitting 17/18 greens in regulation showed a masterful display of ball striking, and with birdies on 13 and 15 on the back nine to steady his round, he saved his best highlight of the day for the last, with an exquisite fairway bunker shot that embodies his class.

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Scottie Scheffler started the day with four birdies in his first six holes. He was on fire, and at one point he and Fitzpatrick had opened up a four-shot gap with the rest of the field. It looked for all the world that he would add to his Masters crown, but slumped in the middle and ended up one shot back.

Zalatoris had a makeable birdie putt on the 18^th green to force a playoff, not long after he just missed out on the PGA in a playoff. He is a killer in the majors and his time will come very soon, after narrowly missing out at Southern Hills and again here. His short putting still leaves a lot to be desired, but the rest of his game is undisputedly world-class.

There were tears on the 18^th green as the Fitzpatrick family embraced. He was also able to celebrate with the family he stayed with during his US Amateur win in 2013, Will & Jennifer Fulton.

There were more tears when Billy Foster kissed the flag on the 18^th green, securing his first major as a caddie in 35 years on the bag. All the great names he has worked under, Clarke, Ballesteros, Westwood.

Billy Foster has been caddying for four decades without winning a major. When Zalatoris missed to give Matt Fitzpatrick the W at the U.S. Open, Foster told The Post: “I had a gorilla jump off me back. Not a monkey, but a gorilla.” https://t.co/q0e17ptj4s

— Ian O’Connor (@Ian_OConnor) June 20, 2022

Young Matt Fitzpatrick is the one who finally delivered the win he so desperately longed for, removing the ‘gorilla’ off his back. The emotional scenes on the final green encompass what it means to win tournaments of this calibre. Money can’t buy moments like that.

Hitting shots that matter, in tournaments that mean something.

I was reminded of Bubba Watson’s wedge from the trees to secure the Masters, when Fitz crushed his approach to the 18^th from the fairway bunker. We saw Rahm collapse at the end of his Saturday round with fairway bunker troubles, but on the 18^th hole on Sunday, Fitz stepped up and delivered, all but slamming the door on his competitors and forcing Will Zalatoris to need a birdie.

It showed again why this is the best stage in the world for golf. Major champions littered the first page of the leader board. Keegan Bradley was there, Hideki Matsuyama posted a glittering Sunday 65, Morikawa shot 66, Scheffler, McIlroy, all fell short of Fitzpatrick.

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He now joins Jack Nicklaus in being the second golfer ever to win the US Amateur and the US Open at the same course. Fitzpatrick is the first Englishman to win a major since Justin Rose in 2013, and makes it four wins for non-Americans now in the last seventeen major championships.

It hasn’t been easy. He’s had to chip cross-handed, add significant speed to his swing, resist the taunts of never winning in the States. His work has come to fruition, and to win the US Open in such a dominant style will silence any doubters.

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It seemed fitting that he capture his maiden major when returning to the scene where he won the US Amateur nine years ago.  He said it felt like it was ‘meant to be’ after his incessant knocking at the door and multitude of close shaves this season.

One of golf’s good guys, Fitzpatrick provided a fantastic spectacle for golf on Sunday.