Andrew Redington/Getty ImagesMatt Fitzpatrick just added another storybook ending into the annals of PGA history after winning his first-ever major championship at the 2022 U.S. Open.
With the victory, he’s only the second player to win a U.S. Amateur title and the U.S. Open on the same course since Jack Nicklaus, who did it back in 1972.
Heading into the final round of play at The Country Club at Brookline, Massachusetts, on Sunday, the 27-year-old Englishman shared the lead with Will Zalatoris and had a one-stroke lead over Jon Rahm after 54 holes.
But Fitzpatrick separated himself from the pack by delivering one of the greatest ball-striking rounds ever by hitting 17 out of 18 greens before capping it off by two-putting for par to finish the tournament at six under.
Zalatoris needed a birdie on the 18th to send it to an aggregate playoff, but he missed the putt to the left, leaving him to finish tied for second with Scottie Scheffler.
After his breakthrough win at Brookline, Fitzpatrick, who sits at No. 18 player on the Official World Golf Rankings, will take home a hefty $3,150,000 for his troubles.
Here's the final breakdown of how the top 10 players on the leaderboard will split the $17.5 million purse.
2022 U.S. Open Leaderboard and Payouts
1. Matt Fitzpatrick (-6), $3,150,000
T2. Scottie Scheffler (-5), $1,890,000
T2. Will Zalatoris (-5), $1,225,374
4. Hideki Matsuyama (-3), $859,032
T5. Rory McIlroy (-2), $715,491
T5. Collin Morikawa (-2), $634,415
T7. Keegan Bradley (-1), $571,950
T7. Denny McCarthy (-1), $512,249
T7. Adam Hadwin (-1), $463,604
10. Gary Woodland (E), $425,830
Fitzpatrick Will Never Forget His First
It took nine years, but Sunday’s win at Brookline was indeed a full circle moment for Fitzpatrick.
The Englishman took home the U.S. Amateur at The Country Club back in 2013 and won his first major at the same club in 2022.
Familiarity had to play a part, but it was the ball-striking masterclass and his penchant for making a boatload of putts that helped him edge out the lead over Scheffler and Zalatoris in the final round.
He made it look easy, but according to the man himself, it wasn’t a walk in the park by a long shot.
U.S. Open (USGA) @usopengolfThe moment <a href="https://twitter.com/MattFitz94?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MattFitz94</a> became a major champion! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USOpen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/YveBUjjfL4">pic.twitter.com/YveBUjjfL4</a>
“With it being a major, it's quite different than a regular PGA Tour event,” Fitzpatrick told ESPN’s Mark Schlabach. “At the end of the day, they're just really hard to win. I think up until Southern Hills, really, I didn't really appreciate how hard it is actually to win a major. Yeah, I've not challenged, really, up until then.
“I think, myself included, and people on the outside maybe think it's easier than it is. You just have to look at Tiger [Woods]. He knocked off so many in such a quick span. That's why I think people think, 'Oh, it's a piece of cake; it's like a regular Tour event.' But it's not.”
Now that he’s won his first major tournament in the United States, there’s a chance that he gets a higher seeding on the Official World Golf Rankings to go along with all of the plaudits that are sure to start coming his way.
But Fitzpatrick wasn’t the only one to break through at Brookline.
U.S. Open (USGA) @usopengolfAll yours, Billy. 😘 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USOpen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/ekIdjgq6IA">pic.twitter.com/ekIdjgq6IA</a>
His caddie, Billy Foster, also got his first major win on Sunday after more than 30 years on the Tour.
How’s that for storybook endings?
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