Fitzpatrick hold his nerve to win the U.S. Open

Matt Fitzpatrick held off the world's best to win his first major championship and become just the third Englishman in modern times to lift the U.S. Open trophy. Fitzpatrick shot a final round of two-under-par 68 to win by a single shot from Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler.

In a dramatic finish reminiscent of Sandy Lyle's Masters victory in 1988, Fitzpatrick found the 18th green from a fairway bunker to set up a two putt par and victory. The man from Sheffield remarkably hit seventeen greens in regulation in his final round in a fantastic display of consistency.
"If there's one shot I just did not want this year it's a fairway bunker shot," said Fitzpatrick.
"When I saw it leave the sand I couldn't be happier."

Zalatoris agonisingly missed from around fourteen feet on the last green to force a playoff and had to settle for the runners-up spot for the second successive major championship. The American lost to countryman Justin Thomas in a playoff at the PGA Championship.
"With about six feet to go, I thought I had it," said Zalatoris.
"I was just checking my phone earlier, and a bunch of people were saying that Zinger had said that everyone missed that put high. I was the closest one all day. I was, like, thanks for the consolation prize."

World number one Scottie Scheffler shared second spot with Zalatoris after a final round 67. The American had looked favourite after birdying four of his opening six holes. However, he stumbled after the turn with bogeys at the 10th and 11th holes and despite a birdie at the 17th he came up just short.
"This week I hit some of the worst shots I've hit in my career, and I've hit some of the best ones," said Scheffler.
"So, it was kind of a roller-coaster week. To be at the end was definitely a lot of fun. Unfortunately, just came up one shot short."

Fitzpatrick started the final round in a share of the lead with Zalatoris. Despite a three-putt at the 6th hole, the Englishman found three birdies on the front nine to hold a share of the lead. However, he missed a four foot for par on the 10th and then three-putted the 11th to relinquish the lead to Zalatoris.
Having grabbed a two-shot lead with a birdie on the 11th, Zalatoris immediately gave up a shot at the 12th. He then saw his lead disappear when Fitzpatrick holed a massive putt from 50 feet across the green at the 13th for an unlikely birdie.
Another birdie on the 15th, coupled with a bogey from Zalatoris, briefly gave Fitzpatrick a two-shot cushion but Scheffler and Zalatoris were not finished yet.

Scheffler birdied the 17th hole and Zalatoris the 16th to move within a shot of Fitzpatrick. Zalatoris agonisingly left a birdie putt on the 17th fractionally short, then failed to find the birdie he needed on the last to force what would have been a fourth straight playoff in U.S. Opens at Brookline.
Former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama held the clubhouse lead after posting a closing 65, the week's lowest round. He eventually finished in fourth place on three-under, with Rory McIlroy and Open champion Collin Morikawa a further shot back in fifth on two-under.

Defending champion Jon Rahm had a disappointing final round. He began the day just a shot off the lead but struggled to a closing 74 to finish in a tie for twelfth on one-over-par.
Rory McIlroy will look at the event as another missed opportunity. The man from Northern Ireland had an inconsistent round that included five birdies and four bogeys. However, late birdies at the 14th and 15th gave McIlroy his eighth top 5 finish in a major since he won the PGA Championship in 2014.

"I'll look back at this as another missed opportunity just as Southern Hills was, but missed opportunities are better than not contending at all, " said McIlroy.
"So that is a positive. I have to stay patient at this point because if I just keep putting myself in position, sooner or later it's going to be my day and I'm going to get one."