Matt Fitzpatrick returned to the site of his 2013 U.S. Amateur victory and claimed his first major championship Sunday, shooting a 2-under-par 68 to win the U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass.
The Englishman outdueled Will Zalatoris down the stretch with crucial birdies at the par-4 13th and 15th holes. After Fitzpatrick tapped out for par at the last hole, Zalatoris had a birdie putt to force a playoff that missed a hair to the left.
Fitzpatrick, 27, posted a 6-under 274 for the week, beating Zalatoris and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler by a stroke. Fitzpatrick is the first player from England to win a U.S. Open since Justin Rose in 2013, the same year Fitzpatrick outlasted a talented field to claim the prestigious amateur title….