Matt Fitzpatrick had won professional tournaments in Europe and other big events as an amateur. He ascended the world rankings as one of the most splendid young golfers in the world. But his resume had an enormous hole: zero victories on the PGA Tour.Â
His first win came in epic fashion. Fitzpatrick emerged from a tense, three-way battle as the 2022 U.S. Open champion.Â
Fitzpatrick prevailed at 6-under par at the Country Club in Brookline, Mass., just one shot ahead of Americans Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler. For the 27-year-old Englishman, his breakthrough was also serendipitous: Fitzpatrick won the 2013 U.S. Amateur at this same venue. 
With a 48-foot putt for birdie on the 13th, one that will be shown on highlight reels for ages, Fitzpatrick fist-pumped emphatically as he moved into a late tie for the lead with Zalatoris. Fitzpatrick earned the lead with another lengthy putt on the 15th, a birdie that sent him to 6-under and was set up by an improbably fabulous second shot after a badly mishit drive.
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