A young man from old England wins the Open in New England

BROOKLINE, Mass. — In New England on Sunday, the golf story once more was about a young man from old England.

At the same historic place, The Country Club, where after crossing the sea nine years earlier he took the U.S. Amateur championship, Matthew Fitzpatrick won the U.S. Open.

On an unseasonably cold afternoon in the suburbs of Boston, on a course of long rough and short tempers, Fitzpatrick held on and hung in.

He shot an impressive 2-under-par 68 for a 274 total, which was 6-under but more significantly was one shot lower than both Will Zalatoris — whose 14-foot birdie attempt at the final hole, agonizingly, just missed — and Scottie Scheffler.

On a leader board loaded with stars, 2021 Masters champ Hideki Matsuyama came in another two shots back for third after the low round of the tournament, a 65, while British Open winner Collin Morikawa (66) and four-time major winner Rory McIlroy (69) tied for fifth at 278.

Thls Open had tough situations and great shots, but not the midsummer heat that’s normally a part of the nation’s championship, with golfers (and shivering spectators bundled in sweaters and jackets.

The competition, however, was hot.

At times, Scheffler, the Masters champ and top-ranked player, and Zalatoris, the San Francisco native, toyed with the lead. But Fitzpatrick moved in front for good with a birdie at 15 and was on his sort-of-merry way to not only his biggest win but his first on the PGA Tour.

“For me,” he said about people waiting for the breakthrough, “the expectations were for me to play well, but I feel having won the U.S. Amateur here I feel so comfortable around the place. I knew where to hit it.”

Knowing this is one thing, but playing is even more important. You have to swing fearlessly, if not effortlessly. Any little mistake becomes a very big mistake, as Scheffler understands — he was 6-under Saturday, then fell to 1-under. He edged back to 6-under Sunday but bogied 10 and 11.

That’s a U.S. Open. There’s no place to relax, especially at The Country Club. “I knew it was hard,” said Joel Dahmen. “I didn’t know it was this hard.“ He went from a tie for first on Friday to a tie for 10th.

Scheffler figured to have the best chance. He stumbled.

“I played well,” he said. “I was just one shot short.”

One shot is all the differential you need.

The relief here is the talent and a great course helps produce a great tournament.  And a great winner.

Fitzpatrick has been on the radar since he came over and won the 2013 U.S. Amateur. He was given a golf scholarship to Northwestern, following the path of another English star, Luke Donald, but the talent and the temptations (numerous sponsorship offers) were too great. So he left the classroom for the tee.

His attire is covered with the names of sponsors — including Workday, which for a long while used Phil Mickelson as its prime spokesman. Now Fitzpatrick's career is covered with glory.

Not that it came easily in the weeks leading up to the Open and in the tournament itself. But after bogies at 10 and 11 he played the rest of the back nine 2-under.

The drive on 15 went far right, but he found the ball.  

“It’s funny,” he said. “I've had moments like that all year where I’ve caught a break. Then I hit one of the best shots I hit all day.

“I don’t like to compare myself to a football (soccer) team, but I feel I wasn’t expected to do well, wasn’t expected to succeed. But I’ve won a major.”

Maybe the biggest of them all.