Matt Fitzpatrick has been zeroing in on his first PGA Tour win for some time, and when he finally grabbed it, it was a big one – taking the 2022 US Open in an epic final-round battle with Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler.
The twists over the final nine were plentiful, including an uncharacteristic three-putt from Fitzpatrick at the short par-3 11th hole. However things really got interesting starting at the 13th, where Fitz dropped a 48-foot putt for birdie to seemingly take the lead until Zalatoris dropped a lengthy putt for par. Zalatoris dropped a shot with a bogey at 15, but with Scheffler about to knot him with a birdie at 17, Fitz dropped a 19-footer for another birdie at 15 after a brilliant iron approach from a bare patch 210 metres out that proved to be the difference.
The win bookends Fitzpatrick’s 2013 US Amateur win at the same venue and the familiar surroundings clearly agreed with him. Fitzpatrick tied for the tournament lead in greens in regulation, hitting 52 of 72 (72.2 percent), including an astounding 17 of 18 in the final round. Fitzpatrick’s irons are a split set of Pings – he uses the company’s i210 model for his 4-iron and the venerable S55 irons, which have been out on tour for nearly a decade. The clubs have Ping CFS shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips.
Also of note in Fitzpatrick’s bag is the inclusion of a 7-wood. Although 7-woods have become increasingly popular in the past several years, Fitzpatrick was one of its earlier adopters.
But with Fitzpatrick, it always comes back to the putter and his Bettinardi DASS prototype proved the difference-maker. The putter, which was made specifically for Fitzpatrick, is a mirror image of the Yes! Tracy II model he used since he was 16 years old. Fitzpatrick put the blade-style putter, which includes face grooves just like the Tracy II, in play in 2020. In all, Fitzpatrick – previously a seven-time European Tour winner – made more than 80 feet of putts over the final nine holes.
Epic, indeed.
What Matt Fitzpatrick had in the bag at the 2022 US Open:
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Driver: Titleist TSi3 (Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Orange 65 TX), 9 degrees
3-wood: Ping G425 Max, 14.5 degrees
7-wood: Ping G410, 20.5 degrees
Irons (4): Ping i210; (5-PW): Ping S55
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM9 (52, 56, 60 degrees)
Putter: Bettinardi DASS prototype
