By Canadian Press

Fitzpatrick wins U.S. Open; Kupcho takes LPGA Meijer Classic

Jun 19, 2022 | 5:39 PM

BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) — Matt Fitzpatrick of England is a champion again at The Country Club, this time with the grandest of trophies in golf.

A U.S. Amateur champion in 2013. The U.S. Open champion Sunday.

In a three-way battle at Brookline that came down to the wire, Fitzpatrick seized control with a great break and an even better shot on the 15th hole for a two-shot swing. He was just as clutch from a fairway bunker on the 18th that set up par for a 2-under 68.

Fitzpatrick finished at 6-under 134.

Victory was not secure until Will Zalatoris, who showed amazing fight back from every mistake, dropped to his knees when his 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th just slid by the left side of the cup. Zalatoris, who closed with a 69, was a runner-up in the second straight major.

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Masters champion Scottie Scheffler never recovered from back-to-back bogeys to start the back nine that cost him the lead. He had a 25-foot birdie chance on the 18th that just missed and left him one behind with a 67.

Along with the $3.15 million in prize money, Fitzpatrick had that gold Jack Nicklaus medal draped around his neck, which was only fitting.

Fitzpatrick is the second man to win a U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open on the same course, joining Nicklaus, who turned the trick at Pebble Beach. Juli Inkster won the U.S. Women’s Amateur and U.S. Women’s Open at Prairie Dunes.

Fitzpatrick, who briefly played at Northwestern before turning pro, won for the eighth time worldwide, and this was his first in America.

Zalatoris lost in a playoff to Justin Thomas in the PGA Championship last month.

LPGA TOUR

BELMONT, Mich. (AP) — After missing a 2-foot eagle putt on the first hole of a playoff, Jennifer Kupcho won the LPGA Meijer Classic when Leona Maguire’s 3-foot birdie try lipped out on the second extra hole.

Kupcho closed with a 1-under 71 to match playing partner Nelly Korda and Maguire at 18-under 270 at Blythefield Country Club. Kupcho birdied both playoff holes. Maguire finished with a 65.

Korda, the winner last year, had a 72 after taking a one-stroke lead over Kupcho into the final round. Korda dropped out of the playoff with a three-putt par on first extra trip down the par-5 18th.

Kupcho won for the second time on the LPGA Tour, following her major victory in early April at Mission Hills in the California desert. The 25-year-old former Wake Forest star from Colorado won the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in 2019.

Maguire won the LPGA Drive On Championship at Crown Colony in early February to become the first Irish winner in LPGA Tour history.

The second-ranked Korda made her second start since returning from a four-month break because of a blood clot in her left arm. She tied for eighth two weeks ago in the U.S. Women’s Open in her first event since early February.

KORN FERRY TOUR

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Norman Xiong won the Wichita Open for his first Korn Ferry Tour title, making two eagles in a 7-under 63 for a five-stroke victory.

The former University of Oregon player from Guam finished at 26-under 254 at Crestview Country Club. He opened with rounds of 66, 61 and 64, tying the course record with the 61.

Xiong qualified for the event Monday at Auburn Hills. He’s the 25th open qualifier to win on the tour and first since Rick Lamb in the 2016 LECOM Health Challenge. Xiong earned full tour membership for the rest of the season.

Kevin Roy was second after a 64.

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OTHER TOURS

Bronte Law made a 55-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th for a 2-under 71 and a one-stroke victory over fellow English player Georgia Hall in the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Team Series-London. Hall finished at 9-under 210 at Centurion Club in St. Albans, England. Hall closed with a 71. Sweden’s Linn Grant was third at 7 under after a 69. Last week in Sweden, Grant won the Scandinavian Mixed event to become the first female winner in European tour history. … Lim Hee Jeong won the Korea Women’s Open, closing with a 3-under 69 for a one-stroke victory over Kwon Seo Yeon. Lim finished at 19-under 269 at Rainbow Hills in Chungcheongbuk. Kwon shot a 68. … Yuna Nishimura shot a 6-uneder 66 for a three-stroke victory in the Japan LPGA’s Nichirei Ladies. She finished at 17-under 199 at Sodegaura Country Club.. … Denmark’s Martin Simonsen completed a wire-to-wire victory in the Kaskada Golf Challenge in the Czech Republic for his first European Challenge Tour title. He closed with a 4-under 67 to finish at 20-under 264. England’s Marco Penge (68) was four strokes back. … Wil Bateman won a three-man playoff in the Mackenzie Tour’s ATB Classic at Edmonton Petroleum Golf & Country Club. The Canadian eagled the second extra hole to beat Joe Highsmith and Jorge Villar. Bateman closed with a 6-under 65 to match Highsmith (66) and Jorge Villar (66) at 19-uneer 265, They all birdied the first playoff hole,

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The Associated Press