Matt Fitzpatrick stood in a fairway bunker on the 18th hole at Brookline, the weight of a century of golf history pressing down on his shoulders. He was leading by one. Most players in that sand trap would have played it safe, just trying to find the green. Fitzpatrick didn’t do safe. He lashed a 9-iron that cut through the Massachusetts air, landed softly, and essentially secured his first major championship. It was gutsy.
The 2022 US Open golf tournament wasn't just another stop on the PGA Tour calendar. It was a collision of old-school grit and modern power. We saw the return to The Country Club in Brookline, a place that feels like a cathedral for American golf, especially after that legendary 1913 win by Francis Ouimet. But in 2022, the story was about a skinny kid from Sheffield, England, who had already won the US Amateur on this exact same dirt nine years prior.
Winning both the US Amateur and the US Open on the same course? Only Jack Nicklaus had done that before at Pebble Beach. Let that sink in for a second.
Why Brookline Was the Real Star of the 2022 US Open golf
Brookline is weird. Honestly, it’s not your typical pristine, manicured resort course. It’s got these massive rock outcroppings, blind shots, and greens that are roughly the size of a postage stamp. If you miss by six inches, you’re dead.
The USGA—the guys who run the tournament—have a reputation for being "sadistic" with their course setups. They want the winning score to be as close to even par as possible. In 2022, they actually let the course breathe a little, but the wind and the thick fescue grass made sure nobody ran away with it. Players weren't just fighting each other; they were fighting the terrain.
You had guys like Scottie Scheffler and Will Zalatoris breathing down Fitzpatrick's neck the entire Sunday. Scheffler was on an absolute tear that year, having already won the Masters. Zalatoris, meanwhile, was becoming the "nearly man" of major championships, constantly finishing second but never quite grabbing the trophy.
The Physics of Fitzpatrick's Transformation
A lot of people don't realize how much Matt Fitzpatrick changed his game leading up to the 2022 US Open golf. For years, he was known as a "short hitter." He was accurate, sure, but he couldn't keep up with the bombers like Bryson DeChambeau or Rory McIlroy.
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He got obsessed with "The Stack System." It’s basically a speed-training program using weighted clubs and biometric feedback. By the time he showed up at Brookline, he had added about 5 mph to his clubhead speed. He wasn't the little guy anymore. He was outdriving guys he used to trail by 30 yards. That extra distance meant he was hitting 9-irons into greens where he used to hit 6-irons. It changed everything.
The Sunday Chaos That No One Expected
Sunday at a US Open is usually a slog. It’s a war of attrition. But the 2022 edition felt more like a shootout.
At one point, it looked like Scottie Scheffler was going to run away with it. He went 4-under through his first six holes. The lead kept evaporating and reappearing. You’d look at the leaderboard and see five guys within two shots of the lead.
- Will Zalatoris: His putting stroke looked shaky—kinda twitchy, if we're being honest—but the ball kept disappearing into the hole when it mattered most.
- Jon Rahm: The defending champ was right there until a disastrous double bogey on the 18th on Saturday night derailed his momentum.
- Rory McIlroy: He was the crowd favorite, but he just couldn't get the putter hot enough on the weekend to make a real charge.
Then there was Fitzpatrick. He played with a sort of calm that felt unnatural. Even when he hooked his drive into the sand on 18, he didn't panic. His caddie, Billy Foster—a legend in his own right who had never been on the bag for a major win despite decades of service—looked more nervous than the player did.
That bunker shot is now part of golf lore. It wasn't just a good shot; it was a "career-defining" moment. If he chunks that or hits the lip, Zalatoris probably wins in a playoff. Instead, Fitz stuck it to 18 feet.
The LIV Golf Shadow
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. The 2022 US Open golf was the first major played after the official launch of LIV Golf. The tension in the press room was thick enough to cut with a wedge. Players were being grilled about Saudi money and "growing the game" while trying to focus on winning the biggest trophy in the US.
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Phil Mickelson, the face of the LIV move, was heckled. He missed the cut. It felt like a shift in the tectonic plates of the sport. Yet, once the balls were in the air on Thursday, the purity of the competition at Brookline sort of pushed the drama into the background. It reminded everyone why the US Open matters. It’s the hardest test in the world. Money can’t buy a US Open trophy; you have to bleed for it.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 2022 Results
If you just look at the scorecard, you might think Fitzpatrick lucked into it because Zalatoris missed a birdie putt on the last hole by a fraction of an inch. That’s a bad take.
Fitzpatrick led the field in "Strokes Gained: Off the Tee" and "Strokes Gained: Around the Green." He was the most complete player that week. He didn't just survive Brookline; he mastered it.
Also, people forget how close Hideki Matsuyama came to making it interesting. He shot a 65 on Sunday. A sixty-five! On a course that was playing like a concrete parking lot. If he had started the day three shots closer, we might be talking about a very different winner.
Specific Details That Made 2022 Unique
- The Rough: It wasn't just long; it was inconsistent. In some spots, you could find your ball and hack it out. In others, the ball would settle at the very bottom of these thick clumps of fescue, and you'd be lucky to move it 20 yards.
- The 11th Hole: A tiny par 3 that played barely over 100 yards some days. It looks easy on TV. It’s not. It’s a tiny target surrounded by disaster. Watching the best players in the world struggle with a lob wedge was a highlight.
- The Crowd: Brookline fans are loud. They’re knowledgeable, but they’re definitely "Boston loud." The atmosphere around the first tee felt more like a football game than a golf tournament.
Lessons for Your Own Game
You probably aren't going to hit a 9-iron out of a fairway bunker to win a major. But there are actually a few things from the 2022 US Open golf that regular golfers can use.
First off, Fitzpatrick’s record-keeping is insane. He tracks every single shot he has hit in practice and competition since he was a teenager. He knows his exact distances. Most amateurs guess. If you want to get better, stop guessing how far you hit your 7-iron and actually measure it.
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Secondly, look at his "cross-handed" chipping. Fitzpatrick chips with his left hand below his right (for a right-handed golfer). It looks weird. People made fun of him for it. But it eliminated his "yips" around the green. The lesson? If something works, who cares how it looks? Results are the only thing that goes on the scorecard.
Finally, notice the target selection. On Sunday, Fitzpatrick rarely aimed directly at the flags. He aimed for the middle of the greens. In a US Open, the middle of the green is your friend. Amateurs often short-side themselves by chasing pins they have no business aiming at.
Tactical Breakdown of the Final Standings
| Player | Score | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Matt Fitzpatrick | -6 | Proved speed training works for "short" hitters. |
| Will Zalatoris | -5 | Confirmed his status as a major championship elite. |
| Scottie Scheffler | -5 | Showed that 2022 was one of the best seasons in modern history. |
| Hideki Matsuyama | -3 | Reminded everyone he’s still a top-tier ball striker. |
| Rory McIlroy | -2 | Continued his streak of top-10s without a win. |
Moving Forward From Brookline
The 2022 US Open golf tournament was a turning point. It validated the "new" Matt Fitzpatrick and solidified the idea that the US Open belongs on classic, historic courses. It showed that you don't need a 8,000-yard course to challenge modern pros; you just need small greens and punishing rough.
If you’re looking to improve your own game based on what we saw at Brookline, start by focusing on your "misses." The pros didn't win by hitting every shot perfectly; they won by making sure their bad shots weren't catastrophic.
To really dive into the mechanics of why that 2022 win happened, you should look into the "Stack System" or similar speed-training protocols. It’s the single biggest reason Fitzpatrick went from a journeyman-plus to a major champion. Also, take a look at your own course management. Next time you play, try aiming for the center of every green, regardless of where the pin is. You'll be surprised how much your score drops when you stop flirting with disaster.
The 2022 US Open wasn't just a tournament; it was a blueprint for how the modern game is played at the highest level. Speed matters, but iron play and nerves are still the kings of the mountain.