BROOKLINE, Mass. — 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.
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.
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 13th man to win both the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Open in his career, and the second to win both 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 — at least a tournament everyone knows about. He won the member-member at The Bear’s Club in Florida at the start of the year, the course Nicklaus built.
“He gave me a bit of abuse at the start of the year. He said, ‘Finally. Congratulations for winning in the States,'” Fitzpatrick said.
And then slightly lifting the trophy, Fitzpatrick sent a fun message to Nicklaus: “Jack, I won a second time.”
Fitzpatrick became the first player since Graeme McDowell in 2010 to earn his first PGA Tour win at the U.S. Open.
It took a good break, a signature shot and some guts at the end.
Fitzpatrick and Zalatoris were tied going to the 15th when the Englishman hit his tee shot so far right that it went into the gallery and found a decent lie on grass that was dead and trampled. Zalatoris missed by only a few yards and was buried in deep grass.
He hit 5-iron from 220 yards to 18 feet below the hole. Zalatoris went into the front bunker, blasted out to 25 feet and made bogey. Fitzpatrick took a two-shot lead when his birdie putt went into the cup with such perfect pace it didn’t even touch the pin he leaves in the cup.
Zalatoris again bounced back, taking on a tough pin at the par-3 16th to 7 feet for birdie to cut the lead to one shot. Both missed 12-foot birdie chances on the 17th, and then Fitzpatrick missed a fairway at the wrong time, pulling it left into a bunker with a steep patch of rough right in front of him.
It looked like a playoff was eminent — the previous three U.S. Opens at Brookline were all decided by a playoff — and then Fitzpatrick fearless hit a fade with a 9-iron that carried the gaping bunker in front of the green and settled 18 feet away.
He narrowly missed and could only watch as Zalatoris missed his last chance.
“Matt’s shot on 18 is going to be shown probably for the rest of U.S. Open history,” Zalatoris said. “I walked by it, and I thought that going for it was going to be ballsy. But the fact that he pulled it off and even had a birdie look was just incredible.
“So hat’s off to him. He played great all week obviously and gave a solid round today.”
Fitzpatrick finished at 6-under 134.
The 27-year-old Fitzpatrick, the first Englishman since Justin Rose in 2013 to win the U.S. Open and the youngest player from England to win a major since Tony Jacklin at the 1970 U.S. Open, felt his time was coming. He is meticulous in charting his shots and keeps a record of all of them to identify what needs work. And he emphasized speed in his swing over the last two years, giving him the length and the belief to compete with anyone.
That didn’t make Sunday any easier, a three-man race from the start when Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy fell back and never rejoined the mix.
Fitzpatrick and Zalatoris, who shared the 54-hole lead, each had a two-shot lead at one point.
Zalatoris, who lost in a playoff to Justin Thomas in the PGA Championship last month, recovered from two early bogeys. They were tied when Zalatoris made an 18-foot birdie putt on the short par-3 11th, and Fitzpatrick three-putted for bogey from the same range.
The 25-year-old from Dallas suddenly had a two-shot lead. He also couldn’t keep the ball in the fairway, and it cost him with a dropped shot on No. 12. And then came another big turning point, with Fitzpatrick holing a 50-foot birdie putt across the 13th green. Zalatoris did well to make his 15-footer for par and they headed for the tense conclusion.
Scheffler was still hanging around in his bid for a second major this year, but everyone else became a distant memory. Hideki Matsuyama had the low round of the week at 65, but he finished at 3-under 277, and that was never going to be good enough.
In the end, it was Fitzpatrick sharing hugs with his family on the green, including younger brother Alex, who caddied for him in the U.S. Amateur and recently turned pro.
And there was his caddie, Billy Foster, one of the most popular, long-serving loopers in Europe who had never been on the bag for a major until Sunday.
“Billy said it for a while to keep doing what you’re doin and the chance will come,” Fitzpatrick said. “It did, and I took it.”
ESPN Stats & Information and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The second-highest ranked golfer in the world without a PGA Tour victory in his career finally claimed one Sunday while simultaneously breaking through golf’s upper echelon with his first major championship. Matt Fitzpatrick won the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, on Sunday with two birdies and no bogeys across the final seven holes to clinch the tournament at 6 under.
Fitzpatrick, 27, edged his 54-hole co-leader Will Zalatoris and 2022 Masters champion Scottie Scheffler by one stroke to hoist the trophy.
Having previously won the 2013 U.S. Amateur at The Country Club, Fitzpatrick added to his USGA total in dramatic fashion with a victory at the 122nd U.S. Open. In doing so, he joined Jack Nicklaus and Julie Inkster as the only players to win the two championships at the same venue, solidifying his spot in the annals of golf history.
The No. 18 player on the Official World Golf Rankings, Fitzpatrick broke through Sunday after what had already been a strong season at major championships. The Englishman previously finished T14 at the Masters in April and T5 at the PGA Championship last month.
Still, it had not been an easy road for Fitzpatrick to this point, and his final round at The Country Club was a perfect encapsulation of this. Whether he would choose to admit it or not, doubt had to creep in as he missed opportunities to win events over the years.
A player who had always thrived due to his blend of accuracy and putting prowess, Fitzpatrick came into 2022 as a completely retooled player. That was evident this week as the name of the game for Fitzpatrick was consistency. While others went out with notably low rounds early in the tournament, he shot 2 under across the first 36 holes with an even-par 70 on Friday before posting a second 68 on Moving Day to take the co-lead.
Fitzpatrick was up and down across the front nine Sunday, and two bogeys to start the back made it appear as if he would once again sit on the outside of a trophy presentation.
A short miss on the par-4 10th was followed by an inexplicable three-putt on the short par-3 11th. A quick three-stroke swing with Zalatoris breathing down his neck could have left Fitzpatrick reeling. A career filled with close calls could have added another, but instead of withering, Fitzpatrick began to thrive.
An emphatic birdie on the par-4 13th put Fitzpatrick back into a share of the lead with Zalatoris at 5 under. Two holes later, after missing the fairway, Fitzpatrick hit one of the best iron shots of the day to set up a birdie look on the lengthy par-4 15th. With Zalatoris in for bogey, Fitzpatrick walked in his third and momentarily grabbed a two-stroke lead.
Though Zalatoris and Scheffler both pulled within one after scoring birdies down the stretch, Fitzpatrick never let up.
After trading pars with Zalatoris on the accessible 17th, Fitzpatrick went to the 72nd hole with a one-stroke edge and made the only error you could not make when he found the fairway bunker off the tee. He took it on the chin, following the miscue with a career-defining shot onto the green that set up his U.S. Open triumph. Fitzpatrick missed an 18-foot birdie putt to clinch the win, but Zalatoris missed a similar 14-foot putt by a hair as Fitzpatrick posted his third 68 of the tournament and first PGA Tour victory.
The U.S. Open is often and rightfully described as “the most difficult test in golf.” Most believe that to be the case due to the conditions. They certainly play a role, but the mental challenge the USGA sets forth far exceeds them. Competing in the U.S. Open is truly is a rollercoaster of emotions, and one tiny misstep can be one’s eventual downfall.
Fitzpatrick had his fair share of miscues on Sunday, but he took the punches like a champion. In the process, he shed the moniker he saddled for so long, silencing his doubters and reigning atop the sport with the national championship trophy.
CBS Sports will update this breaking news story shortly.
By Monday morning, there could be plans for a Matt Fitzpatrick statue in Brookline. Success in both the US Amateur Championship and the US Open at the Country Club, aswhich is now within Fitzpatrick’s grasp, would be quite the feat.
Fitzpatrick, who endured a turbulent Sunday at last month’s US PGA Championship, is hot in pursuit of glory on his next major start. The Yorkshireman, whose amateur win came at this illustrious venue in 2013, will start day four in a tie for the lead. At four under par, Fitzpatrick has Will Zalatoris for company. History favours Fitzpatrick.
To his credit, Fitzpatrick spoke confidently about the impact of nine years ago. “I certainly think it gives me an edge over the others, yeah,” he said. “I genuinely do believe that. It’s a real, obviously, positive moment in my career. It kind of kickstarted me.
“To come back here and play so well again, it kind of just gives me growing confidence round by round.”
Jon Rahm had reached the 18th tee at five under par. Bunker trouble – and a double bogey – followed. The defending champion’s one-over-par 71 means he is one shy of the leading duo.
Zalatoris was even closer than Fitzpatrick to a US PGA win, having lost in the playoff at Southern Hills to Justin Thomas. A 67 for Zalatoris was the performance of day three. Curiously, the 25-year-old has five top-10 finishes in seven major starts but is yet to win a mainstream tour event.
“The US PGA gave me a lot of belief and confidence that I belong in this situation,” Zalatoris said. “There’s a difference in thinking it and then actually being in the situation and believing it. So I think that’s probably the biggest change. That US PGA really made me feel that I can be one of the world-class players.”
Jon Rahm comes a-cropper on the 18th, hitting the edge of the bunker when playing out, leading to a double bogey. Photograph: Julio Cortez/AP
Rory McIlroy’s 73 left him three from the lead and therefore still very much in touch. The wild nature of the US Open was emphasised by Scottie Scheffler, who holed out for an eagle on the 8th which afforded him a two-shot lead at six under. By the 15th tee, the world No 1 was minus one. Scheffler closed at two under after a 71. Adam Hadwin and Keegan Bradley are on the same score.
The frustrations associated with a typically fierce US Open setup were embodied by the behaviour of Thomas. The US PGA champion’s ball came to rest inches from a drain in the middle of the 4th fairway. Thomas would have been granted free relief were the drain interfering with his stance or the line of his swing; a referee determined neither applied.
Thomas made his annoyance perfectly plain, while casting aspersions towards how many of his fellow professionals would have behaved if placed in the same movie.
“That’s what pisses me off,” Thomas said to his caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay. “So many other people would lie about being able to hit that, but it’s just like: ‘I’m not going to hit it.’ That’s fucking bullshit, man.” Thomas tossed his club away for good measure.
After signing for a 72, as left him at plus three, Thomas elaborated on the situation. “To me it was around a drain and very clearly my stance and my ball was sitting differently than it would be if that drain was not there,” he said. “I called an official to get a ruling on it, and in the spirit of the game, I wasn’t going to hit the drain. I felt like I very easily could have told her that I was going to and gotten a free drop, but I wasn’t.
“It’s unfortunate because it was a great drive and I had a pitching wedge in my hands. I could only hit the ball 100 yards. I mean, it’s very clear that my stance and where my ball was was altered and sitting badly because of that drain, but I didn’t get a drop from it. That’s just how it is. You have to be able to hit the drain to get a drop.”
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In a statement, the United States Golf Association said: “During the discussion, Justin was asked if the drain was going to interfere with his swing, to which he replied it was not. Because there was no interference from the drain, Justin was not provided relief. Rule 16.1a(1) states that interference from an immovable obstruction exists when the ball touches or is in or on the obstruction, or the obstruction physically interferes with the player’s area of intended stance or area of intended swing. The rule goes on to state that if the obstruction is close enough to distract the player but does not otherwise interfere, there is no relief under the rule.”
Thomas will not feel he is completely without hope of claiming back-to-back majors. Justin Rose’s race appears all but run after a 74 shuffled him back to plus five. Brooks Koepka’s 75 means he has matched Rose’s 54-hole total.
PITTSBURGH — Minkah Fitzpatrick is starting his summer vacation with a nice payday after securing a deal to become the NFL’s highest-paid safety.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and their star safety agreed to a four-year extension that will pay Fitzpatrick over $18.4 million per year, WME Sports, Fitzpatrick’s agency, confirmed to ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday.
Fitzpatrick was also given $36 million guaranteed at signing, Schefter confirmed.
The contract, the first major deal negotiated by new Pittsburgh general manager Omar Khan, outpaces Jamal Adams’ $17.5 million per year deal.
Since the Steelers acquired Fitzpatrick from the Dolphins in exchange for a first-round pick in 2019, the Alabama product has hauled in 11 interceptions and scored three defensive touchdowns. He also has forced three fumbles and recovered four.
In signing Fitzpatrick, the Steelers have invested significant resources in securing their defensive anchors in T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward and Fitzpatrick through at least 2024. Last season, the Steelers signed Watt, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, to a four-year, $112 million extension.
Ryan Fitzpatrick revealed how he was prodded to take off his shirt at the Buffalo Bills’ playoff game against New England in January on a podcast Monday.
Fitzpatrick, 39, discussed his retirement last week after 17 NFL seasons on the ESPN Adam Schefter Podcast, and his love for Buffalo was a topic of discussion.
The quarterback went to the wild-card game Jan. 15 at Highmark Stadium with his two oldest sons. A photo of a bearded and shirtless Fitzpatrick went viral on social media after the game.
“I go to the Super Bowl the last five, six years with my two oldest boys,” Fitzpatrick told Schefter on the podcast. “This year, I just wasn’t really feeling going out to L.A. The Bills had a home playoff game. So it was like, ‘The Bills have a home playoff game, let’s make this our trip.’
“We flew up that day, went to the game, and the whole time from the car through the parking lot to the game my boys were like, ‘We’re taking our shirts off, dad.’ I was like, ‘OK, it’s negative-3 out, just relax.’ It was after the seventh touchdown. It was such an amazing energy and feeling in that stadium, I felt like it was time. Me and my boys threw the shirts off.
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“I lasted maybe three or four minutes, and after about 10 minutes I had to tell my boys to put the clothes back on because the frostbite was coming soon. It was a great experience and one to share with my boys I’ll never forget.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever felt as at home in a stadium or with a fanbase. I was in Buffalo for four years, but those are my people. I feel like I understand them, and they understand me. It was one of the great pleasures of my career playing in Buffalo.”
Fitzpatrick played with nine NFL teams. He compiled a career record of 59-87-1 as a starter, including 20-33 with the Bills. He passed for 34,990 yards (32nd all time) and 223 touchdowns (36th all time).
Here were some other observations from Fitzpatrick on his retirement:
• On calling it quits: “I have just so much gratitude for the opportunities I was given, and so much gratitude for the people who believed in me. … I gave guys chances to make plays. I didn’t just sit back and try to survive. I tried to go out there and thrive and play without fear.”
• On his favorite NFL QB: “Josh Allen is my favorite because it looks effortless. He’s so talented, he still doesn’t know how good he is. He’s just going to continue to get better. It doesn’t hurt also that he plays in Buffalo. It doesn’t hurt that he fits that city to a T, just in terms of his demeanor.”
• On the violent hit he took from London Fletcher in a 2011 win over Washington that improved the Bills’ record to 5-2. (Buffalo lost the next seven straight): “London cracked my sternum and broke six of my ribs. Low center of gravity, hard head. It was my fault. I made the wrong protection call, the guys up front listened to me and I just got shellacked.”
Fitzpatrick also listed his 12 most memorable games. They were:
2005: Rams vs. Texans. Down 21 points, he rallied the Rams to a 33-27 OT win.
2008: Bengals vs. Jaguars. Bengals win 21-19. His first career win as a starter.
2010: Bills vs. Bengals. Bills won 49-31. “The first time I felt that feeling of invincibility. … Stevie Johnson did ‘Why so serious?’ that game.”
2011: Bills vs. Patriots. “We beat them 34-31. That was when Tom Brady didn’t shake my hand.”
2014: Texans vs. Bills. “The first and only revenge game I felt like I ever had. I felt the guys in Houston rallied around me.” The Texans won 23-17.
2014: Texans vs. Titans. Fitzpatrick threw six TD passes in a 45-21 win.
2015: Jets vs. Patriots: “We won our fifth in a row and we went to 10-5. They won the toss and elected to kick off to us. I got my handshake that game.”
2016: Jets vs. Bills. Jets won 37-31. “The first Thursday night game that season. Nothing could go wrong. Everything we did that game was perfect.”
2017: Bucs vs. Cardinals. Down 31-0, Bucs rallied and lost 38-33.
2018: Bucs vs. Saints. Bucs won 48-40. “One of those games where nothing could go wrong. It was the start of three games of 400 yards to start a season, something that had never been done to start a season by any quarterback.”
2019: Dolphins vs. Patriots. Dolphins won 27-24 on final drive, and Pats needed to win to secure home field advantage.
2020: Dolphins vs. Raiders. Down 2 with 19 seconds left at their own 25, Dolphins drove to winning field goal in 26-25 victory.
Feed your obsession. Start every morning with a guide to the latest news from One Bills Drive and stay informed about what is going on elsewhere in the NFL.
Ryan Fitzpatrick revealed how he was prodded to take off his shirt at the Buffalo Bills’ playoff game against New England in January on a podcast Monday.
Fitzpatrick, 39, discussed his retirement last week after 17 NFL seasons on the ESPN Adam Schefter Podcast, and his love for Buffalo was a topic of discussion.
The quarterback went to the wild-card game Jan. 15 at Highmark Stadium with his two oldest sons. A photo of a bearded and shirtless Fitzpatrick went viral on social media after the game.
“I go to the Super Bowl the last five, six years with my two oldest boys,” Fitzpatrick told Schefter on the podcast. “This year, I just wasn’t really feeling going out to L.A. The Bills had a home playoff game. So it was like, ‘The Bills have a home playoff game, let’s make this our trip.’
“We flew up that day, went to the game, and the whole time from the car through the parking lot to the game my boys were like, ‘We’re taking our shirts off, dad.’ I was like, ‘OK, it’s negative-3 out, just relax.’ It was after the seventh touchdown. It was such an amazing energy and feeling in that stadium, I felt like it was time. Me and my boys threw the shirts off.
People are also reading…
“I lasted maybe three or four minutes, and after about 10 minutes I had to tell my boys to put the clothes back on because the frostbite was coming soon. It was a great experience and one to share with my boys I’ll never forget.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever felt as at home in a stadium or with a fanbase. I was in Buffalo for four years, but those are my people. I feel like I understand them, and they understand me. It was one of the great pleasures of my career playing in Buffalo.”
Fitzpatrick played with nine NFL teams. He compiled a career record of 59-87-1 as a starter, including 20-33 with the Bills. He passed for 34,990 yards (32nd all time) and 223 touchdowns (36th all time).
Here were some other observations from Fitzpatrick on his retirement:
• On calling it quits: “I have just so much gratitude for the opportunities I was given, and so much gratitude for the people who believed in me. … I gave guys chances to make plays. I didn’t just sit back and try to survive. I tried to go out there and thrive and play without fear.”
• On his favorite NFL QB: “Josh Allen is my favorite because it looks effortless. He’s so talented, he still doesn’t know how good he is. He’s just going to continue to get better. It doesn’t hurt also that he plays in Buffalo. It doesn’t hurt that he fits that city to a T, just in terms of his demeanor.”
• On the violent hit he took from London Fletcher in a 2011 win over Washington that improved the Bills’ record to 5-2. (Buffalo lost the next seven straight): “London cracked my sternum and broke six of my ribs. Low center of gravity, hard head. It was my fault. I made the wrong protection call, the guys up front listened to me and I just got shellacked.”
Fitzpatrick also listed his 12 most memorable games. They were:
2005: Rams vs. Texans. Down 21 points, he rallied the Rams to a 33-27 OT win.
2008: Bengals vs. Jaguars. Bengals win 21-19. His first career win as a starter.
2010: Bills vs. Bengals. Bills won 49-31. “The first time I felt that feeling of invincibility. … Stevie Johnson did ‘Why so serious?’ that game.”
2011: Bills vs. Patriots. “We beat them 34-31. That was when Tom Brady didn’t shake my hand.”
2014: Texans vs. Bills. “The first and only revenge game I felt like I ever had. I felt the guys in Houston rallied around me.” The Texans won 23-17.
2014: Texans vs. Titans. Fitzpatrick threw six TD passes in a 45-21 win.
2015: Jets vs. Patriots: “We won our fifth in a row and we went to 10-5. They won the toss and elected to kick off to us. I got my handshake that game.”
2016: Jets vs. Bills. Jets won 37-31. “The first Thursday night game that season. Nothing could go wrong. Everything we did that game was perfect.”
2017: Bucs vs. Cardinals. Down 31-0, Bucs rallied and lost 38-33.
2018: Bucs vs. Saints. Bucs won 48-40. “One of those games where nothing could go wrong. It was the start of three games of 400 yards to start a season, something that had never been done to start a season by any quarterback.”
2019: Dolphins vs. Patriots. Dolphins won 27-24 on final drive, and Pats needed to win to secure home field advantage.
2020: Dolphins vs. Raiders. Down 2 with 19 seconds left at their own 25, Dolphins drove to winning field goal in 26-25 victory.
Feed your obsession. Start every morning with a guide to the latest news from One Bills Drive and stay informed about what is going on elsewhere in the NFL.
Moving Day at the 2022 PGA Championship was comparable to switching lanes in standstill traffic. Plenty of action transpired, plenty of risks were taken, and there was that one car that took to the shoulder and bypassed nearly everyone. While 36-hole leader Mito Pereira held his own in the final group and ultimately signed a 1-under 69 to maintain his spot atop the leaderboard, Matt Fitzpatrick was the vehicle that hopped onto the shoulder.
The Englishman has been terrific this season, and despite remaining without a professional victory in the United States, the 27-year-old should love his chances to raise the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday.
Fitzpatrick is not alone in looking for his first career victory on the PGA Tour as Pereira, Will Zalatoris and Cameron Young — the top four men on the leaderboard — will all be seeking their first PGA Tour wins at the second major championship of the season.
With so much unknown at the top of the leaderboard, there is a potential for someone to come from behind and steal the Wanamaker from right under that group. Abraham Ancer and Justin Thomas fit this mold perfectly as both are proven winners who have found success in this championship, specifically.
While Pereira’s three-stroke lead may seem tough to overcome, things tend to move fast in the final round of a major championship. In other words, anything is possible on Sunday.
One thing that’s not possible? Seeing Tiger Woods tee it up for his fourth set of 18 holes. Woods decided to withdraw from the PGA Championship at the conclusion of the third round after shooting a 9-over 79 and sitting tied for last place. After his round, Tiger cited soreness as a concern, and he ultimately decided to withdraw from a major for the first time as a professional golfer.
There is still plenty of action to touch on and that is exactly what we plan to do. Below is a rundown of the leaderboard as it stands after Round 3.
1. Mito Pereira (-9): There was plenty of good and plenty of bad in Pereira’s third round, but in the end it added up to a 1-under 69. It was enough to give himself a three-stroke lead heading into the final round as the Chilean became the first player to hold the outright 54-hole lead in his PGA Championship debut since John Daly in 1991. While Pereira has that notch on his belt, he will look to add another Sunday as winning in a championship debut is a feat that hasn’t been accomplished in 11 years when Keegan Bradley did so at Atlantic Athletic Club.
T2. Matt Fitzpatrick, Will Zalatoris (-6): A slow start saw Fitzpatrick drop to 1 under for the championship after his opening two holes. He could have packed it in like many of his counterparts did Saturday, but instead, he catapulted himself into the final group. He went onto play his final 16 holes in 5 under and ended with a bang courtesy of a birdie on the difficult par-4 18th. Fitzpatrick is a proven winner across the pond, but has inexplicably been shut out on U.S. soil. That could all change Sunday.
The putter abandoned Zalatoris early, but the type of resolve he showed was admirable. His third round could have easily gotten away from him after he was 4 over through seven and dropped as many as five strokes behind Pereira. Instead, he kept a cool head and in the process remained within reach of the lead. He will not find his name in the final pairing Sunday, but maybe that is a good thing as instead he will see a familiar face on the first tee.
4. Cameron Young (-5): Young may no longer be referred to as “Will Zalatoris’ college roommate” after this week as the PGA Tour rookie continues to contend on golf’s biggest stage. An eagle on the par-4 17th propelled his name onto the first page of the leaderboard in his PGA Championship debut. The 25-year-old already has three runners-up this season and he will hope Sunday does not result in a fourth. As mentioned, the grouping with Zalatoris will help ease the any final round jitters, but for some reason, I doubt he will even have any.
5. Abraham Ancer (-4): Ancer does not have a top-30 finish in a stroke-play event this year in the United States, so this performance does come as a little bit of a shock. He finished in a flurry last season at Kiawah Island and wrapped up his PGA Championship with a 7-under performance. It is his lone top-10 finish in his major championship career, and he should be able to add to that Sunday.
Rick Gehman, Mark Immelman and Jonathan Coachman recap Saturday’s action from Southern Hills. Follow & listen to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
6. Seamus Power(-3): It is not Rory McIlroy or Shane Lowry but rather Power who leads the Irish contingent with 18 holes to go. He made the most of his Moving Day, jumping 17 spots on the leaderboard. I am not sure how much staying power he has at this tournament, but if prognosticators like his countrymen for their abilities to play well in ugly weather, maybe we should give Power the same benefit of the doubt.
T7. Stewart Cink, Bubba Watson and Justin Thomas (-2): If there is a final-round 63 ala Johnny Miller out there Sunday, it is likely it comes from this group. Another Saturday in a major championship saw Thomas disappoint as the 2017 PGA Championship winner signed for a 4-over 74. His two elder statesmen looked more comfortable out there, and he may be pushing just slightly too much for major No. 2.
T10. Webb Simpson, Max Homa and five others (-1): Simpson went off early and took full advantage of Moving Day as he made it through to the weekend right on the number. Signing for a 5-under 65, the former U.S. Open champion went from a tie for 64th at the beginning of the day to inside the top 10 by round’s end. His win probability is still slim, but if he can somehow repeat his third round performance, Simpson has an outside chance to add a second major title to his resume.
T17. Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and four others (E): Rory shot 5-under 65 on Thursday, and if he had just held serve between then and now, he would only be a few off the lead. Instead, the four-time major champion finds himself nine strokes behind after consecutive over-par rounds. If Friday was disappointing, I am not sure how McIlroy would describe Saturday’s 74. The eight-year major drought will continue for the Northern Irishman unless he is able to summon his same Sunday magic from Augusta National.
The Steelers played without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on Sunday because of a positive COVID-19 test and they may be without a key defensive player for their Week 11 Sunday night game against the Chargers.
Kimberley Martin of ESPN reports that safety Minkah Fitzpatrick has also tested positive for COVID-19. He will join Roethlisberger on the COVID-19 reserve list and remain there until he’s cleared all of the protocols associated with the list.
If vaccinated and asymptomatic, Fitzpatrick will be able to return in less than 10 days as long as he gets two negative test results 24 hours apart from one another. If that doesn’t happen or if Fitzpatrick is not vaccinated, he will have to miss at least 10 days before being cleared.
That timeline could also keep Roethlisberger out for another game. He tested positive on Saturday and will need the two negative tests in order to be cleared ahead of the matchup with the Chargers.
Nebraska and Northwestern will play on Saturday in what’s been a very entertaining series since the Huskers have joined the Big Ten. The two teams are deadlocked at a 5-5 split and eight of the 10 games have been decided by a touchdown or less.
To get some more perspective on Northwestern, we caught up with Wildcat Report’s Michael Fitzpatrick in this week’s “Ask the Expert” breakdown.
What is your read on this Northwestern team through four games?
“It’s hard to say, honestly. Northwestern had a lot of turnover from the team that won the West and finished No. 10 in the AP Poll last season, with a handful of new starters on both sides of the ball and a new defensive coordinator due to Mike Hankwitz’s retirement. Things have been very up-and-down through four weeks, as the 2-2 record would indicate. Northwestern had slow starts before, the 2018 team started 1-3 before winning eight of their last 10 en route to winning the West, so the Wildcats aren’t dead yet. In general, it seems like the whole team is still trying to find their “sea legs,” so to speak.
“There have been key issues that have plagued Northwestern so far this year, though. The defense got gashed against Michigan State and Duke, giving more than 400 yards of total offense to both teams. They have been better lately, though, allowing only six points over the last six quarters, and even that was an Ohio touchdown in garbage time against the backups. So the hope in Evanston is that the early season struggles with a new scheme are behind the Wildcats and they can get back to playing strong defense.
“The Cats have really been hurt by quarterback play. Hunter Johnson won the job in camp, but imploded after a strong performance in the opener against MSU. He had four turnovers in a quarter and a half against Duke, three of them interceptions. Andrew Marty replaced Johnson against the Blue Devils and led the Wildcats back, cutting a 27-0 deficit to just 10 points before he suffered an apparent shoulder injury and didn’t return. He will be out for a significant amount of time, though he could be back later in the year. That brings Northwestern to Ryan Hilinski. He wasn’t asked to do much last week against Ohio, but his decision-making was sound and he avoided turning the ball over. If Hilinski can give the Wildcats safe, stable quarterback play, that will be a massive improvement over what they’ve had so far.
How significant was the injury to running back Cam Porter, and how did it change what the Wildcats do on offense?
“It’s hard to put into words just how much losing their best player affected the offense. Porter was supposed to be the offense, more or less. Everything was going to run through him and his powerful running style.
“The most tangible way it’s affected the offense is the Cats use more of a committee approach now. Evan Hull is the lead back and is coming off a 216-yard, two-score performance against the Bobcats. Hull is a home-run hitter that the Cats haven’t had in the backfield in a long time; if he gets a seam, he can take it all the way. Rounding out the trio in the backfield Anthony Tyus III, a bruising 230-pound true freshman and Andrew Clair, a graduate transfer from Bowling Green who provides a mix of speed and power and the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.
“Northwestern has had success running the ball this year, but it hasn’t come as easy as it likely would have with Porter. It has put more pressure on the offensive line, which has really struggled at times, and forced the coaches to get creative in putting the three backs in positions to succeed.”
Northwestern has tried a lot of different things at quarterback. What are you expecting to see Saturday?
“It will be Hilinski on Saturday, barring an unforeseen disaster that forces Northwestern onto QB4. Hilinski made some nice throws to move the sticks on third down last week, but he didn’t have to do much as Northwestern racked up 373 yards rushing.
“Hilinski came to Evanston after two years at South Carolina. Before that, he was a top-50 recruit with a big arm, but little mobility. Behind an offensive line that has been as porous as Northwestern’s has at times, his lack of mobility has the potential to cause problems. Due to that, Northwestern will probably try and get the ball out of his hands quickly and hope receivers can make plays after the catch. You’ll also see them put Tyus in as a Wildcat quarterback at times.
“This will also be Hilinski’s first road game as the starter at Northwestern. Granted, he started two years ago for South Carolina and played in front of his fair share of packed houses in SEC, but Saturday night at Memorial Stadium will be his first time in a hostile environment with his new teammates. He’s only been on campus since late March, so there are concerns about being on the same page with his receivers and offensive line because communication will be a challenge in Lincoln.”
Where do you see the Wildcats having the biggest edge in this game against Nebraska?
“Normally, I’d say discipline. Northwestern is usually among the least penalized teams in the country, and they take care of the football. They’ve won countless games by just making fewer mistakes than their opponent during Pat Fitzgerald’s tenure as head coach.
“That hasn’t been the case this year, however. NU has been breaking in some new players, and penalties and mental mistakes have come along for the ride. Turnovers were a massive problem with Johnson under center, but the hope is Hilinski can keep that problem under control. If they take care of the ball and don’t commit dumb penalties, Northwestern gives themselves a chance to hang around in games and take advantage of their opponent’s mistakes – and Nebraska has been a team that has made them in bunches.”
On the flip side, what area concerns you the most for Northwestern heading into Saturday?
“Where do I even start? The biggest concern is probably the offensive line. Nebraska’s front seven made life miserable for Michigan State’s previously dominant ground attack. Northwestern’s offensive line has been serviceable at its best this season, but they’ve struggled in pass protection. They also may be without senior leader and center Sam Gerak on Saturday. If Northwestern can’t run the ball, that puts a lot of pressure on Hilinski in his second Northwestern start.
“Adrian Martinez’s legs are also cause for concern for Northwestern. He and Luke McCaffrey ran all over the Wildcats defense last season, as did almost every mobile quarterback they faced. Fitzgerald called Martinez “a human highlight reel” and Northwestern will make a concerted effort to make someone other than No. 2 beat them. But if he gets loose, it could spell trouble.
“One final concern would be the kicking game – something the Wildcats share with the Huskers. Wildcats kicker Charlie Kuhbander has missed three chip shots through four games. Northwestern and Nebraska love taking their matchups down to the wire, which magnifies the importance of the kicking game. In the Wildcats’ last trip to Lincoln in 2019, a missed short field goal from Kuhbander cost NU a chance at forcing overtime, at the least, and the concerns of that happening again are very real.”
Finally, what is your score prediction and breakdown for Saturday’s game in Lincoln?
“This will probably be another close game between these two West rivals, but if Northwestern struggles to run the ball against Nebraska’s front seven, it could be a long game for the Wildcats offense with how limited they are in the passing game. Maybe Hilinski has an incredible game, but he really only has two reliable receivers – Bryce Kirtz and Stephon Robinson Jr. – which puts him in a tough spot.
“Northwestern is going to have to rely on their defense to win this one. That’s typically the Wildcats’ MO, but this season the defense has been uncharacteristically inconsistent. The unit is playing better lately, but it’s hard to expect them to do enough to overcome what has the potential to be an anemic offensive outing.
The Ohio State staff got off to a great start very early when the Buckeyes landed their No. 1 offensive line target in Ohio when Tegra Tshabola from West Chester (Ohio) Lakota West announced a commitment to Ohio State in April of 2020. Today the Buckeyes have added a second offensive line target to the class as George Fitzpatrick from Englewood (Col.) Cherry Creek has announced a commitment to Ohio State. Fitzpatrick posted the news on his Twitter account.
Fitzpatrick committed to the Buckeyes over a long list of scholarship offers that also includes Oklahoma, Oregon, Florida, Notre Dame, Colorado, Texas, TCU, USC, Nebraska, Florida State, Michigan, Michigan State, Tennessee and Utah. In addition to Ohio State, Fitzpatrick also has official visits set to Michigan June 11-13, Florida June 13-14, Oklahoma June 18-20 and Oregon June 25-27.
In late August of 2020 the Buckeyes offered a scholarship to Fitzpatrick. The offer came from Tony Alford who recruits the state of Colorado for the Buckeyes and has been the primary Buckeye coach recruiting Fitzpatrick with Greg Studrawa also joining in.
“I was super excited when coach Alford extended me the offer,” Fitzpatrick told Bucknuts at the time.
The 6-foot-6 and 285-pound Fitzpatrick, in addition to his unofficial visit to Ohio State June 4-6, made an unofficial self-guided visit to Ohio State with his father in February.
Fitzpatrick is a 4-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite. He is the country’s No. 292 overall prospect, the No. 27 offensive tackle, and the No. 2 prospect in Colorado.
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The Buckeyes have a spectacular 2022 recruiting class going. They have commitments from the country’s No. 1 overall prospect in 5-star quarterback Quinn Ewers from Texas, 5-star cornerback Jaheim Singletary from Florida, another 5-star in wide receiver Caleb Burton from Texas, 4-star wide receiver Kyion Grayes who is the No. 2 prospect in the state of Arizona, 4-star wide receiver Kaleb Brown from Illinois, 4-star wide receiver Kojo Antwi from Georgia, 4-star running back Dallan Hayden from Tennessee, the No. 1 prospect in Ohio and the country’s No. 2 outside linebacker C.J. Hicks, the country’s No. 3 linebacker and the No. 2 prospect in Ohio in Gabe Powers, the No. 3 prospect in Ohio in cornerback Jyaire Brown, 4-star cornerback Terrance Brooks from Texas, the No. 7 prospect in the Buckeyes State in offensive lineman Tegra Tshabola, two top tight end targets in Bennett Christian from Georgia and Benji Gosnell from North Carolina, and two more talented defensive backs from Florida, cornerback Ryan Turner and safety Kye Stokes, and now Fitzpatrick too. It is a class of 17 commitments to this point with fifteen being 5 or high 4-star prospects. It is a class that is ranked as the country’s No. 1 recruiting class in the 247Sports Composite team recruiting rankings.