Golf legend Jack Nicklaus reacts to Matt Fitzpatrick’s U.S. Open win

Jun 5, 2022; Dublin, Ohio, USA; Jack Nicklaus addresses the crowd after the Memorial Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Jack Nicklaus was very impressed with Matt Fitzpatrick’s U.S. Open win on Sunday.

Fitzpatrick won the tournament after Will Zalatoris missed a birdie putt on the 18th hole that would’ve tied Fitzpatrick at 6-under par and sent the two to a playoff.

Nicklaus took to Twitter after Fitzpatrick’s win to react to the 27-year-old’s first major win.

“Congratulations @MattFitz94!” Nicklaus wrote. “Couldn’t be happier for a really nice young man—a terrific young man! One of the great rounds of golf I have ever seen on final day of @usopengolf! He had the pressure on him, having never won in the United States, and came through in flying colors!”

Nicklaus also said that Sunday’s final round was one of the “most exciting” final rounds he’s ever seen on television.

After Sunday, the Englishman and Nicklaus now occupy a rare space in golf history together. According to ESPN Stats & Info, Fitzpatrick joined Nicklaus as the only other male golfer to win the U.S. Amateur Open and U.S. Open at the same course. Fitzpatrick won the U.S. Amateur Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. in 2013, and this year’s U.S. Open at the same venue. Nicklaus did so at Pebble Beach in 1961 and 1972. Fitzpatrick will need to win a few more U.S. Open championships to match the four that Nicklaus has, however.

Fitzpatrick entered the day in a tie atop the leaderboard with Zalatoris at 4-under par. He shot 2-under par for the round, highlighted by an incredible birdie putt on the 13th hole.