Fitzpatrick Becomes First Brit in Over a Century to Win U.S. Amateur


In an all-international finale, England's Matt Fitzpatrick defeated Australia's Oliver Goss 4 and 3 in the 36-hole championship match to win the U.S. Amateur at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass.

Fitzpatrick became the first Brit to win the prestigious title since Harold Hilton in 1911.

"It's a fantastic feeling and it's nice to be the first for a while," Fitzpatrick said in a televised interview

The 18-year-old Fitzpatrick, who is Northwestern University-bound and No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, forged a 1-up lead on the second hole and never trailed from that point forward.

Although the match got back to all-square several times - the last time on the 19th hole after a Fitzpatrick bogey, Fitzpatrick went 1-up on the 20th with a par and won the next to go 2-up through 21 holes.

Goss, a player on Tennessee's golf team, got to 1-down after Fitzpatrick bogeyed the 505-yard par-4 ninth (the 27th hole), but Fitzpatrick rebounded immediately with a par - to a Goss bogey - on the next to go 2-up and he never looked back.

When Goss carded bogeys on the 32nd and 33rd holes - both par-4s, Fitzpatrick secured a 4-and-3 victory.

"I mean, it's absolutely amazing," said Fitzpatrick, who won the U.S. Amateur on the same course where legendary amateur Francis Ouimet claimed his U.S. Open victory against Harry Vardon and Ted Ray a century ago.

"I can't really describe how I'm feeling at the minute. That's sort of what everyone wants in golf, wants to achieve, and I'm pretty sure Justin Rose said that after his U.S. Open that it's nice to go down in the history books."

"I couldn't get any momentum going," said Goss. "It seemed like every time I got a hole back, he would just get one right back the next hole. I just didn't play solid enough for him. He was always just one in front of me. I seemed to be close but just not close enough."

With the win, Fitzpatrick earned a spot in the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 and a likely spot in next year's Masters Tournament. Goss, if he stays an amateur, will also likely receive entries in those events.

For complete scoring details, visit http://www.usga.org/ChampEventScore.aspx?id=17179869326&year=2013&type=061.