20:41 ET
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Paolo UgetiESPN
BROOKLINE, Massachusetts – Will Zalaris was short again, and this time he thought he was.
After missing a 14-foot bird strike on the 18th hole that would put him in the playoffs with winner Matt Fitzpatrick, Zalatoris couldn’t help but sigh when he was awarded the silver medal for runner-up at the US Open on Sunday. After speaking to the media while the screens showed Fitzpatrick lifting the trophy, Zalatoris left with a forced smile. He had to leave the stage to allow the champion to enter.
“This one in particular hurts a lot,” said Zalatoris, who now has six top 10 rankings in nine major starts, including three runners-up. “I’m three shots away from actually being – to have a chance to be a three-time big champion. Bounce here or there.”
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The 25-year-old entered Sunday’s game without a big win or victory in the PGA Tour, but with great confidence. He said on Saturday that his recent second place in the playoffs against Justin Thomas at this year’s PGA Championship had given him faith that he could be one of the best players in the world. But faith couldn’t push his blow a few inches closer to the hole.
“I was about six feet away, I thought I had it,” Zalaris said of his blow. “Obviously it hurts. To have three runners-up so far in my career in the big sport.”
Zalatoris came in on Sunday, equal to the lead with Fitzpatrick. Zalatoris fights early, making two plugs in the first five holes before his eternally elusive trigger ignites. He scored four of the next six holes and at one point took the lead with 2 shots in front of Fitzpatrick.
“I fought like crazy,” Zalaris said, calling his driving “brutal” during the week, adding that his thigh bothered him. The usual problems of the runners-up from Masters 2021 came with his launcher, but as he said with a smile on Sunday, his release was OK.
“I’m sure all the fools on Instagram will say it has something to do with folding my left wrist,” Zalaris said of the 18-stroke. “I promise you, it has nothing to do with it.”
Zalatoris’ two costly mistakes came in the back nine. On the 12th hole he missed the fairway and had to punch, which led to a 2 for the gods. On the 15th he missed the fairway again. Fitzpatrick did the same, but missed it so well that he had a better lie than Zalatoris, who was in the rough. Fitzpatrick is a bird. Zalatoris has been deceived. Then the lead was 2 in favor of Fitzpatrick.
On par-3 16th, Zalatoris made a bird to sit 1 back. But when Fitzpatrick saved his wrong drive, which found the bunker with a perfect iron shot in the 18th Green, the pressure returned to Zalatoris, who later called Fitzpatrick’s approach “hit” and “1 in 20”.
“I knew very well that Will would hit him,” Fitzpatrick said. “He’s one of the best players on the tour.”
Zalatoris hit him exactly 15 feet. Fitzpatrick 2-set for face value so Zalatoris knew what to do. As he hit the ball and watched it run right past the hole without dropping, Zalatoris fell to his knees in agony. The champion was decided.
“I’ve already been asked how nervous you were on the road at 18?” Zalaris said. “It’s like I have nothing to lose. Either he enters or he doesn’t.”
Even after a heavy loss, Zalatoris expressed confidence, saying he had the recipe for victory. With less than a month until the next major – Open at St. Andrews – Zalatoris said he was happy to try again soon.
“I’m not happy with the finish in second place,” he said. “Obviously I’m trying to succeed. The level of comfort is there, especially now that I know I can do it. I just have to keep waiting my turn.”
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