Will Zalatoris and Matt Fitzpatrick avoided the carnage and calamity that took down golf’s best at a US Open that set the tone for a final day of survival.
Zalatoris, who lost in a three-hole playoff at the PGA Championship last month, made only one bogey — a staggering feat on a beast of a Brookline course — for a 3-under 67 on Saturday.
“Felt like I shot a 61,” Zalatoris said. “Whenever I made a mistake I was able to get away with it or pull off something miraculous.”
Fitzpatrick, already a champion at The Country Club with his US Amateur title in 2013, was equally steady and ran off three birdies over his last five holes for a 68. He will be in the final group of a major for the second straight time.
Most telling was they didn’t make any double bogeys. That’s what knocked defending champion Jon Rahm out of the lead on the final hole.
Zalatoris and Fitzpatrick were at 4-under 206. This Saturday at Brookline was so wild that Rahm was among eight players who had at least a share of the lead at some point.
(Written with Reuters inputs)
