Matt Fitzpatrick is US Open champion for 2022 after beating Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler in a compelling final round at Brookine yesterday. In winning his first major, the Sheffield man becomes the only male player besides Jack Nicklaus to win the US Amateur and the US Open on the same course. (Fitzpatrick won the US Amateur in 2013).
One of the amazing elements of Fitzpatrick's victory was watching him drive the ball farther than most of the field. The diminutive 27-year-old lacks the arm and chest bulk that many PGA pros boast these days, but Fitzpatrick was outdriving most of his peers this weekend, including the likes of Dustin Johnson.
Matt Fitzpatrick hit this drive almost 20 yards past Dustin Johnson.
Since 2020, his cruising swing speed has jumped from 112 to ~119 mph. @SashoMacKenzie explains why:
“Most players aren’t willing to stick with a plan week after week, for years. Matt did.” pic.twitter.com/nWu5R5G1v2— LKD (@LukeKerrDineen) June 18, 2022
Matt Fitzpatrick explains his long driving
Fitzpatrick's distance off the tee was a big talking point across the weekend. Third place finisher Scheffler even noted it in his press conference after the round last night, making a sly dig that the US Open champ might be on 'the Bryson program'
Tip of the hat to Fitzy. He's been playing really good golf, and he definitely deserved to win this event. I don't know if you guys noticed, but I feel like he has made some extreme improvements off the tee in a matter of months.
I played with him in Austin this year, and he was not hitting it nearly as far as he is now. I don't know what he was doing. Maybe he was on the Bryson program or something. He's hitting the ball really well and has been knocking on the door for a long time. He definitely deserves this win.
This comment was put to Fitzpatrick by the media after winning the Wanamaker Trophy and Fitzpatrick had a brilliant answer.
I've done my drug test, and it was negative, so we're all good (laughing).
He did go on to explain why he's been able to hit the ball so far, and credited a training programme called The Stick that increases swing speed.
Since 2020, I spent a lot of time working with Mike Walker and my coach and biomechanist Sasho Mackenzie. We did a little bit then, and he gave me this speed stick called The Stack. I've been doing that religiously week in and week out. It's like going to the gym basically. It's like a training program. I'll be honest, it's worked wonders.
Fitzpatrick also wryly noted his big driving would come in handy at the Open in St Andrews in a few weeks.
"It's a great golf course. It's going to be interesting, obviously, with the length and everything. And now I'm a bomber, I'll probably be driving most of the greens," he said.
Of course, it wasn't all about distance. Fitzpatrick's ball striking was incredible throughout the four rounds, and never more so than on that bunker shot on 18, which he landed perfectly on the green.
Coming in clutch.
Incredible recovery by @MattFitz94 on the final hole.pic.twitter.com/3ux171EXUI— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 19, 2022
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