*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
It’s often said that the best way to find the winner of a Major Championship is to look at the top end of the leaderboard of the previous one and those who did that this week will certainly have had the duo of Will Zalatoris and Matt Fitzpatrick high on their lists.
US Open 2022 – Final Round
Sunday 19th June
TV: Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Golf
After a pulsating Saturday’s action at Brookline in tough blustery conditions the pair who sat second and third heading into the final round at Southern Hills find themselves tied for the lead here on 4-under, one shot clear of the chasing pack.
BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 18: Will Zalatoris of the United States waves on the 18th green during the third round of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 18, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
With five top-ten finishes in his previous eight Major starts, this is becoming very familiar territory for Zalatoris and those who followed the advice of this column pre-event and jumped on board will be hoping that he can go one better today than at the PGA where he lost out in a play-off to Justin Thomas.
Though Fitzpatrick, who won the US Amateur on this track back in 2013, will have other ideas. The Yorkshireman who admitted after Sunday at Southern Hills that he had struggled with the pressure that day will, like Zalatoris, be hoping that situation will have prepared him for what lies ahead this time.
Both managed the tough conditions as well as anyone yesterday, Zalatoris posting a best of the day 67 and Fitzpatrick a 68, and with similar conditions expected today they should both feel confident.
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The layers have made Fitzpatrick the marginal favourite over Zalatoris and while I, based on the American’s recent Major record, would personally just have it the other way around it is very hard to split them.
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If the leaders are to falter the player best placed to take advantage is Jon Rahm, and it is the Spaniard I will turn to today to give us another to run alongside our pre-event wager on Zalatoris.
Rahm looked set to hold the 54-hole lead as he stood on the 18th tee on 5-under however a pulled tee shot into the bunker followed by an inexplicable error to find the lip with his second saw him take a double-bogey six and fall back to 3-under.
While no doubt fuming, the defending Champion will be able to call on the memories of last year when he started Sunday in a similar position and I expect if anything his error at the last yesterday to fire him up more.
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In what is no doubt an incredibly tough final day to call world number one Scottie Scheffler who starts a further shot back on 2-under alongside local favourite Keegan Bradley, is still very much a threat, while Rory McIlroy, whose putter kept him in contention yesterday will still fancy his chances from 1-under, however Rahm looks the play for me today.
Looking now at today’s two ball pairings and the first one to catch my eye is Seamus Power against Matthew NeSmith who tees off at 18.34 UK Time.
Power who posted a top-ten finish at last month’s PGA has been a model of consistency this week with rounds of 71, 70 and 70 and with more cool blustery conditions expected today the Irishman should feel right at home. NeSmith, meanwhile, having been right in the hunt halfway through, struggled in the tougher conditions yesterday and I expect Power to be too solid for him today.
Next up I will boost our treble by taking Scottie Scheffler to see off Adam Hadwin when they tee off at 19.23 UK Time. After holing out for eagle yesterday on the eighth to open up a two-shot lead it looked like the Masters Champion could take control of the event but after that the wheels somewhat came off.
Still, though he got it round in 71 to stay right in the hunt and with his game perfectly suited to this type of attritional golf I expect him to hang tough today. Hadwin meanwhile has done superbly to stick around since taking the opening day lead, however, this is unchartered territory for him today and I expect that to show.
Finally, I will finish our treble by taking the marginal odds against on Zalatoris to see off Fitzpatrick in the final pairing when they go out at 19.45 UK time.
I have said already that while it is a tough one to call I would have the American as a slight favourite over the Englishman and therefore with the layers pricing this two-ball up with Zalatoris as the outsider the value in my eyes lies with him.
US Open Final Round Tips
Two-Ball 9/2 Treble
- Seamus Power to beat Matthew NeSmith
- Scottie Scheffler to beat Adam Hadwin
- Will Zalatoris to beat Matthew Fitzpatrick
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*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
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