BROOKLINE — Alex Fitzpatrick, Matt Fitzpatrick’s brother, left town on Saturday because he thought there was no chance the 28-year-old Englishman would win the US Open at The Country Club.
Alex, 23, just graduated from Wake Forest, and still lives in Winston-Salem, N.C. He’s a professional golfer like his brother — in fact, he just turned pro last month.
“He was six back, five back of the lead,” Alex said, “And when I landed he was tied.”
Alex said he texted his manager to get him on the next flight to Boston.
“If he wins, I can’t miss it,” Alex told him.
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He landed in Charlotte, drove an hour-and-a-half home, then woke up at 5 a.m. Sunday to make the same drive back to the airport. He went straight from Logan to Brookline.
“I couldn’t be happier I spent that money to come back,” he said.
Alex said the only better feeling would be if he won, “but this is as close as it gets.”
“My whole family is here, family and friends, the Fultons, who we are staying with, which is also family,” he said. “... My brother said at the start of the week it felt a bit like a home game, we’re lucky to have familiar faces and just to experience this with them is phenomenal.”
Fitzpatrick became just the second male golfer to win the US Amateur and US Open on the same course when he edged out Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler to finish 6-under.
It’s Fitzpatrick’s first major win.
Read more about the US Open
- ‘I’ll remember that for the rest of my life’: Despite seventh-place finish, Keegan Bradley felt like a hometown hero at the US Open
- Matt Fitzpatrick holds off Scottie Scheffler, Will Zalatoris to win US Open at The Country Club
Jayna Bardahl was a Globe intern in 2022. Follow her on Twitter @Jaynabardahl. Katie McInerney can be reached at katie.mcinerney@globe.com. Follow her @k8tmac.