Matt Fitzpatrick wins his first major at the US OpenEngland's Matt Fitzpatrick superbly held off the world's best to claim his first major title with a one-shot US Open victory at Brookline Country Club.
Fitzpatrick shot a two-under 68 to finish on six under and pip playing partner Will Zalatoris (69) after a gripping head-to-head battle in the final pairing went to the final hole.
World number one Scottie Scheffler shot 67 to end joint second with Zalatoris.
Rory McIlroy carded a one-under 69 to finish joint fifth on two under par.
Both Fitzpatrick and Zalatoris went close at the US PGA Championship last month and despite neither of them having won on the PGA Tour, they did not flinch during a titanic struggle that saw them exchange the lead several times through a tense day.
Fitzpatrick also started in the final group at Southern Hills at the last major, but looked a different golfer this time around as he became just the fourth Englishman in the past 100 years to win the US Open.
Sheffield-born Fitzpatrick also won the US Amateur title at Brookline back in 2013 and joins Jack Nicklaus as the only two men to win both that and the US Open at the same venue.
The 27-year-old is also the first non-American to win both titles.
It was more major agony for American Zalatoris though, who finished as runner-up for the second major in a row after losing to Justin Thomas in a play-off at the US PGA Championship.
Fitzpatrick holds his nerve on day of twists and turns
Masters champion Scheffler powered into the lead early on with four birdies in his first six holes as he looked to become just the sixth man to win the Masters and US Open in the same year, and only the second man after Tiger Woods to win this major while sitting top of the world rankings.
Fitzpatrick answered with birdies on the third and fifth while a nervy looking Zalatoris had two bogeys to slip four shots behind the leading duo.
Two stunning irons shots led to successive birdies on the sixth and seventh holes to spark 25-year-old Zalatoris into life, and when Scheffler hit trouble around the turn and Fitzpatrick missed two short putts, all of a sudden it was Zalatoris who led by two.
A huge turning point came on the 13th when Fitzpatrick holed a 48-foot birdie putt to tie Zalatoris, who made a clutch par save from 12 feet.
Scheffler was always lurking, but the final pair looked determined that one of them would win and become the 14th first-time major winner to lift the US Open trophy in 18 years - it was just a case of who would land that knockout blow.
On the 15th, Fitzpatrick made a birdie and Zalatoris a bogey to move two clear, but the American cut that advantage in half with a birdie on 17 after yet another laser of an iron shot.
More drama came on the final hole. Fitzpatrick hit his tee shot into a fairway bunker but, in scenes reminiscent of Sandy Lyle at the 1988 Masters, launched a high cut at the green, the ball landing 15 feet over the flag and spinning a couple of feet closer.
A two-putt par left the door slightly ajar with Zalatoris needing a birdie to force a play-off.
You would not have bet against extra holes given all three previous US Opens held at Brookline have been decided by play-offs. But Zalatoris' effort slid agonisingly wide and as he slumped to his knees, Fitzpatrick and his caddie Billy Foster embraced.
