Bryson DeChambeau celebrates after winning the U.S. Open golf championship on Sunday in Pinehurst, N.C.
Mike Stewart/AP
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Mike Stewart/AP
PINEHURST, N.C. — Bryson DeChambeau won his second U.S. Open title on Sunday The best shot of his life On the 18th hole No. 2 at Pinehurst, he had another memorable score and another heartache for Rory McIlroy.
In a frantic final hour that featured more mistakes than talent, DeChambeau took off from 55 yards out of the bunker to cap a week of great entertainment. Make a 4-foot par putt Finished 71 to 1.
“That’s Payne, baby!” DeChambeau screamed as he walked off the 18th green.
Payne Stewart holed a 15-foot par putt on the final hole to beat Phil Mickelson by one shot in the first U.S. Open at Pinewood Two in 1999 ). DeChambeau said he was inspired to go to Southern Methodist University when he saw Stewart’s mural on campus.
This par putt wasn’t as long or dramatic as Stewart’s in 1999. DeChambeau kept pumping his powerful arms, screaming to the blue sky, turning in every direction toward the gallery that had cheered him all week.
McIlroy was in the scoring room, stunned by another close call in a major.
This will sting. While this U.S. Open will be remembered for DeChambeau’s brilliant bunker shots, McIlroy was instrumental in shockingly missing two short putts, The last one is within 4 feet The final hole was par. He finished with a 69.
He looked like a winner for a long time on Sunday, making four birdies in five holes around the turn. He’s the epitome of coolness, the opposite of DeChambeau’s enthusiasm.
McIlroy walked to the 14th tee with a two-shot lead. The chants grew louder — “Ror-EE! Ror-EE!” DeChambeau could hear them.
McIlroy made bogey behind the 15th green, but when DeChambeau (playing in the group behind him) made his first three-putt of the week on the 15th, he missed from 4 feet , he stayed ahead.
That was the devastating turn of events for McIlroy at this U.S. Open. He missed the par putt by 30 inches The 16th hole was tied again. On the 18th hole, McIlroy’s tee shot landed behind the infamous wire grass bushes. He teed it up near the green and hit the ball beautifully to 4 feet.
And he missed it again.
McIlroy watched from the scorer’s room as DeChambeau escaped from a scary spot on the left side of the fairway – with a tree in his backswing and a root in front of the golf ball – and hit his ball into a bunker . He deftly hit a shot from the soft sand that rolled across the crisp green to set up the winning putt.
“I still can’t believe the ups and downs,” DeChambeau said as he watched a replay on the video screen during the ceremony. “This was probably the best shoot of my life.”
McIlroy’s tires spun in the gravel and he sped away without comment. Since winning the U.S. Open at Congressional in 2011, he has finished in the top 10 seven times without a victory – no one has done that well without hoisting the trophy in more than 100 years.
DeChambeau became the second LIV golfer to win a major, following Brooks Koepka’s win at the PGA Championship last year.
A photo of Stewart’s famous pose appeared on the flagpole on the 18th. DeChambeau wore a Stewart-style flat cap during the awards ceremony and later changed to his LIV “Crushers” hat.
He finished with a score of 274, 6 under par.
Patrick Cantlay lingered in this matchup all afternoon, unable to land his putts at the right time, until he missed a 7-foot par putt on the 16th hole, ending his chances. He finished with a 70 to tie for third with Tony Finau, who shot 67 to tie his Sunday best but never had much of a chance to win.
Cantlay needed a runner-up finish to earn Team USA’s fourth spot at the Olympics. This is the work of Collin Morikawa. Corey Conners shot a final 70 to pass Adam Hadwin and clinch an Olympic berth for Canada.
DeChambeau earned $4.3 million from a record $21.5 million purse, more than he earned from winning the LIV event.
