US Open: Bryson DeChambeau hits 'best shot of my life' to beat Rory McIlroy in epic final

PINEHURST, NC Golf has a new hero. Bryson DeChambeau won his second US Open on Sunday, holding off a charging nine from Rory McIlroy to tame a treacherous Pinehurst.

In an epic battle, DeChambeau and McIlroy went to the 18th hole tied at 6 under. McIlroy, in front, missed a 4-foot putt for par, opening the door for DeCheambeau. Only, it took a bit of witchcraft on DeChambeau's part to make it happen.

After a wayward drive left him leaning under a tree, forcing him into a greenside bunker, DeChambeau hit the bunker shot of his life, dropping it to within 4 feet.

Bryson DeChambeau celebrates after winning the U.S. Open on Sunday in Pinehurst, North Carolina (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Unlike McIlroy, he wouldn't miss, and a second US Open championship was his.

“I can't believe the ups and downs last game,” DeChambeau said. “Probably the best shot of my life.”

For McIlroy, it's another major tournament without a trophy, this one perhaps as bitter as any in the 37 (and counting) since his last major victory at the 2014 PGA Championship. He missed two putts from within 4 feet in the final three holes. Looking inside the scoring tent as DeChambeau's putt fell, McIlroy understandably looked as depressed as ever.

For DeChambeau, who left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf two years ago, he suddenly found himself the darling of the galleries, cheers and chants of the United States! accompanying each of his steps. What this means for the ongoing PGA Tour-LIV split remains to be seen, but it's clear that DeChambeau is now one of the game's top draws, especially after keeping his post-round promise to let all the world touching 18 inch tall, sterling silver winner's trophy.

How we got here

Coming into the week, Scottie Scheffler reigned as the #1 player, #1 betting favorite and #1 story. After winning the Memorial, his fifth in his last eight tournaments, Scheffler was headed toward Scottie status against the field. The assumption was that Scheffler would work in the field and on the course as he had at Augusta, and as he probably should have done at the PGA Championship at Valhalla, and then we would all wonder if the Louisville police had prevented Scottie to win. a grand slam.

Spoiler: Scheffler won't win the Grand Slam this year, and the Louisville PD had nothing to do with it. Scheffler rushed headlong into another major story of the first few weeks: Pinehurst No. 2 itself. The courses have a wonderful combination of turtleback greens, rough sandy grasses and Schefflers leveled by blast furnace heat, plus many other greats.

Golf is sometimes a mental torture chamber, Scheffler said after Saturday's round, especially the U.S. Open.

On the other hand, the US Open offers access to virtually anyone who can survive the qualifying events, which always leads to incredible stories of everyday people mixing it up with the pros. One of this year's best: Colin Prater, a high school biology teacher from Colorado who qualified for the tournament. Prater didn't last long, he carded a 79-78 to miss the cut by 12 shots, but he will have memories for the rest of his life.

Tuesday's media blitz didn't feature much news, but offered two significant stories off course. McIlroy announced that he and his wife Erica have called off their divorce, which may or may not impact McIlroy's match. Jon Rahm showed up to his media session with a bandage on his toe, which definitely impacted his week; later that day, Rahm announced that he had withdrawn from the tournament completely.

Rahm's absence has robbed the US Open of its 2021 champion and also considerable star power, but given his 2024 season to date, one wonders how well even a healthy Rahm would have handled Pinehurst No. 2. As it stands, LIV Golf has literally put the United States on hold. Open rankings, from DeChambeau at the top to Phil Mickelson at the bottom. Additionally, the USGA appears ready to invite more LIV Golf players to the US Open, whether the world rankings support them or not.

Cantlay, Berg sets the tone

And then, as always in a big week, Thursday came and all external concerns disappeared. The standings remained remarkably consistent, with most of Thursday's leaders remaining throughout the weekend into Sunday afternoon. Cantlay set the tone on a surprisingly forgiving Thursday, tying the record for the lowest round ever shot at a Pinehurst US Open at -5. Hours later, McIlroy tied him to share the lead. Ludvig Berg finished one stroke back, and Matthieu Pavon and DeChambeau were two behind the leaders.

Berg, who has played two major tournaments before this one in his entire career, made news Friday, putting together a consistent round that allowed him to take a solo lead. But Cantlay, McIlroy, Pavon and DeChambeau all stayed within two shots.

In another sign of golf's generational shift, Tiger Woods once again failed to qualify, but this time he went further, suggesting he might be done with the US Open. Mickelson also stumbled during the week and left Pinehurst early, although few people in the gallery saw him leave.

Saturday was a reminder of both how tough a U.S. Open can be and how good DeChambeau can be. Collin Morikawa led the way early in the day by throwing a -4 round that vaulted him into the top 10 by sunset, but the day really belonged to DeChambeau, who fought his way to – 7 while causing a frenzy in the gallery. Cries from the United States! accompanied every DeChambeau drive and birdie, and there were plenty of both on Saturday.

DeChambeau vs. McIlroy

The first pairings of the final day of the US Open took place almost seven hours before DeChambeau and Pavon. Scheffler, for example, concluded his match just as the leaders entered the first green, leaving town with a score of +8. It's more than likely that Scheffler was happy to be done with the mental torture chamber that is the US Open.

The USGA placed the US Open trophy just to the right of the first tee, meaning every player had to look at it as they walked to the tee. But none of the leaders paid attention to it, not even those who had already won it.

Most players headed to the first tee sideways in front of the clubhouse from the green. But DeChambeau emerged from a tunnel beneath the clubhouse, rising into the light and through a crowd lined three deep on both sides, like a heavyweight boxer entering an arena before a title fight.

Before DeChambeau even had a chance to start, he lost a stroke of his lead. Ahead of the first green, McIlroy holed a 20-foot putt, and the roar from the gallery echoed off the tee. With the leaders finally gone, the US Open shifted into high gear.

At the fourth, playing the second toughest hole of the day, DeChambeau recorded his first bogey to fall to -6, and Pavon his second to fall to -3. One hole ahead of them, McIlroy struggled to get past the par-5 fifth, a beautiful 5-iron approach sliding off the green and into the wiregrass below. McIlroy's long putt slipped just past and DeChambeau's lead was back to two shots.

DeChambeau's start to Sunday's game clearly lacked the bite of Saturday, but McIlroy, Cantlay and Pavon couldn't put more pressure on him. For every moment of brilliance and putting that McIlroy summoned, he had an equally squirrelly approach that put him out of position.

But as leaders approached the turning point, things tightened up. McIlroy holed a 15-foot birdie putt on 9 to get to -5, and behind him, DeChambeau, at -6, had to claw his way to roll in a 10-foot putt for par. As the putt was true, the gallery thundered and DeChambeau slammed his fist to hold McIlroy back with one shot.

So as DeChambeau made the turn, he stood at -6, holding a one-shot lead over McIlroy, a two-shot lead over Cantlay and a four-shot lead over a trio of players.

On the 10th, McIlroy momentarily evened the U.S. Open, at least with a 26-foot putt that rolled in for birdie to bring it back to -6.

But DeChambeau remained relentless, sinking a chip to within four feet on the same hole, setting up the first birdie of his round. Come back to one.

But McIlroy wasn't done. He drained a 22-footer for birdie at the 12th to catch DeChambeau again, then made another short birdie at the 13th, his fifth of the day. That, coupled with a bogey by DeChambeau at 12, gave McIlory the solo lead for the first time.

“RO-RY! RO-RY! RO-RY,” the crowd erupted as McIlroy headed to the 13th with a two-shot lead.

Then came DeChambeau, who answered McIlroy by driving the 13th 316 yards to within 28 feet. His eagle putt was perfect, but it was about three rolls short. The birdie took him back to one point.

And when McIlroy bogeyed at No. 14, the two were tied…again, but only for a moment.

DeChambeau had a birdie opportunity at the 14th, but missed it four feet through the hole. Then he missed the comebacker for par.

The pressure of the moment didn't just get to DeChambeau, as seven minutes later McIlroy missed his own par putt inside four feet. Tie game, once again.

It would be played until the last hole.

Both found the dirty deed on their roads. McIlroy, a group ahead, made another short putt for par, but missed. He hadn't missed a putt from within five feet all week; he missed two in the last three holes.

Behind him, Dechambeau leaned under a tree branch, a horrible lie/position after yet another wayward journey. Unable to gain a full swing, DeChambeau fired a shot into a greenside bunker, still 55 yards between his ball and the hole.

And then he pulled off the shot of his life, leaving himself four feet away from the title. This time he wouldn't miss it.

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