PINEHURST, N.C. – LIV Golf League captain Bryson DeChambeau is once again a US Open champion.
Meanwhile, PGA Tour star Rory McIlroy's nearly 10-year drought without a major championship victory will continue, after he endured the most painful of all his near-misses in the final round of the 124th US Open at Pinehurst No. 2 on Sunday.
After McIlroy missed a short par putt for the second time in the final three holes on the 18th hole, DeChambeau hit a tough second shot from the native grass, and near a tree root, across the fairway into a bunker. From 55 yards away, he jumped to about 4 feet and sank a par putt to finish at 6 under, 1 shot better than McIlroy.
“I can't believe those ups and downs on that last one. Probably the best shot of my life,” DeChambeau said.
With DeChambeau and McIlroy tied at 6 under, and McIlroy playing in the group before the last, both players hit their tee shots into the unpredictable native area near the grandstand to the left of the fairway at No. 18.
McIlroy's ball came to rest behind a large clump of wire about 123 yards from the hole. His only option was to throw the ball across the grass and into the fairway. His approach stopped just short of the green. He got to 4 feet and missed the par putt. He made a short bogey putt and could only watch DeChambeau finish.
DeChambeau, the 2020 US Open champion at Winged Foot Golf Club in New York, began the final round with a 3-stroke lead. He briefly lost the lead to McIlroy on the back nine before regaining it at the end.
DeChambeau shot 1 for 71 in the final round. He is the first US Open champion to record a round over par in the final round since Lucas Glover in 2009.
McIlroy recorded a 1-under 69 and finished second in a major for the fourth time in his career.
Tony Finau (3-under 67) and Patrick Cantlay (par 70) tied for third place at 4-under. Matthieu Pavon, trying to become the first French golfer to win the U.S. Open, placed fifth after posting a 1-over 71 on Sunday.
The first US Open played at Pinehurst No. 2 in a decade will be remembered as much for McIlroy's collapse as for DeChambeau's victory. McIlroy was attempting to win his first major championship since the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
After finally wresting the lead from DeChambeau with birdies at Nos. 9, 10, 12 and 13 to become the first golfer to reach 8 under, McIlroy had one of the most forgettable finishes of any final-round leader in a major. .
McIlroy made bogeys at Nos. 15, 16 and 18 to fall back to 5 under par. On the par-3 15th hole, he hit his tee shot over the green and couldn't get up or down to make par.
After DeChambeau missed a 4-foot par putt on No. 15 to give McIlroy a 1-stroke lead, McIlroy inexplicably hit a 2 ½-foot par putt on No. 16 too hard and crashed. he left. He hadn't missed a putt within 3 feet all season.
