Bryson DeChambeau wins his second US Open title, beating Rory McIlroy

PINHURST, N.C. – LIV Golf League captain Bryson DeChambeau is a U.S. Open champion once again.

Meanwhile, PGA Tour star Rory McIlroy’s nearly 10-year drought without a major tournament win will continue, after he suffered his most painful failure in the final round of the 124th US Open at No. 2 Pinehurst on Sunday. .

After McIlroy missed a short putt for the second time in the final three holes of the 18th, DeChambeau hit a difficult second shot from the local grass — and near a tree root — across the fairway and into a bunker. From 55 yards, he cleared nearly 4 feet and hit a par putt to finish 6 under, one shot better than McIlroy.

“I can’t believe it’s up and down at the end,” DeChambeau said. “Probably the best shot of my life.”

With DeChambeau and McIlroy tied at 6 under – and McIlroy playing the set to the last set – both players pulled their shots into the unpredictable home stretch near the fairway on No. 18.

McIlroy’s ball came to rest behind a large clump of wiry grass about 123 yards from the hole. His only option was to launch the ball across the grass and up the fairway. His approach stopped near the green. He went 4 feet and missed the putt for par. He made a short bogey putt and could only watch as DeChambeau finished.

DeChambeau, the 2020 U.S. Open champion at Winged Foot Golf Club in New York, started the final round with a three-stroke lead. He briefly lost the lead to McIlroy on the back nine before eventually giving it up.

DeChambeau had a 1-over 71 in the final round. He is the first US Open champion to score a final round on par since Lucas Glover in 2009.

McIlroy posted a 1-under 69 and finished second in a major tournament for the fourth time in his career.

Tony Finau (3-under 67) and Patrick Cantlay (even-par 70) tied for third at 4 under. Mathieu Pavone, who was trying to become the first golfer from France to win the US Open, was fifth after shooting a 1-over 71 on Sunday.

The first US Open played on Pinehurst’s No. 2 course in a decade will be remembered as much for McIlroy’s collapse as for DeChambeau’s triumph. McIlroy was trying to win his first major title since the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.

After finally wrestling the lead from DeChambeau with birdies on Nos. 9, 10, 12 and 13 to become the first golfer to reach the eighth under No. 8, McIlroy had one of the most forgettable finishes of any final-round leader in a major.

McIlroy birdied bogey on Nos. 15, 16 and 18 to drop to 5 under. On the par-3 15th, he hit his shot over the green and couldn’t get up and down the par.

After DeChambeau missed a 4-foot putt on No. 15 to give McIlroy a one-shot lead, McIlroy inexplicably hit a 2½-foot putt for par on No. 16 too hard and out. He hasn’t missed a shot inside 3 feet all season.