DeChambeau Snatches U.S. Open Win, McIlroy’s Major Drought Continues

In a dramatic climax at Pinehurst No. 2, Bryson DeChambeau emerged victorious in the U.S. Open, clinching his second title while Rory McIlroy’s nearly decade-long quest for another major win continued with a heartbreaking near-miss. The final hole on Sunday saw DeChambeau transform his fortunes from near disaster to triumph, leaving McIlroy to rue missed opportunities.

As McIlroy stepped up to the 18th hole, he needed a par to maintain his lead. However, he missed a short par putt for the second time in three holes, leaving the door open for DeChambeau. The LIV Golf League captain found himself in trouble off the tee, his ball ending up near a tree root in the native area. From there, he executed a difficult punch shot into a bunker, then delivered a masterful chip from 55 yards to within four feet, sinking the crucial putt to finish at 6-under, just one shot ahead of McIlroy.

Reflecting on his round, DeChambeau said, “I was going to try and birdie the hole on 18, obviously, if I hit a good drive, but pulled it. But I knew where Rory was. After my tee shot, I was up there going, ‘Man, if he makes par, I don’t know how I’m going to beat him.’ Then I heard the moans. Like a shot of adrenaline got in me. I said, ‘OK, you can do this.’”

Both players had pulled their tee shots into the unpredictable native area near the grandstand on the left of the 18th fairway. McIlroy’s ball landed behind a large clump of wiregrass, leaving him with a challenging shot. His approach stopped just short of the green, and his chip to four feet missed the par putt, leading to a bogey. Watching DeChambeau’s winning putt on TV in the scorer’s room, McIlroy left the course quickly without speaking to the media.

“Rory is one of the best to ever play,” DeChambeau commented. “Being able to fight against a great like that is pretty special. For him to miss that putt, I’d never wish it on anybody. It just happened to play out that way.”

DeChambeau’s victory scream, “That’s Payne right there, baby!” was a nod to Payne Stewart, who famously won the 1999 U.S. Open at Pinehurst with a dramatic 15-foot par putt on the 72nd hole. DeChambeau’s bunker shot on the 18th was, in his words, the “best shot of my life," a defining moment in his win.

McIlroy, plagued by bogeys on the 15th, 16th, and 18th holes, saw his lead evaporate. His par-3 15th hole mishap and the costly missed putt on the 16th were pivotal. Despite the disappointment, DeChambeau expressed confidence in McIlroy’s future success, predicting that he will win many more major championships. “I think that fire in him is going to continue to grow,” he said. “I have nothing but respect for how he plays the game of golf.”

Falcons “Punishment"

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