Bryson DeChambeau won his second U.S. Open title as he overcame the challenge of Rory McIlroy on a dramatic afternoon at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club.
The home favourite entered the final day with a three-shot lead but found himself two behind as McIlroy made three birdies in four holes after the turn before the Northern Irishman gave them back, making a bogey on the last in a 69.
That meant DeChambeau needed a par up the last and despite hitting a ragged drive and finding sand with his second, he completed a stunning up-and-down to sign for a 71 and finish at six under, one clear of McIlroy.
American duo Patrick Cantlay and Tony Finau were then at four under, one clear of Frenchman Matthieu Pavon.
DeChambeau won his first Major at this event in 2020 and doubles his tally having finished sixth at the Masters Tournament and second at the US PGA Championship this season.
“I want to say happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there," said DeChambeau. “Unfortunately my dad passed a couple of years ago and this one is for him.
"Also to Payne Stewart, he was the reason why I went to SMU. He's the reason why I wore the cap.
“I can’t believe that up-and-down on the last, that was probably the best shot of my life. That’s huge to get up and down and win this prestigious championship – that will be the highlight of my life.”
"I'm so happy I got that shot up-and-down on 18. Oh, man, I didn't want to finish second again. PGA really stung. Xander played magnificent.
"I wanted to get this one done, especially at such a special place that means so much to me, SMU, my dad, what Payne meant to him, 1000th USGA championship. Stack them on top.
"That bunker shot was the shot of my life. I'll forever be thankful that I've got longer wedges so I can hit it farther, get it up there next to the hole (smiling).
"I don't know what to think. It fully hasn't sunk in yet. I just want everybody to enjoy it, as well. As much as it is heartbreaking for some people, it was heartbreak for me at the PGA. I really wanted this one."
Bryson DeChambeau is a two-time Major Champion 🏆
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 16, 2024
He wins the 124th U.S. Open.#USOpen pic.twitter.com/mKwdWLwAxq
McIlroy got off to a perfect start with a 20-footer on the first to cut the lead to two and it was down to one as DeChambeau went over the back of the fourth and needed three putts from a long way off the green.
A brilliant, towering second into the fifth from McIlroy could have set up an eagle on another day but he saw his ball roll into the waste area, resulting in a bogey after he found a bunker with his third.
McIlroy put his tee-shot at the par-three ninth to 15 feet to turn in 34 and back at the eighth DeChambeau was creating huge cheers, completing a remarkable up-and-down to save par and stay one ahead.
A lay-up after finding the waste area off the tee at the par-five tenth meant McIlroy had 27 feet to join the lead and he drained it but DeChambeau also found the waste area off the tee and played a lay-up, following it with a beautiful pitch to five feet to get his nose back in front.
He would not be alone for long as McIlroy holed from 22 feet on the 12th and the 35-year-old led alone after DeChambeau was punished with a bogey after finding the waste area down the right off the tee on the same hole.
The tee at the 13th had been brought forward and McIlroy briefly led by two after driving to the side of the green and getting up and down but DeChambeau drove onto the putting surface and got down in two himself.
McIlroy dropped a shot at the 15th after putting his tee-shot over the green but DeChambeau three-putted the same hole only for McIlroy to return the favour at the 16th, missing a two-footer for par to leave us back in a tie.
A recovery from a poor tee-shot meant McIlroy had four feet for par on the last but he could not make the putt and left the door open for DeChambeau's big finish.
"When I turned the corner and saw I was a couple back, I said, Nope, I'm not going to let that happen. I have to focus on figuring out how to make this happen.
"I mean, I had to know what I had to get done in that iron shot I hit on 17. I was trying to birdie that hole. 18, 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. I just really didn't know. Then I heard the moans. Like a shot of adrenaline got in me. I said, Okay, you can do this.
"I was actually concerned I might hurt myself getting out of that. I was trying to get TIO relief, but didn't have anything in my way, unfortunately.
"I was trying to run it left of that bunker, run it up the green, give myself a 2-putt. I had no backswing. At a certain point in time, I'm just like, okay, I have to hack it; hopefully it will go down the line, but it didn't. It cut and it went into the bunker, one of the worst places I could have been. But G-Bo just said, Bryson, just get it up-and-down. That's all you've got to do. You've done this plenty of times before. I've seen some crazy shots from you from 50 yards out of a bunker. I said, you're right; I need a 55-degree, let's do it.
"I was a little lucky. Rory didn't make a couple putts that he could have coming in. I had an amazing up-and-down on the last. I don't know what else to say.
"It's a dream come true."
Cantlay made three birdies and three bogeys in a 70, while Finau recovered from two early bogeys with an eagle and three birdies to match the low round of the day with a 67.
Pavon carded a 71 to sit a shot ahead of Japan's Hideki Matsuyama and two clear of American duo Russell Henley and Xander Schauffele, with just eight players under par after 72 holes over the fearsome No. 2 Course.
