Bryson DeChambeau took advantage of Rory McIlroy's late mistake to win his second U.S. Open title with a dramatic one-shot victory at Pinehurst No. 2.
DeChambeau led by three shots going into the final round but found himself two shots behind on the day. McIlroy, in the penultimate group, bolstered his hopes of a fifth major title with four birdies in five holes after the turn.
McIlroy held a one-shot lead until he had consecutive bogeys starting at the 15th, another on the par-4 final hole and missed two putts inside four feet in the final stretch, while DeChambeau played a brilliant up-and-down finish to win his second major championship.
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Rory McIlroy fell to six under in the final stages of the U.S. Open after three-putting on the 16th hole
DeChambeau shot a six-under 71 in the final to move one shot ahead of McIlroy, who has not won a major since the 2014 PGA Championship, with Tony Finau and Patrick Cantlay one shot behind Matthew Pavin in third.
How DeChambeau beat McIlroy in a major thriller
McIlroy, playing in the penultimate group with Cantlay, got off to a dream start by rolling in from 20 feet on the first hole, then found himself one shot behind after DeChambeau failed to save par from the back of the green on the fourth.
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McIlroy birdied the first hole to close the gap to leader DeChambeau to two shots.
McIlroy had a terrible time on the par-5 fifth, his best shot swerving off the sloping green, and the Northern Irishman then chipped into a bunker from a bad lie, taking bogey and leaving DeChambeau two shots ahead.
McIlroy missed the green four times in five holes but continued to work for par to stay in touch with DeChambeau, who had a great eighth hole, holed out from 15 feet to stay at six under.
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McIlroy had bad luck on the fifth hole in the U.S. Open final round and suffered a bogey
The lead was down to one shot when McIlroy rolled in a birdie from 15 feet on the ninth hole, and the 2011 U.S. Open champion then holed a 25-foot putt on the par-5 next hole to tie for the lead for the first time.
DeChambeau caught a birdie on the 10th hole and regained the lead. On the next hole, he used his attack into the bunker on the edge of the green to successfully save par. However, McIlroy caught another long birdie on the 12th hole to tie the score.
McIlroy took two swings and hit his ball from five feet to get a shot off the 13th hole after his tee shot bounced off the stands, while DeChambeau made bogey on the previous hole after a botched tee shot.
DeChambeau responded with a two-putt birdie on the 13th to get to one shot under at seven, a score that was enough to tie for the lead when McIlroy missed the green on his tee shot at the 15th and made his sixth bogey of the week on the par-3.
McIlroy finishes runner-up at U.S. Open for second straight year
Both players looked nervous down the stretch, with DeChambeau three-putting from 25 feet on the 15th to fall one shot behind, while McIlroy inexplicably missed a chance to save par when he putted from 2 1/2 feet on the 16th.
McIlroy rallied from the bunker on the 17th but handed the lead to DeChambeau on the final hole, but DeChambeau missed the green in two shots and missed a par putt from four feet to drop to five under.
DeChambeau pulled his tee shot into the home zone and missed the green with his second shot, but he fired a stunning 55-yarder from a bunker that landed four feet and rolled it in to complete a remarkable major championship Sunday.
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DeChambeau won his second U.S. Open title with a one-over-par 71 in the final round at Pinehurst No. 2
“I felt like I hit the ball the way I wanted to today,” DeChambeau said during the trophy presentation. “I just kept focusing on trying to hit as many fairways as I could, and even though I didn't do that, I got out of it pretty well, but I can't believe it, it was probably the best shot of my life.
“I just tried to throw the ball where I threw it. I know I put in a lot of work to win this prestigious championship. This is the highlight of my life.”
What's next?
McIlroy will be back in action at the Travelers Championship, the PGA Tour’s newest signature event, with early coverage live on the red button at 12:30pm on Thursday and live on Sky Sports Golf at 5pm.
The final men's major of the year is the British Open, which will be held at Royal Troon from July 18 to 21, and DeChambeau will once again be one of the pre-tournament favorites. Watch the PGA Tour, Majors and more with NOW.
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