Carlo Blanchard US Open: Bryson DeChambeau snatches victory that belonged to Rory McIlroy

Sometimes it feels like history repeating itself when we attend a big event, like the US Open. As we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the late Payne Stewart's victory at Pinehurst in 1999, his compatriot Bryson DeChambeau put in an impressive display to get his hands on the prized trophy for the second time.

We will always remember that par on the last hole, because there was nothing normal about it. After a long shot too far left, DeChambeau's ball stopped inches from a very damaging root, limiting his options on the next shot. Forced to use half the momentum, he was able to drive his ball into a sand trap located about fifty yards from the flag. Facing one of the toughest shots in golf, he drove his ball into the middle of the green before seeing it stop 4 feet from the target. He had to sink this putt to beat Rory McIlroy by one stroke, which he did brilliantly. DeChambeau stated that his third shot in the 18th minute was the best shot of his career and no one disputes that.

Bryson DeChambeau leaves no one indifferent with his special style and his shots that often exceed 350 yards. In the final round, he only made 5 of 14 passes, but he got out of trouble brilliantly most of the time. It was reminiscent of several saves made by Payne Stewart during the final round of 1999, who, like DeChambeau, claimed his second US Open title. Unfortunately, he had to tragically leave us after 4 months.

McIlroy collapses at the end of the round

Without taking anything away from Bryson DeChambeau, this victory went to Rory McIlroy with 4 holes to go. The Northern Irishman then enjoyed a two-shot lead and looked on course to end a 10-year drought without a major win. He unfortunately made 3 bogeys at the end of the round, missing two putts by less than 4 feet. However, he has had a perfect record on shots under 5 feet since the start of the tournament. It is difficult for McIlroy to accept this bitter defeat, as he frankly deserves a better fate. Like many, I would have loved to see these two players face off in overtime to determine the winner.

This major victory ensures that DeChambeau will play in Grand Slam tournaments for the next five years. Players in the LIV Circuit no longer have access to World Ranking Points, and must perform during major tournaments to earn valuable points and maintain their positions in the World Top 50. At the end of 2023, DeChambeau was ranked 155th in the world rankings. After his second-place finish at the PGA Championship last month and his victory at the US Open on Sunday, he is now in 10th place!

Among those who performed well at the US Open were Tony Finau and Patrick Cantlay who shared third place, two shots behind the winner. It was Cantlay's best performance in a major. Frenchman Mathieu Pavon finished fifth and was also in the battle until the end. The best Canadian was Corey Conners who placed ninth, earning a spot to represent Canada at the Paris Olympics. This performance allowed him to beat Adam Hadwin to the dust and thus join Nick Taylor on the Canadian golf team.

Overall, it was an exciting tournament full of emotions and ups and downs. Pinehurst's No. 2 course proves to be a first-class test as its greens only accommodate very good shots. It is a course that is extremely punishing when you miss, and many top players have had to crush their pride and bend their knees on this extremely difficult course.

Next meeting: Travelers Championship

The star players on the PGA Tour circuit will be back in action Thursday when the Travelers Championship begins at TPC River Highlands in Connecticut. This is the final Prestige Series championship of the season, with a $20 million purse at stake. You will be able to follow the progress of the third and fourth rounds of this tournament on Saturday and Sunday on RDS.