Bryson DeChambeau wins U.S. Open; 5 takeaways from Pinehurst

Bryson DeChambeau is now a two-time U.S. Open champion, clinching the title at Pinehurst No. 2 4 years after he did so at Winged Foot in New York. He didn’t have his greatest stuff on Sunday, however he discovered a strategy to get the job accomplished, thanks partly to Rory McIlroy, who made three bogies over his ultimate 4 holes to lose by one.

Together with his win, DeChambeau enters uncommon territory, becoming a member of Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods as the one gamers to have ever received a U.S. Novice and a number of U.S. Open titles—fairly good firm to hitch. On the flip aspect, McIlroy’s main drought continues, as his downfall on Sunday was maybe probably the most heartbreaking second of his illustrious profession.

Listed here are 5 takeaways from the sandhills of North Carolina:

1. An all-time traditional U.S. Open

The 124th U.S. Open will go down within the historical past books as top-of-the-line ever. We had two of the perfect gamers on this planet—Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy—duking it out on a difficult golf course on the again 9, leaving everybody on the sting of their seats.

You can’t ask for something extra at a significant championship. Each shot was a must-watch, from DeChambeau’s third shot on the tenth all the best way to his heroic sand save on the 18th gap. Rory McIlroy produced magical moments, too, till his putter went ice chilly on the sixteenth and 18th holes, which shocked the world and left everybody in disbelief.

However this can be a event folks will keep in mind for a very long time.

Picture by David Cannon/Getty Photographs

Within the post-round press convention, Kevin Van Valkenburg of No Laying Up stated to DeChambeau, “It doesn’t really feel like an excessive amount of hyperbole to really feel like this is likely one of the nice U.S. Opens in historical past.”

Earlier than Van Valkenburg might end his query, DeChambeau chimed in, saying, “Wow,” doing so in disbelief after a rollercoaster day that might have gone both means.

DeChambeau then stated that he felt “grateful” to have been part of it. However in all seriousness, {the golfing} world ought to depend their blessings to have witnessed such an excellent championship amid a lot division inside the sport.

2. Bryson DeChambeau—second greatest on this planet?

Bryson DeChambeau has performed higher throughout the three main championships than another participant, together with Scottie Scheffler.

Scheffler received The Masters, The Gamers, and three different Signature Occasions this season. However within the tournaments the place he has performed alongside DeChambeau, the LIV Golf star obtained the higher of him twice.

DeChambeau tied for sixth at Augusta Nationwide after which completed solo second to Xander Schauffele at Valhalla. Now, he’s the U.S. Open champion, triumphing on a course the place Scheffler sorely struggled for 4 straight days.

Scheffler remains to be the top-ranked participant on this planet, however at this level, DeChambeau ought to slide in because the quantity two.

Picture by Tracy Wilcox/PGA Tour through Getty Photographs

He has confirmed himself on the most important phases this season, demonstrating a skillset that stretches past his capability to hit 350-yard drives. His quick recreation was unbelievable all week; he made putts when wanted, besides on the par-3 fifteenth on Sunday. DeChambeau stepped up and hit the pictures when he needed to, with no larger one approaching the 18th gap, the place he obtained up and down from the bunker 55 yards wanting the inexperienced.

Better of all, golf followers have embraced DeChambeau. They used to view him as a pariah; now, he’s arguably the game’s greatest star.

3. Rory McIlroy’s collapse worse than Mickelson’s in ‘06, Dustin Johnson’s in ‘15

I’m not so certain Rory McIlroy can ever get well from what transpired down the stretch on Sunday.

Let’s begin with the tee shot on the par-3 fifteenth, a gap that he bogeyed on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. At that time, McIlroy sat at 8-under par, with agency management of the event. He had simply made birdies on the ninth, tenth, twelfth, and thirteenth holes to tug forward and into the solo lead.

However on this very gap, McIlroy knew that any shot lengthy was lifeless. So, from 205 yards out, McIlroy pulled a 7-iron. He then hit a decrease draw than regular, attempting to pound one into the middle of the inexperienced. However since McIlroy hits a draw, and a right-to-left ball flight doesn’t land softly, his shot bounced onerous on the agency floor and rolled off the again of this ‘Turtleback’ inexperienced. It settled up in opposition to wiregrass, assuring a bogey.

Picture by Andrew Redington/Getty Photographs

So, why on this planet did he try to rocket a tough, low 7-iron, as a substitute of a excessive fade, maybe with a 6-iron? Even when he got here up quick, he might have saved par to that gap location. However as quickly as he went over, the collapse was on.

Then got here the troublesome par-4 sixteenth.

McIlroy hammered a drive, performed a sensible second shot, and a par regarded all however assured—till he missed his par try from 2-feet-9-inches. That miss shocked the world, because it marked McIlroy’s first miss from inside three ft all season, per Justin Ray.

Immediately, McIlroy sat at 6-under, with DeChambeau tied proper behind him. Two extra pars would seemingly drive a playoff, and a birdie on both 17 or 18 would win, thus snapping the drought.

He missed his tee shot left into the bunker on 17 however managed to save lots of par. Then, on 18, McIlroy pounded a drive once more, nevertheless it missed the golf green left and nestled up in opposition to the wiregrass. Why McIlroy didn’t choose to hit a 3-wood right here is one other urgent query in his decision-making.

Anyhow, he scurried his second shot from the native space to about 20 yards wanting the pin, proper in entrance of the inexperienced. He then hit a strong chip, nevertheless it carried a bit an excessive amount of tempo, settling 3-feet-6-inches above the outlet. That set the stage for a slippery, downhill slider that no one would need to have in a U.S. Open.

McIlroy missed that, too, signing for a 1-under 69 and ending the U.S. Open at 5-under general. DeChambeau, in fact, made his miraculous par behind him, thus profitable the title and leaving McIlroy sick to his abdomen.

Picture by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Photographs

However why does this collapse rank increased than Phil Mickelson’s mishap on the 72nd gap at Winged Foot in 2006 and better than Dustin Johnson’s three-putt gaffe at Chambers Bay in 2015?

Each Mickelson and Johnson confronted the music after their respective collapses.

McIlroy didn’t.

Mickelson, after blowing it on 18 and handing the title to Geoff Ogilvy, famously stated, “I’m in shock, I can’t imagine I’ve simply accomplished that. I’m such an fool.”

Johnson, in the meantime, acquired 11 questions from the media in 2015, every of them primarily targeted on what transpired on the 18th inexperienced, the place he gifted the championship to Jordan Spieth.

“Dissatisfied,” Johnson stated on that fateful Father’s Day within the Pacific Northwest.

“I had all the probabilities on this planet. I’m actually happy with the best way I hit the ball. Happy with the best way I dealt with myself all day.”

Are you aware what number of questions McIlroy fielded on Sunday?

Zero.

As an alternative of speaking to the press, or to anybody from NBC Sports activities for that matter, McIlroy bolted to his automotive earlier than DeChambeau even accepted the trophy. His non-public aircraft was within the air by 7:30 p.m. ET, roughly 40 minutes after he missed on 18, and he landed in South Florida an hour and 14 minutes later, per Radar Atlas.

Picture by Ezra Shaw/Getty Photographs

I perceive that dealing with scrutiny within the age of social media and 24/7 information protection is demanding and troublesome, particularly in moments of heartbreak and agony. I additionally know that he has so much occurring in his private life. However McIlroy makes thousands and thousands of {dollars} to play golf. Lots of of individuals additionally cowl the game, making nowhere near what McIlroy earns. It’s their job to share McIlroy’s perspective with thousands and thousands all over the world in an effort to develop the sport and supply a viewpoint on one of many greatest occasions within the sport.

It’s additionally McIlroy’s obligation to clarify what occurred.

Do you suppose Scott Norwood of the Buffalo Payments needed to fulfill the media after he missed the game-winning area purpose in Tremendous Bowl XV? No. However he did. Norwood answered each single query—similar to Mickelson and Johnson.

That’s what skilled athletes do. McIlroy fell wanting that, and since he blew off the media and failed to clarify himself, his collapse tops these seen in 2006 and 2015.

McIlroy is aware of that too—therefore his choice to get out of dodge.

4. Props to Pinehurst No. 2

Take a bow, Pinehurst No. 2.

You delivered a fabulous, thrilling championship that entertained everybody for a complete week.

We noticed diabolical pictures, ‘Ping-Pong’ video games, putts off greens, surreal chip-ins, unthinkable holes-in-one, and an all-world end that we are going to keep in mind eternally.

The technique required on this golf course can be second to none, as this Donald Ross masterpiece made gamers suppose extra about angles than the rest.

Picture by Keyur Khamar/PGA Tour through Getty Photographs

The greens, as loopy as they’re, starred like an Oscar-winning actor.

The native wiregrass that lined each fairway, with 75 completely different vegetation scattered about, left everybody questioning what would occur subsequent on each single shot that went there.

The structure of the course can be a factor of magnificence. Tough par-3s befuddle the participant in the direction of the top of every 9, whereas the fifth and tenth holes—each par-5s—supplied uncommon birdie alternatives earlier on.

All in all, the course delivered, however there may be one factor that Pinehurst No. 2 can do for when this championship returns in 2029: make the wiregrass extra considerable and extra penal. Loads of gamers had clear pictures from there all week. The U.S. Open prides itself on being golf’s most demanding check, so why not add extra of a problem to the waste space? It would solely entertain everybody else much more.

5. An ode to Johnson Wagner, Golf Channel’s greatest star

After the championship concluded, Johnson Wagner of the Golf Channel determined to re-create the shot Bryson DeChambeau hit on 18.

Thoughts you, Wagner has change into a golf celeb in current months merely due to these quick segments on dwell tv.

Since The Gamers Championship in March, Wagner, on ‘Dwell From,’ has: hummed balls into the aspect of a hill, roped a punch shot off a tree, climbed into the woods to asses a Xander Schauffele ruling, twice obtained the yips on air, after which, this week, he walked by why Tony Finau and Ludvig Åberg collapsed on the thirteenth gap.

However nothing might high what he did on Sunday.

After rocketing an try over the inexperienced, DeChambeau pulled as much as the spot the place he performed his now-famous shot and embraced Wagner. Then, DeChambeau advised Wagner to hit one other one, with the champion as a witness. He additionally supplied some perception on the best way to play the shot.

With a 50-degree wedge in hand, Wagner hit an ideal chunk and run. His ball landed on the inexperienced and rolled in the direction of the cup, simply as DeChambeau’s did in regulation.

However Wagner’s ball stopped even nearer than DeChambeau’s, which elicited a large celebration from the now-reigning U.S. Open champion and Golf Channel’s latest, and now, greatest star.

Even Scott Van Pelt of ESPN referred to Johnson as such, an honor worthy of great recognition. So bravo, Johnson, for closing out a memorable week at Pinehurst No. 2 in type.

Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying Via. You’ll want to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.