SUB 60 HEADLINES

Bryson Dechambeau won his second U.S. Open in a thrilling finish at Pinehurst No. 2, edging out Rory McIlroy by a single stroke. DeChambeau's dramatic par save on the 72nd hole secured his victory, placing him alongside golfing legends like Walter Hagen and Lee Trevino with two U.S. Open titles.

Throughout the week, Dechambeau drew inspiration from his idol, Payne Stewart, who had also won the U.S. Open before tragically passing in a plane accident. The win not only moves Dechambeau to #10 on the OWGR but also solidifies his status as one of the top active players, following a strong major season with a runner-up finish at the PGA Championship and a T6 at the Masters.

DeChambeau entered the final round with a three-shot lead but faced challenges, including switching to a new driver head after damaging his old one during warmup. Despite only hitting 4 of 15 fairways on Sunday, he held off a surging McIlroy, who took the lead with a series of birdies around the turn. McIlroy moved to 8 under after a birdie on the 13th hole but faltered with bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes, allowing DeChambeau to catch up.

The pivotal moment came on the 18th hole, where DeChambeau's tee shot landed near a tree root which led to his 2nd shot ending up in a bunker 55 yards from the hole. DeChambeau hit the “bunker shot of [his] life” to just 4 feet from the hole. The victory was then secured with a clutch par putt.

DeChambeau's victory was fueled by the Pinehurst crowd, who supported him all weekend. He thanked the fans, crediting them for their role in his success, and went on to say, “I want you guys to touch this trophy because…You were a part of this journey this week and I want you to be a part of it for the after-party”.

Dechambeau was true to his word and made it happen as he paraded the trophy around the 18th fairway, sharing the moment with the spectators who cheered him on.

RORY’S “PUTTHETIC” U.S. OPEN FINISH

Almost as dramatic as Bryson’s win, was Rory’s collapse. Rory McIlroy endured another excruciating near-miss at a U.S. Open, finishing just one stroke behind Bryson DeChambeau. McIlroy, a four-time major winner, saw his hopes dashed after missing two critical putts inside 4 feet during the final three holes.

Despite leading by two strokes mid-round after a brilliant stretch of four birdies in five holes, McIlroy's performance unraveled with bogeys on three of his last four holes, leading to his second consecutive runner-up finish at the U.S. Open.

This defeat adds to a growing list of near victories for McIlroy, who has recorded six straight top-10 finishes at the U.S. Open and 11 top-five finishes in majors since his last major win in 2014. Despite his consistency as one of the world’s best, McIlroy's quest for another major title remains elusive.

His resilience and positive attitude have been commendable, but the ongoing drought and repeated narrow losses raise questions about how many more such heartbreaks he can endure before capturing that elusive fifth major.

SOCIAL OF THE WEEK  

Too hard to pick just one during a Major week, so here’s the best of X from the U.S. Open.

WINNERS FROM LAST WEEK: CORE FOUR

OFFICIAL WORLD GOLF RANKINGS: TOP 60

ABOUT US