After 72 holes and 4 days of competition, everything came down to the final hole. The American Bryson DeChambeau won for the second time, Sunday June 16, the US Golf Open in Pinehurst (North Carolina) after another cruel final for the Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy.
Excellent for fourteen holes, McIlroy, who has not won a major tournament in ten years, took control before committing three bogeys on the last four holes of the day, including one on the 18th, missing a putt by barely more than a meter that could have sent him into the playoffs against DeChambeau. The four-time major winner (PGA in 2012 and 2014, US Open in 2011, British Open in 2014) had already missed a putt by some 76 cm on hole number 16.
Placed in the next part, DeChambeau conversely got out of two difficult situations on this final hole, to finally secure par and a success with a one-shot lead over McIlroy. ” It’s incredible “commented the American who pocketed a bonus of 4.3 million dollars (around 4 million euros), will move from 38e at 10e place in the world rankings, and is guaranteed to compete in the majors for five years.
“Being able to fight against such a great player is magnificent. Missing this kind of putt, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone”said DeChambeau. “I wasn’t great today but I came out of bad situations well”he added.
The 30-year-old golfer, already winner of the tournament in 2020, thus offered himself a second major title. Member of the LIV circuit financed by Saudi Arabia, he shines this season in major tournaments, the only ones where dissidents are accepted, with a sixth place at the Masters in April then second place in the PGA Championship behind Xander Schauffele in May.
“An incredible day” for Matthieu Pavon
Americans Tony Finau and Patrick Cantlay shared third place, two shots behind their compatriot. For his part, Frenchman Matthieu Pavon, among a trio of runners-up on Saturday, played his last round with DeChambeau, falling a little in the standings to still offer himself a good fifth place by three strokes, his best result during a major tournament, after his twelfth place at the prestigious Masters in April.
“It was an incredible day to spend with Bryson, the champion. A great experience, I enjoyed every moment on the course”, declared the Frenchman. The son of the former Bordeaux footballer, Michel Pavon, joins at 31 years old in the continuity of an excellent season, his first on the North American professional circuit (PGA), where he has already experienced victory at Torrey Pines in January, a historic result for French golf.
“In a season, you have ups and downs, and my downs have been significant these last three weeks. I missed some cuts. I tried to do simple things, to regain energy, I felt tired,” he admitted.
Two tricolors had already had a better ranking at the US Open, Louis Tellier more than 100 years ago (4e in 1913 and 1915) and Grégory Havret (2e in 2010). Dropped in the first rounds, American world number one Scottie Scheffler only took 41e tournament place fourteen strokes from the winner.