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| -6 B DeChambeau (United States); me M Wolff (United States); +2 L Oosthuizen (SA); +3 H English (US); +4 X Schauffele (United States); +5 D Johnson (United States), W Zalatoris (United States) |
| Others selected: +6 R McIlroy (NI), J Thomas (United States), T Finau (United States); +7 L Westwood (England), P Reed (United States); +8 P Casey (English); +10 J Rahm (Spa); +15 S Lowry (Ire) |
American Bryson DeChambeau put on a wonderful display in the final round to win the US Open by six shots and claim the first major title of his career.
The 27-year-old was the only player to break par on the notoriously difficult Winged Foot, winning at six under par.
Renowned for his big-hitting approach, the world number nine showed maturity and composure to sign an impressive three-under 67 from the New York field.
Matthew Wolff faded in the final nine, shooting 75 to finish second level.
South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen, who finished third with two more, and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy were the only non-Americans to make the top 10.
McIlroy, world number four, finished eighth out of six after a final 75th day that included two double bogeys, while England’s Lee Westwood was a blow further behind.
DeChambeau’s march to the title
DeChambeau, who started day two behind overnight leader Wolff, was the only player to score a round under par Sunday.
He was in firm control by the time they reached the home stretch after playing the first nine on 33 shots, two under par and then had a birdie and eight pairs on his last nine holes.
Wolff, who hoped to become the first rookie to win the championship since Francis Ouimet in 1907, dropped four shots on the shoot as the pressure mounted.
DeChambeau becomes the second player to win the men’s US Open at Winged Foot with a score below par, joining 1984 champion Fuzzy Zoeller.
“It’s just an honor, it’s been a lot of work,” he said.
“At nine, that’s when I first thought that this could be a reality. I made an eagle, I had surprised myself by doing that, and I thought ‘I can do it’.
“Then I said ‘no, you have to focus on each and every hole.’ For the last nine I kept saying ‘no, you still have three, four, five holes left’, whatever it is.
“I had to stay focused and make sure I made every shot to the best of my ability.”
‘Scientist’ DeChambeau Proves Skeptics Wrong
DeChambeau’s unique methods have divided opinion since he turned pro in 2016. Fans find them innovative, critics call them irritating.
The former physics student’s experiments have seen him dubbed ‘The Scientist’, playing with oversized grips, cutting all of his sticks to the same length, and most recently amassing over 40 pounds last year.
That helped make him the longest average driver on the PGA Tour last season and he said in preparation for the US Open that he would seek to dominate the difficult West Course at Winged Foot.
DeChambeau claims to have been fueling his muscle growth on a 3,000-3,500 calorie daily diet containing 400g of protein, and his length from the tee has helped fuel the debate over whether tournament balls should be introduced.
But despite all the tweaks, bugs and quest for power, the American showed great composure and an air of calm to execute his game plan on a magnificent final day at Mamaroneck.
The obsessive DeChambeau was on the practice field under the floodlights Saturday night after only hitting three fairways during a third round of 70, and the work paid off.
He erased his two-shot deficit with Wolff on four holes. Wolff bogeyed the third par three before DeChambeau fired his first birdie of the day in the fourth.
When Wolff, 21, dropped another shot at five, DeChambeau was the sole leader.
They then both bogeyed in the eighth to give the rest of the field a nose, only to launch a pair of eagles in the par five of the ninth to make it a two-horse race.
It soon became a DeChambeau procession.
A frustrated Wolff, who pulled off a superb 65 on Saturday to lead at five under par, went down with bogeys at 10 and 14, before a double bogey at 16 wiped out what little hope he had of victory in just his second major appearance.
“I fought hard. Things just didn’t turn out the way I wanted,” Wolff said. “But the first US Open, second place is something to be proud of.”
DeChambeau, who finished tied for fourth with Wolff in last month’s PGA Championship in America, made another birdie at 11 and proceeded to complete a bogey-free back nine.
It meant that, as he headed to the 18th tee with a six-stroke lead, there would be none of the drama that accompanied the last US Open held at Winged Foot, when Geoff Ogilvy won by a five-over-par shot after Phil. Mickelson and Colin Montgomerie double bogey last.
Instead, DeChambeau was able to look at the camera and send love to his family as he walked down the street, before rolling on an even putt and throwing his arms in the air in delight.
He becomes the third player after Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods to win an NCAA singles title, the US amateur title and a US Open.
McIlroy is hopeful in the first
McIlroy, a four-time Major champion, said he felt he had a chance if he was six shots away heading into the final day.
And that was the gap with leader Wolff when he started Sunday, but McIlroy’s hopes of winning a second US Open title and the first major in six years were quickly unraveled with a double bogey in the first.
McIlroy’s tee shot found the fairway and he was on the green in two, just for four putts from 90 feet after his first attempt failed to pass a ridge on the putt surface and rolled towards him.
The 31-year-old added two more bogeys before returning shots on the ninth and 11, but a bogey on 15 and a second double bogey on 16 saw him fizzle again.
McIlroy wasn’t the only drama in the first, as Harris English, who started the day at par, lost his ball in the rough to the left of opening fairway and had to return to the tee.
The club members had been working as spotters all week, but despite their efforts and those of the Englishman and fellow player Xander Schauffele, the ball could not be found within the three-minute time limit.
The Englishman rallied to finish fourth to three more with Schauffele, one of the pre-tournament favorites, one stroke behind.
World No. 1 Dustin Johnson, who entered the week with two wins and two second places in his last four events, loaded a 70 in the final round to climb a tie for sixth with five over par.
