Bryson DeChambeau Wins US Open After Dramatic Late Collapse From Rory McIlroy

Hello and welcome to the final day of the 2024 US Open!

We have an excellent leaderboard and a whole host of big name contenders. Will it be Bryson? Can McIlroy end his 10-year drought? Or could Cantlay, Aberg or Pavon seal a maiden Major title? Then there's Hideki lurking and other big names just about in touching distance if they can go low.

What a day in store we have.

TODAY, WE CROWN A CHAMPION

Welcome to the final day of the US Open Championship.

In a few short hours, we know the winner of the 124th playing of this great championship.

Will it be Bryson DeChambeau? Or can one of the chasing pack hunt him down? 

DAY FOUR PIN POSITIONS 

Here are the all important pin positions on the final day of the US Open. 

REMEMBERING PAYNE STEWART

It wouldn't be a US Open Sunday at Pinehurst without remembering the late, great Payne Stewart.

His victory at this very course in 1999 is considered by many as one of the greatest major championships in modern history.

The flag on the 18th hole will pay homage to Stewart and his famous celebration on that very green 25 years ago.

MCILROY ARRIVES AT PINEHURST

In his signature gym attire and Nike polo shirt in hand, Rory McIlory has arrived at Pinehurst.

He's in the second to last group today alongside Patrick Cantlay.

Who can forget the run-in Rory had with Cantlay's caddy, Joe Lacava, at the Ryder Cup back in September?

INDIFFERENT START FROM SCHEFFLER

It hasn't been his week and it doesn't look like it's getting any better.

Masters champion Scottie Scheffler hasn't got off to the fast start he had hoped in round 4, sitting +1 through the first four holes.

He sits in a tie for 45th place at +7.

SI WOO KIM STINGER!

There's not a lot happening on the course at the moment, but Si Woo Kim has turned some heads with this stinger drive on the 3rd hole.

Did he mean it? We'll let you be the judge.

RECORD PRIZE FUND ON OFFER TODAY

In addition to a major trophy and a permanent place in the history of this famous championship, today's champion will take home a serious payday. 

The winner will take home a cool $4.3 million, part of the $21.5 million prize fund on offer today.

SCHEFFLER STILL AWAITS FIRST BIRDIE OF THE DAY

After missing the 7th green long, Scheffler scrambles with the putter to secure his par.

He remains +1 through seven holes after a bogey on the 2nd hole - still waiting for his first birdie.

PINEHURST NO.2 GETTING HARDER AS THE DAY GOES ON

As it stands, there are only six players under par for the day on day four of the US Open.

That is not good news for the chasing pack as they aim to hunt down Bryson DeChambeau, but will it be good news for Bryson himself?

As we saw with his double bogey on the 16th last night, it's very easy to go backwards on this tricky layout...

AMATEUR BATTLE ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE

How about this?

In the race for the low amateur, there are two main contenders - US Amateur runner up Neil Shipley and qualifier Luke Clanton.

They both sit at +4 and amazingly, they both play together this afternoon in a straight shootout for the low amateur medal.

DEFENDING CHAMP BIRDIES THE 5TH

Wyndham Clark rolls in a 15ft birdie putt on the 5th hole to card his first birdie of the day. 

He moves to -1 for the day, +4 for the Championship in a tie for 31st.

FORMER CHAMPION AT PINEHURST MARTIN KAYMER FINISHES HIS TOURNAMENT

It's a closing round 73 for the 2014 US Open champions at Pinehurst No.2, Martin Kaymer.

He cards four birdies on his final day after a stellar week that was undone by a 77 on day three. Nevertheless, a nice week for the German to make the cut at the venue of his dominant win ten years ago.

SHIPLEY BIRDIES OPENING HOLE IN THE BATTLE OF THE AMATEURS 

The flat stick has been Neal Shipley's best friend this week, and it's working for him on the opening hole.

He rakes in a long birdie putt to move to +3 and land the first blow against Luke Clanton as they battle for low amateur honors. 

CAM SMITH, SHANE LOWRY MAKE HOT STARTS

It's been a perfect start for 2022 Open champion Cam Smith, who birdied both the 3rd and 5th holes to move to -2 for the day through seven and move into T20 and +3. 

Shane Lowry too finds himself at +3 after three birdies in the opening four holes. He's -2 through six.

LOVELY START FOR THOMAS DETRY

The Belgian followed up opening rounds of 69 and 67 with a disappointing Saturday round of 76 to fall out of contention.

He's bounced back after torrid 3rd round by birdieing his opening hole of his 4th round. 

He sits at T12, +1 for the week.

ICYMI: PINEHURST HONORS THE LATE PAYNE STEWART

For those that may have missed it earlier, Pinehurst and the USGA are honoring the late Payne Stewart today on No.2.

The flag on the 18th hole has a reference to Stewart's famous celebration on that very green, 25 years ago, as the American rolled in a 15ft putt to win the 1999 US Open.

Today's pin position is also the exact same as it was back in '99.

NEAR ACE FOR GRILLO!

Emiliano Grillo *almost* makes the third ace of the week on the 9th hole.

His ball dances past the cup and runs to around 10 ft, but Grillo would unfortunately miss his birdie putt...

Golf is hard.

LOWRY PAYS TRIBUTE TO HIS DAD ON FATHERS DAY

Shane posts a wholesome photo with his dad, Brendan, on Fathers Day.

Lowry remains +3 and T20 for the tournament, after playing the opening seven holes in -2. 

USGA MOVE FORWARD TEE ON 13 TO MAKE IT A DRIVABLE PAR 4

They did it yesterday on the 3rd hole.

Today, they've done it on the 13th.

Expect some back nine drama as the USGA move forward the tee on the par 4, now 316 yard 13th hole.

FLEETWOOD MOVES INTO THE TOP 20

A lot of people were tipping Tommy Fleetwood as an outside pick to win this week.

He's not going to win his first major at Pinehurst, but he has posted a stellar -2 front nine to move to +3 - currently good enough for T20.

AARON RAI BEGINS HIS FINAL ROUND

Aaron Rai, in his signature double black golf gloves, tees off the first and safely finds the fairway.

He sits T12 at +1 in just his second US Open appearance - he missed the cut in his debut in 2017.

BERGER DRIVES 13 GREEN, MAKES EAGLE

Daniel Berger, who has had rotten luck with injuries in the last few years, is showing the leaders how to do it on the 13th.

Berger drives the green before rolling his 10ft eagle putt into the heart of the cup.

Those at the top of leaderboard would pay a pretty penny for a 2 on 13 later on this evening. 

MORIKAWA UNDERWAY

Collin Morikawa shot a sensational 66 yesterday to move into the top 10 on the leaderboard.

His round is off to the perfect start as his drive finds the safety of the first fairway.

He's playing alongside Canadian Corey Conners.

SCHAUFFELE HOLES OUT FROM THE BUNKER ON 3!

No need for the putter on the 3rd hole for Xander Schauffele as he plays a beautiful shot from the sand that finds the bottom of the hole. 

The birdie gets him back to level par for the day after he bogeyed the opening hole, while he sits at T13 (+1) for the tournament.

TOM KIM BIRDIES THE FIRST, MOVES UNDER PAR 

Kim makes the perfect start with a 3 at the first. He moves into the red at -1 and becomes the 9th player to currently sit under par for the tournament. 

SCHEFFLER AND KOEPKA NEAR THE END OF DISAPPOINTING WEEKS

Both Scottie Scheffler (+7) and Brooks Koepka (+6) have three holes remaining for their 2024 US Open campaigns but it has been a week to forget for both. 

Scheffler's putter has gone cold once again as he waits for his first birdie of the day. 

Same plot, different ending?

A past US Open winner goes in to the final round of the US Open at Pinehurst with a three-shot lead. This is the scenario this time. It was also the case in 2005. Then it was Retief Goosen who held the lead, on -3. Joint second were Olin Browne and Jason Gore.

All three had nightmares on the final day. Goosen double bogeyed the 2nd hole, and bogeyed the 3rd, 5th and 6th. He ended up shooting 81 and dropping to T11. Olin Browne made seven bogeys in his first 10 holes en route to a 80 and T23. Jason Gore made double bogey on 3 and 9 and triple bogey on 13. He shot 84, and fell 47 places on the leaderboard on the final day.

Michael Campbell, who has started the day tied on +1, in 4th came through to win by two shots from Tiger Woods. Both players shot 69.

The battle for Low Amateur

No need for Neal Shipley and Luke Clanton to be glancing at scoreboards to see how they are doing in relation to the other as, by happenstance, they are playing together. They started level with one another, on +4, and have completed the front nine, and both have done so in 37 shots. 

Shipley won the Low Amateur at The Masters. The most recent players to win Low Amateur at The Masters and the US Open in the same year is Viktor Hovland, in 2019. The others to do so are Matt Kuchar (1998), Phil Mickelson (1991), Sam Randolph (1986), Jack Nicklaus (1960), Ken Venturi (1956), Harvie Ward (1955) and Billy Joe Patton (1954).

Final pairing have teed off

Both find the fairway, but DeChambeau's ball has settled into a divot.

Birdie for Rory on 1st

His approach is pin high on the green, but about 20ft away. He drains the putt. Cantlay makes par here.

Scheffler has finished his US Open

A few days ago most people would have been expecting him to be teeing off about the time, not finishing this round. he has carded a 72, without a birdie. Having not had a birdie-less round in a Major in his pro days up until three days ago, two of his last three rounds have now not featured a birdie. 

DeChambeau makes par but Pavlon bogeys 1st hole

The Frenchman three putts the first green.

Hatton and Aberg make poor starts

Aberg made a triple bogey on the par-4 2nd, having gone out of bounds with his second shot, but bounces back with a birdie on 3. Hatton has been over par on each of the first three holes - bogeys on 1 and 3 and a double bogey on 2.

Pick one from four?

Each of the last 25 US Open winners was within four shots of the lead at the close of the third round. This has also been the case for all of the past 42 men’s Major winners, bar Justin Thomas, who made up seven shots at the PGA Championship in 2022. So, here’s a reminder of how the leaderboard looked at the end of round 3:

-7 Bryson DeChambeau
-4 Matthieu Pavon, Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay
-2 Hideki Matsuyama and Ludvig Aberg

When college football halted Pinehurst’s Ryder Cup

The Ryder Cup may be one of the biggest events in sport these days, but it was not always thus. The ninth Ryder cup match, which was in 1951, was played at Pinehurst No, 2. The match was suspended for a day as there was a college football match being held 70 miles away. “They said: ‘In North Carolina when Carolina plays Tennessee in a football game on Saturday, nobody watches golf,’” one of the US team, Skip Alexander explained years later. “So we took the day off and we all went to the football game.”

Well not everyone. American captain Sam Snead went off to play an exhibition match instead. But this is why the Ryder Cup, at that stage a two-day affair, was played on the Friday and the Sunday in 1951 rather than on consecutive days.

Only six journalists had travelled from Britain to cover the Ryder Cup, and only 30 journalists overall attended the Ryder Cup. Some of them also went to the football game. One of those who did, and who had come from London was not impressed. “They tried to tell me that this was a tough-guy game, a piece of legalized mayhem that made bullfighting look sissy. No sir. Any professional rugby club in England could eliminate the heavily armoured characters who amble in and out of this game,” reckoned Desmond Hackett of the Daily Express.

The USA won three of the four 36-hole foursomes match held on the Friday, to go in to the rest day leading 3-1. When play resumed on the Sunday, about 6,000 people came to spectate. The USA won the singles 61⁄2 to 11⁄2.

Little movement overall

Of the top six on the leaderboard currently, Rory McIlroy is -1 and Patrick Cantlay +1 thru 4. Everyone else there is level par today. But among those in T7 is Ludvig Aberg (+2) and Davis Thompson (-2, thru 9).

Wyndham Clark finishes his final round

It's a bit different the atmosphere to this time last year surrounding his final putt. He shot 77. The defending champion is +12 having gone 73-71-71-77.

DeChambeau lead cut to one

He makes bogey on 4 when his 16ft par putt slips by. But McIlroy is in trouble up ahead, his ball having landed on the 5th green about 20ft from pin to cheers and then rolled off and away to another postcode, a sandy postcode. Cantlay has suffered a similar fate. 

DeChambeau's lead returns to two

Rory can only  make bogey from where he was. His par putt could hardly have gone nearer the hole without actually going in, however.

Low Amateurs remain in lockstep

Luke Clanton and Neal Shipley both birdied 13, both bogeyed 15, both are on +6. 

Is the 5th hole borderline unfair?

Does Aberg practise this shot?

See you again soon

They like to plan well ahead, the USGA, as to where they are taking the US Open. The R&A list of future venues for The Open Championship goes up to 2026, but the USGA have already decided the venues for every US Open up until 2051. They are coming back to Pinehurst in five years’ time, and again in 2035, 2041 and 2047. Pebble Beach also has four slots (2027, 2034, 2037, 2044) as does Oakmont (2025, 2033, 2042, 2049).

In 2029 Pinehurst will be the venue for both the men’s and women’s US Opens.

Shipley one shot up on Clanton going down the final fairway

Neal Shipley had birdied 16, bogeyed 17. Luke Clanton bogeyed 16, and then made par on 17. 

McIlroy hanging in there

He has been missing greens but making pars. Only one Green In Regulation in his last five attempts.

Almost a third hole in one this US Open

Neal Shipley is Low amateur

He closes out with a par. Luke Clanton could have equalled his score as he had a 5ft 3in birdie putt. But he three putted from there. Ouch.

Rory within one shot of lead

He hits his tee shot on the par-3 9th to 15ft and holes the putt. He is out in 34.

A quarter of a century ago

The first US Open to be held at Pinehurst No 2 was in 1999. Payne Stewart needed to hole a 15ft putt on the 72nd hole to win. Miss and the US Open would go into an extra day and an 18-hole playoff between him and Phil Mickelson. Stewart had been having troubles with his putting on the Saturday of the tournament. That evening his wife, who had been watching on television, told him that he was moving his head too much, and that he needed to keep his head down longer.

Stewart holed that putt and his subsequent celebration has been used for a bronze statue which normally stands behind that green. However its usual location meant it would be covered by grandstands for this tournament so it has been moved to the entrance of the course for the duration of the US Open.

Clubhouse leader is on level par

It's Sam Burns. He has gone round in 67 today with no dropped shots despite only making eight Greens In Regulation. He is T8.

DeChambeau into back nine with a one shot lead

He has not been driving well - 57% of fairways found so far as opposed to an average of 70% for the field. But he has been getting the job done. So far.

Joint leaders now!

Rory makes rolls in a 27ft birdie putt on 10 to huge cheers. He is to -6 and now level with DeChambeau. Rory has never come from behind after the third round to win a Major - all his four titles were achieved after leading after 54 holes. Can he do so now?

How hard is the closing stretch?

How hard have the final three holes been playing relative to par this week, and where do they rank in difficulty?

Par-4 16th: 0.28 over par, ranked 5th
Par-3 17th: 0.19 over par, ranked 7th
Par-4 18th 0.08 over par, ranked 14th

The hardest hole this week has been the par-4 2nd, and the easiest the par-5 5th.

DeChambeau reclaims outright lead

He birdies the 10th hole, too. He then goes and signs the cap of a chap in a wheelchair.

Fancy watching in person next year?

The 2025 US Open takes place June 12-15 at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania. This is a record 10th time the club will have hosted the US Open, and the first since 2016, when Dustin Johnson was the victor. My colleague Mike Hall has details of the ticket arrangements for the 2025 US Open.

Can I play in the US Open? It looks fun

Well if you have a Handicap Index not exceeding 0.4 then you can apply to play in the US Open. This year 10,052 golfers did exactly that.

Qualifying for the US Open consists of two stages, Local and Final (the second stage used to be known as Sectional). Local qualifying this year was played over 18 holes at 109 courses across 44 states of the United States. Those who advance out of Local Qualifying then compete in Final Qualifying, where they are joined by those players who were exempt from Local Qualifying. Some players are exempt from Final Qualifying as they have qualified through other means such as world ranking, winning certain events, performances on the main tours.

Final Qualifying is staged at 13 sites, 10 in the US, and one each in Canada, Japan and England. Players compete in one-day, 36-hole event. Just under half the field in this US Open has come through Final Qualifying.

The last winner of the US Open who had qualified through Final Qualifying was Lucas Glover in 2009. Michael Campbell (2005), Steve Jones (1996), Jerry Pate (1976), Julian Boros (1963) and Gene Littler (1961) have also won after gaining their place through Final Qualifying. The only US Open winners to have started out in Local Qualifying are Orville Moody, in 1969, and Ken Venturi in 1964.

BRYSON CONTINUES TO SCRAMBLE FOR HIS LIFE

More incredible scrambling from Bryson on the 11th with a sand save to secure a par which keeps him one shot ahead of McIlroy. He celebrated with a fist pump like he did on the 8th when he escaped from the trees.

McILROY HOLES ANOTHER BIG BIRDIE PUTT

McIlroy, who holed a big putt on the first, is on fire on the greens today and has just drained a birdie putt from 22 feet to move to -7 level with Bryson. What a thrilling final round.

BRYSON MISSES LATEST FAIRWAY ON THE 12TH

DeChambeau's driving has not been at his usual standards. The American changed his driver head before the final round and he doesn't seem dialled in. He has scrambled unbelievably well but he keeps putting himself in trouble in the native areas like has done missing right on the 12th. Sooner or later this is going to cost him.

HUGE POTENTIAL TURNING POINT 

DeChambeau has dropped a shot on the par 4 12th after going right off the tee while McIlroy in the group ahead on the 13th has a six foot birdie putt which he makes for back to back birdies as he goes -3 in his final round and -8 in total.

INCREDIBLE RESPONSE FROM BRYSON WHO DRIVES THE 13TH

How will DeChambeau react to losing the lead? Well he has come out firing by driving the par 4 13th with a 325-yard effort to give himself an eagle putt from 28 feet which comes up short for a tap-in birdie 3. Rory meanwhile, up ahead at the par 4 14th, has pulled his drive left and is 200 yards from the hole, albeit on trampled down spectator area. Rory then hits up to pin high just to the left of the green.

DECHAMBEAU CONTINUES TO LIVE DANGEROUSLY IN THE NATIVE AREA

Bryson made a birdie at 13th but has missed the 14th fairway where McIlroy in the group ahead looks likely to make a par after chipping up close before holing out. 

TROUBLE FOR LEADER McILROY AT THE PAR 3 15TH

McIlroy will have to do incredibly well to avoid dropping a shot at the par 3 15th where he has gone through the green at the 205-yard hole and has a nightmare chip from the rough at the back. While Bryson in the group behind is on the 14th in regulation and is 62 feet away before putting up close and holing out. McIlroy has chipped on to the 15th green but has a tough downhill putt to save par which he misses as he makes bogey.

DECHAMBEAU FINDS THE 15TH GREEN AND HAS A BIRDIE PUTT

While McIlroy dropped a shot on the 15th, DeChambeau following behind in the final group, has put an iron on to the par 3 and is 25 feet away. His birdie effort misses and so does his par attempt from four feet. McIlroy has responded with a 349-yard drive into the heart of the 16th fairway.

McILROY AND DECHAMBEAU BOTH ON THE 16TH

Rory has boomed a driver 349 yards on the 16th and makes an approach to the heart of the green from 184 yards but he then three putts! Ouch. Bryson has hit his tee shot 361 yards on a tiger line and needs a birdie to become the leader again. It is a much-welcome fairway found for Bryson.

ADVANTAGE BRYSON WHO FINDS 16TH GREEN

This is getting really tense now after both leading players missed short putts and are locked together at -6. McIlroy is in the sand on the par 3 17th by while Bryson has a birdie putt on the 16th from 22 feet.

BRYSON SINKS TO HIS KNEES AS BIRDIE EFFORT SLIDES BY ON 16

Great effort from Bryson on the 16th as his birdie effort from 22 feet grazes the hole as the American sunk to his knees. He and Rory are still locked together at the top after McIlroy splashed out of the sand at 17 to four feet and holed out.

BRYSON WILL HAVE ANOTHER BIRDIE OPPORTUNITY ON 17TH

Fantastic tee shot from DeChambeau on the 17th to 17 feet from 215 yards which will give him another birdie look. While up ahead Rory has hit driver into the native area and has 123 yards left at the 18th. If Bryson makes his putt, Rory is going to need a birdie to force a play-off and hope DeChambeau doesn't birdie the 18th himself. Thrilling stuff!

DECHAMBEAU HAS TO SETTLE FOR PAR ON 17TH AS HEADS TO LAST

DeChambeau gets a little tentative over his birdie putt on the 16th which comes up short. He is still in the ascendancy though as McIlroy has failed to reach the green with his approach from the rough. They remain level at -6 but if McIlroy fails to get up and down then DeChambeau will win it with a par at the last

CLUTCH CHIP FROM McILROY AT THE LAST 

McIlroy has set up a likely par at the last with a superb chip to four feet but has missed it to bogey three of the last four holes. He will be devastated and now Bryson can win it with a par. This is going to haunt Rory. 

DECHAMBEAU NEEDS A PAR AT THE LAST TO WIN

This is not over yet, DeChambeau, who drove into the rough, has hacked out into the front bunker. His bunker play has been exceptional this week and this is no different as he splashes out from 54 feet to leave himself four feet for the title.

DECHAMBEAU HAS A FOUR-FOOT PAR PUTT FOR THE TITLE

After his outstanding bunker shot, and Rory's earlier horror miss, DeChambeau now has a four-foot par putt for a -6 total and the win.

DECHAMBEAU WINS IT AT THE LAST

DeChambeau is US Open champion for the second time with a par at the last for a +1 final round and a -6 total, one shot ahead of McIlroy.

BRYSON'S EXTRAVAGANT CELEBRATIONS WILL LIVE LONG IN THE MEMORY TOO

DeChambeau has been going wild and is parading the trophy around for dozens of fans to touch.