Dramatic victory on the greens: McIlroy stumbles yet triumphs at US Open
Rory McIlroy faltered on the final holes of the US Open, a prestigious golf tournament, handing over a substantial lead to Bryson DeChambeau, who seized the opportunity and secured the victory with a stroke of genius.
DeChambeau, after bagging his second US Open win, joyfully cradled the trophy, reminiscing about his late father. He dedicated his triumph to his dad on Father's Day, saying, "Salutations to every father out there. My dad passed away a couple of years ago, this one's for him." The 30-year-old golf champion lost McIlroy's lead due to two faltered shots on the last five holes. Since 2014, McIlroy has been on the hunt for his fifth Major championship.
DeChambeau's victory wasn't flawless, but he cleverly countered his mistakes with extraordinary shots. At hole 18, he miraculously cleared a tree root from a patch of tall grass tufts near the bleachers with the ball and then found himself in a sand trap. However, he flawlessly executed his escape from the bunker, roughly 50 meters away, and brought the ball almost effortlessly to the hole. "That's got to be the best shot I've ever made. That was massive. Winning this tournament is the pinnacle of my life," DeChambeau expressed, who primarily earns from the Saudi-Arabia backed and controversial LIV Tour.
"That touched my heart"
At his initial and sole win in 2020, no spectators were present due to the Corona pandemic. This time, DeChambeau sought audience engagement, urging applause on multiple occasions, and drawing thunderous cheers from the difficult Par-70 course Pinehurst No.2's spectators. "I owe you all an immense amount of gratitude for your support. That meant everything to me," he expressed during the post-win interview. DeChambeau closed the tournament with a 71.
By the time DeChambeau basked in his victory, McIlroy had already vacated the spotlight. He hadn't missed any putts throughout the tournament but faltered twice from close range on the final holes. He still held a two-stroke lead at the 14th hole, and by the 16th, he was still in the lead by one stroke, missing the hole from less than a meter. Despite several minor errors from DeChambeau, McIlroy maintained hope until the very end. On the final hole, he hit the shot himself into the rough, but managed to escape the tricky situation and missed from approximately 80 centimeters away.
Stephan Jaeger ended the tournament with a 72. He finished tied for 21st place. Martin Kaymer experienced a slightly better fourth day than the previous one: A day after his 77, he finished with a 73. With 13 strokes over par, he ended up sharing the 64th place. Kaymer won the US Open ten years ago, making him the sole German champion to date and securing the second and last Major title of his career. In 2022, he joined DeChambeau on the LIV Tour.
