2024 PGA Tour: Bryson DeChambeau Pays Tribute to Idol Payne Stewart With US Open Win

The flagship event of the United States Golf Association, the US Open has long upheld a reputation for rolling out the best track in the world, and the 2024 iteration proved to be no different. Bryson DeChambeau completed the second part of that motto by playing the best golf of his career in testing conditions, emerging the 2024 champion on Sunday, June 16, at Pinehurst Resort’s Course No 2.

Here was a man who was hurting. DeChambeau finished a shot shy of Xander Schauffele at the 2024 PGA Championship in May, and when a similar possibility loomed on Sunday, he made certain to prevent a repeat, escaping mention in the record books as one who failed to convert his first 54-hole lead in a Major championship.

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Bryson DeChambeau wins 2024 US Open, pays homage to idol Payne Stewart

The odds were high; Those present on the greens of Pinehurst were playing at their best, with Rory McIlroy’s Major agenda extracting the best out of him. Above all, DeChambeau found himself pitted against the fickleness of golf, having no say over what he could not control. In the face of uncertainty, DeChambeau harnessed his prowess, presenting a rare brand of golf on the greens and navigating his way to success.

Sunday’s event was rife with chatter surrounding McIlroy’s PGA Tour and DeChambeau’s LIV Golf aspirations. DeChambeau shut out the noise and did what was required, and fate kicked in to ensure a second US Open trophy, following his prior win in 2020. While McIlroy looked every part a man who could do no wrong after the birdie burst from Holes 9-13, he nonetheless fell to pressure on a two-shot lead at that critical juncture, closing with three bogeys on his final four holes to leave DeChambeau up against himself on the final hole.

Nothing less than a par would do as DeChambeau teed off, up by a shot. All he had was some History to fall back on, and faith in his ability to deliver.

The start to the Par 4 18th was far from ideal with a tee shot that missed the fairway. Making par from that spot in the deep rough looked improbable, while the risk of injury was very probable given the ball’s lie; however, DeChambeau put his faith and the occasion to excellent use. The 124th US Open marked the 25th anniversary of the late Payne Stewart’s win, and his influence on DeChambeau over the years played out in the way he fought back, much like his idol did in 1999.

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The four-foot clutch putt at the end was testament enough to DeChambeau’s fighting spirit. Adding insight to his internal rollercoaster of emotions were his reactions following his one-shot win at 6-under 274 (67, 69, 67, 71). It was only appropriate that the 2024 winner was decided on the 72nd hole, and Stewart’s ardent fan holed the final putt on the hole with the commemorative Sunday flag that captured the icon’s winning moment in 1999.

“I wanted to do it for them… especially at such a special place that means so much to me, my dad, what Payne meant to him,” said DeChambeau. In between breaks to check his tears, he added, “It was heartbreak for me at the PGA (Championship). I really wanted this one. When I turned the corner and saw I was a couple back, I said, ‘nope, I’m not going to let that happen. I have to focus on figuring out how to make this happen’.”

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Point driven home

Despite finding success on LIV Golf in an individual capacity and as captain of Crushers GC, the absence of Official World Ranking Points on that league has hurt players like DeChambeau. However, the Sunday show served as another reminder that he and a lot of others on LIV remain as competitive as their PGA Tour counterparts.

In making the most of their opportunities at the Majors, LIV players competed hard. To that end, the 2024’s third Major championship eagerly welcomed its first LIV winner, who now joins Brooks Koepka as the PGA Championship holder of last year.

Honoring Payne and Dad

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The faith and determination to get the job done was in place, but the probability of another twist kept playing on DeChambeau’s mind. After consecutive bogeys on Holes 15 and 16, McIlroy restored sanity with par on the next, and a similar result from him on the 18th would have thrown it open.

The moans from the crowd after McIlroy’s tee shot on the 18th acted like a shot of adrenaline for DeChambeau. Caddy Greg urged him before the bunker shot on 18th, reaffirming his ability to win with the words, “I’ve seen way harder shots pulled off from you.” In response, DeChambeau invoked the ‘can do’ spirit with some throwbacks.

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“Every time I was over the ball, I told myself, ‘Just focus, you’ve done this before. You can do it again’. In the back of my mind, my dad pushing me. Payne was in the back of my mind, as well,” said the champion.

The season’s final Major, The Open Championship, now awaits. But, irrespective of the outcome at Royal Troon in a month’s time, DeChambeau can be immensely proud of his Major showing in 2024, which now reads T6 at the Masters, 2nd at the PGA Championship, and includes the trophy from Sunday’s event.

Major agony extended

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By becoming only the fourth player since 1920 to post six consecutive top-10s at the US Open, McIlroy joined the leagues of Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones, and Jack Nicklaus, all of whom are legends in the realm of golf. But perhaps it counts for nothing for the man who has been on the hunt of one more Major trophy since his triumph at the 2014 PGA Championship.

Like DeChambeau, McIlroy was coping with the disappointment of finishing second best at last year’s US Open and would have also steeled himself to set the error straight in 2024.

Starting Sunday three shots adrift of DeChambeau, McIlroy looked set for course correction with the mid-round birdie blitz and two-shot lead. However, close misses towards the end snuffed out the lights on his challenge.

Distraught, McIlroy chose not to take questions, but DeChambeau predicted the pain would only steel the Northern Irishman. “For him to miss that putt, I’d never wish it on anybody. It just happened to play out that way. He’ll win multiple more Major championships. There’s no doubt. I think that fire in him is going to continue to grow. I have nothing but respect for how he plays the game of golf,” said DeChambeau.

Rare glitch for World No. 1

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Scottie Scheffler could have become the second after Tiger Woods to enter a US Open week as World No. 1 and win. Sadly, Scheffler, who is also the current FedExCup leader, was way off the mark.

For the first time in a 72-hole event, Scheffler went over-par on all four days, 8-over 288 (71, 74, 71, 72). For Scheffler, whose five wins this season include a high at the Masters, Sunday’s T41 is the worst finish he has had on the PGA Tour since his T45 finish at the October 2022 CJ Cup in South Carolina.

Struggles on the greens caught out Scheffler, but the same struggles were taken up as a challenge for the Tour’s future return to Pinehurst’s No. 2. “I felt like I hit a lot of really good putts that did weird things at the cup that I was not expecting them to do. When we come back here in a few years, I’ll probably try to do a lot more work getting things going on the greens,” said Scheffler.

Sunday’s showing has left Scheffler understandably tired, but wiser on the prep going into a Major week. Next up on the roster of events to be conquered is The Travelers Championship, the season’s last Signature event; however, after the bruising outing, Scheffler will take a call on how he feels in the next 24 hours.

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Dream run continues

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The past 10 months have defined Neal Shipley as a player made for the big stage.

His loss to PGA Tour winner Nick Dunlap at the 2023 US Amateur final placed a spotlight on him, and the focus has remained on him since then.

After Viktor Hovland in 2019, Shipley became the second player in 25 years to win the best amateur award at the same year’s Masters and the 2024 US Open. Set to turn professional in Canada at the PGA Tour Americas this week, Shipley was obviously ecstatic to end his amateur career in this manner.

“It’s been something that maybe three, four years ago I didn’t think was possible, and to accomplish all this has just been phenomenal. (It’s) just the stuff of dreams really, as an amateur to do everything I’ve done. I think I’ve checked all the boxes now,” he said.

Stepping into the professional ranks, Shipley would have been right to prioritise another strong showing to cash in his first cheque. However, no amount of money can overshadow the experience gained at Pinehurts. “I would never trade the experience I got,” he said.

(Main and featured image: Bryson DeChambeau/Instagram)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

– Who won the 2024 US Open?

After 2020, Bryson DeChambeau won his second US Open in 2024 with a one-shot win over Rory McIlroy at the Pinehurst Resort’s No 2 Course.

– What was Bryson DeChambeau’s winning score?

Bryson DeChambeau finished with a final score of 6-under 274 (67, 69, 67, 71).

– How much prize money did Bryson DeChambeau win?

Of the total corpus of USD 21.5 million, DeChambeau’s winner’s cheque is worth USD 4.3 million.

– How many LIV golfers have won a Major?

Since its formation in 2022, LIV Golf’s Brooks Koepka won the 2023 PGA Championship, followed by Bryson DeChambeau’s triumph at the 2024 US Open.