PINEHURST, N.C. – As Bryson DeChambeau hit the shot of his life and polished off his second U.S. Open title Sunday night at Pinehurst No. 2, Lamar Haynes, one in all Payne Stewart’s finest pals and faculty roommates, started sobbing in entrance of a tv in Dallas.
It was on this exact same 18th inexperienced the place Stewart, in 1999, drained a 15-foot par putt to win his second U.S. Open – and final of three main championships. Months later, Stewart was one in all six individuals who perished after the aircraft they had been touring in misplaced cabin strain earlier than operating out of gas and crashing right into a South Dakota area.
Now, it was DeChambeau fist-pumping after his personal iconic Pinehurst second.
“There isn’t a doubt Payne was wanting down utilizing his magic for Bryson,” Haynes stated. “… That is the primary time I’ve had tears in 25 years.”
DeChambeau stepped on the 18th tee tied with Rory McIlroy for the lead. He then hooked a drive into the left waste space and up towards a tree root. As DeChambeau sized up his choices, McIlroy missed one other quick putt to drop a shot and provides DeChambeau full management of his future.
“At a sure cut-off date, I’m identical to, OK, I’ve to hack it,” stated DeChambeau, who superior his ball 94 yards, although right into a carry bunker and 54 yards from the opening.
That’s when DeChambeau’s caddie, Greg Bodine, advised his boss, “You’ve received this shot. I’ve seen method tougher pictures pulled off from you.”
Contemplating the circumstances, golf historical past has seen few pictures higher.
With a 55-degree wedge, DeChambeau clipped his ball completely from the sand, and it floated fantastically within the air earlier than touchdown about 20 ft in need of the opening and dance as much as inside 4 ft. (DeChambeau later stated he’d in all probability get that ball up and down “4 or 5 instances out of 100.”)
“I used to be simply attempting to land it just about the place I landed it and run it out to the fitting,” DeChambeau stated, describing the shot. “I keep in mind Payne’s putt and the way it broke up there, and I knew that was clearly big to get up-and-down to win this prestigious championship that would be the spotlight of my life.”
After rolling in his par save, DeChambeau’s feelings got here roaring out as he raised his fists within the air and delivered a couple of large fist pumps for the cheering crowd. He then gathered himself to let enjoying competitor Matthieu Pavon end off his spherical earlier than persevering with the celebration. As he regarded right into a digicam on the inexperienced, he took off his cap and pointed to a pin connected to the again of it.
“That’s Payne proper there, child!” DeChambeau shouted.
He then pointed to the sky as he walked off the inexperienced, a gesture to not solely Stewart, whom impressed DeChambeau to go to SMU and put on the Hogan cap for a few years, but additionally his father, Jon DeChambeau, who died two years in the past.
“Behind my thoughts, my dad pushing me. Payne was behind my thoughts, as effectively,” DeChambeau stated. “I wished to do it for them.”
Within the interview room a few half-hour later, DeChambeau fielded questions from reporters with the U.S. Open trophy sitting on the desk subsequent to him. Draped excessive of the trophy was a navy Hogan cap with the brand of DeChambeau’s LIV Golf group, the Crushers.
It was an aesthetic tribute – and becoming now that DeChambeau will likely be immortalized in Pinehurst lore proper alongside Stewart, his childhood idol.
“Superb,” Haynes stated, the feelings nonetheless recent. “So many children will likely be working towards 50-yard bunker pictures within the morning.”
