Bryson DeChambeau pulls away for six-stroke win at U.S. Open

Bryson DeChambeau clinched his maiden major title after a strong final round at the U.S. Open on Sunday.

The American was the only player in the red on his final round as a three-under 67 propelled him to a dominant six-stroke victory at Winged Foot.

Making his 16th major start, DeChambeau, 27, closed out a win as the rest of the field, particularly overnight leader Matthew Wolff, struggled at the tough course in New York.

Wolff battled to a five-over 75 in the final round, but it was enough to finish outright second at even par.

DeChambeau, whose win marked his seventh on the PGA Tour, had struggled at majors since his debut in 2015, securing his first top-10 finish earlier this year at the US PGA Championship.

Much of the talk around DeChambeau earlier this year centred on his weight gain, but he has been in fine form since the season restarted in June amid the coronavirus pandemic.

His U.S. Open victory is his second win since the campaign resumed, while he has four other top-10 finishes.

Wolff’s two-stroke overnight lead disappeared quickly before he traded eagle putts with DeChambeau on the ninth.

DeChambeau holed a 39-footer and Wolff responded with a much shorter effort to be a stroke behind heading onto the back nine.

But that would be as close as Wolff would get from that point, DeChambeau pulling further ahead with a birdie at 11 after the 21-year-old bogeyed the 10th.

Whatever slim hope Wolff, bidding to become the first tournament debutant to win the U.S. Open since 1913, had disappeared with another bogey at 14 and a double at 16 as DeChambeau parred out.

A one-time winner on the PGA Tour, Wolff gave up a three-stroke lead heading into the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic in July, when DeChambeau was also victorious.

Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 Open Championship winner, finished third at two over after his 73.

Harris English (73) was a shot further back and ahead of Xander Schauffele (74), while world number one Dustin Johnson carded a 70 to finish in a tie for sixth.

After his opening-round 65 put him in a strong position, Justin Thomas (72) ended up tied for eighth at six over alongside the likes of Rory McIlroy.

McIlroy double-bogeyed the first hole and was not able to recover as he fired a 75.