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'Are you kidding': Bryson DeChambeau's insane moment in US Open triumph

Pictured here, 2020 US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau.
Bryson DeChambeau's huge eagle putt at the ninth set him up for the maiden major title. Pic: Getty/PGA Tour

American Bryson DeChambeau has captured his first major golf title after firing a three-under par 67 to win the 120th US Open and humble a relentless Winged Foot layout.

The 27-year-old, known for his scientific approach to golf and a bulked-up driving dominance, hit only 23 fairways for the week but finished 72 holes on six-under par 274 thanks to Sunday's only sub-par round at the formidable Mamaroneck, New York, layout.

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DeChambeau came into the final round two strokes behind over overnight leader Matthew Wolff but his 21-year-old countryman simply couldn't match the firepower of his compatriot.

The victory saw DeChambeau become the first player since 1955 to win with the only sub-par score in the final round, and just the fourth ever to do it, completing a dominating performance.

The American's superb performance was summed up beautifully by an extraordinary eagle at the par-five ninth hole.

Such is the power that DeChambeau wields in his driving game, the 27-year-old was able to hit the green with a wedge on his second shot to set up a difficult eagle opportunity.

DeChambeau was just inside forty feet from the cup, but drained the monster putt to set up what would eventfully be a six-stroke victory over Wolff, whop incredibly also eagled the same hole.

Typical deep US Open rough could not stop DeChambeau, whose exercise and protein shakes delivered powerful drives while his calculations and precise readings produced solid shotmaking on a layout that crushed rivals.

South African Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open winner, was a distant third on 282, one stroke ahead of American Harris English after both fired 73 Sunday.

American Xander Schauffele, still seeking his first major title, shot 74 and settled for fifth on 284, his fourth top-6 finish in four US Open starts.

Stunning final round sees DeChambeau claim major

Wolff led last-duo partner DeChambeau by two strokes when the day began but failed to become the youngest US Open winner since Bobby Jones in 1923 and youngest major winner since Tiger Woods at the 1997 Masters.

DeChambeau, who spent a three-month coronavirus pandemic layoff building his physique, uses same-length clubs and a chart book for judging putts, bringing some slow-play complaints but also six prior PGA Tour victories.

Spending more than an hour on the practice tee Saturday night after all other players had departed, DeChambeau put in work on his drives that paid off in the final round.

Seen here, Bryson DeChambeau holds the US Open trophy aloft.
Bryson DeChambeau's US Open triumph was his first major golf title. Pic: Getty

Wolff stumbled with a bogey at the par-3 10th, missing a par putt from just inside 10 feet, two adrift and the only challenger within five shots.

When DeChambeau rolled in an 18-foot birdie putt at the par-4 11th to stand 6-under and three ahead - also 3-under on the day's only sub-par round - the scientist appeared to have finally found a major-winning formula.

At the par-4 14th, DeChambeau rolled in an uphill par putt from just outside nine feet while Wolff missed a downhill par putt from the same distance.

Wolff took double bogey at the 16th to fall six back and DeChambeau parred the last seven holes for the victory.

On the front side, Wolff made bogey at the par-3 third, missing a 12-footer for par, and DeChambeau matched Wolff for the lead at 4-under with a birdie at the par-4 fourth, blasting from rough to 13 feet from the cup and holing the putt.

At the fifth, Wolff found rough and a bunker and missed a downhill 10-foot par putt while DeChambeau hit a seven-footer for par and the lead alone, keeping his edge after both made bogeys at the eighth.

With AFP