PINEHURST, N.C. – As Bryson DeChambeau hit the shot of his life and polished off his second U.S. Open title Sunday evening at Pinehurst No. 2, Lamar Haynes, one of Payne Stewart’s best friends and college roommates, began sobbing in front of a television in Dallas.
It was on this very same 18th green where Stewart, in 1999, drained a 15-foot par putt to win his second U.S. Open – and last of three major championships. Months later, Stewart was one of six people who perished after the plane they were traveling in lost cabin pressure before running out of fuel and crashing into a South Dakota field.
Now, it was DeChambeau fist-pumping after his own iconic Pinehurst moment.
“There is no doubt Payne was looking down using his magic for Bryson,” Haynes said. “… This is the first 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 area and up against a tree root. As DeChambeau sized up his options, McIlroy missed another short putt to drop a shot and give DeChambeau full control of his destiny.
“At a certain point in time, I’m just like, OK, I have to hack it,” said DeChambeau, who advanced his ball 94 yards, though into a carry bunker and 54 yards from the hole.
That’s when DeChambeau’s caddie, Greg Bodine, told his boss, “You’ve got this shot. I’ve seen way harder shots pulled off from you.”
Considering the circumstances, golf history has seen few shots better.
With a 55-degree wedge, DeChambeau clipped his ball perfectly from the sand, and it floated beautifully in the air before landing about 20 feet short of the hole and dance up to inside 4 feet.
“I was just trying to land it pretty much where I landed it and run it out to the right,” DeChambeau said, describing the shot. “I remember Payne’s putt and how it broke up there, and I knew that was obviously huge to get up-and-down to win this prestigious championship that will be the highlight of my life.”
After rolling in his par save, DeChambeau’s emotions came roaring out as he raised his fists in the air and delivered a few massive fist pumps for the cheering crowd. He then gathered himself to let playing competitor Matthieu Pavon finish off his round before continuing the celebration. As he looked into a camera on the green, he took off his cap and pointed to a pin attached to the back of it.
“That’s Payne right there, baby!” DeChambeau shouted.
He then pointed to the sky as he walked off the green, a gesture to not only Stewart, whom inspired DeChambeau to go to SMU and wear the Hogan cap for many years, but also his father, Jon DeChambeau, who died two years ago.
“In the back of my mind, my dad pushing me. Payne was in the back of my mind, as well,” DeChambeau said. “I wanted to do it for them.”
In the interview room about a half-hour later, DeChambeau fielded questions from reporters with the U.S. Open trophy sitting on the table next to him. Draped over the top of the trophy was a navy Hogan cap with the logo of DeChambeau’s LIV Golf team, the Crushers.
It was a classy tribute – and fitting now that DeChambeau now has an iconic Pinehurst moment of his own.
“Amazing,” Haynes said, the emotions still fresh. “So many kids will be practicing 50-yard bunker shots in the morning.”
