DeChambeau poses in the bunker from which he produced a miraculous par save – image USGA
In one of the more gripping final round US Open battles, Bryson DeChambeau has won his second US Open title with a one-shot victory over Rory McIlroy at Pinehurst No 2.
Beginning the day three ahead of McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay and Matthieu Pavon, DeChambeau recorded an early bogey but so too did McIlroy and through 8 holes DeChambeau still led by three, that was however until a withering burst by McIlroy of four birdies in the next five holes put him two ahead through 13 holes.
DeChambeau was playing in the group behind McIlroy and he matched McIlroy’s birdie at the 13th and the difference was just one but then came a wrong club for McIlroy at the 15th and, unable to save par from behind the green, his lead had been cut to one.
McIlroy found the green at the long par 4 16th but almost inexcusably three-putted, the second putt from less than 3 feet, and the pair were tied at 6 under.
DeChambeau narrowly missed a 20-footer at the 16th and again from 15 feet at the 17th and so he headed to the 18th tee tied with McIlroy who was facing an up and down to save par at the last.
McIlroy’s pitch from just short of the green finished 3 feet behind the hole but once again, he would miss from an almost unmissable range, which created the opportunity for DeChambeau to make par and win by a shot.
His drive was well left but it came up against a tree root in the sandy waste area and all he could do was to pitch out and hope for a bit of luck. The shot went sideways into the front bunker some 45 yards from the hole but in one of the most brilliant up and downs ever in such a situation, he hit his bunker shot to 4 feet and made the putt to win by a shot.
“Well, first off, I want to say happy Father’s Day to every father out there,” said the champion. “Unfortunately, my dad passed a couple years ago, and this one is for him.”
“Also, to Payne Stewart, he was the reason why I went to SMU. He’s the reason why I wore the cap. Pony up, that’s right. Go SMU. Wow. I just can’t thank you guys enough for all the support this week. You guys have meant the world to me. You are the best fans in the world, and I can’t thank you enough. What a group of people.
“To my team that’s growing quite a bit and to my best friends and the people that I love the most, I’m surprised you’re here — not really surprised, but I can’t thank you enough for being here. You guys mean the world to me, and I would not be here without you guys. I really appreciate it, team. Thank you, all.
“I felt like I was hitting the driver pretty well today. It just wasn’t starting exactly where I wanted it to. Ultimately on 13, I knew I had to make birdie there to give myself a chance because Rory was going on a heater, and he slipped up a couple on the way coming in, and I just kept staying the course, focused on trying to hit as many fairways as I could, even though I didn’t. I was not great today with that.
“But I got out of trouble really well, and then, man, I can’t believe that up-and-down on the last. That was overall probably the best shot of my life.
“I was just trying to land it pretty much where I landed it and run it out to the right. 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. I still can’t believe it. It’s unbelievable.
“What it means? I haven’t really let it sink in yet. Tonight I want all of you guys somehow, I want you guys to touch this trophy because I want you to experience what this feels like for me. You were a part of this journey this week, and I want you to be a part of it for the after-party.”
McIlroy’s putter, who had been such a servant for nearly all of the final day, let him down when he most needed it, and so the drought of major titles over the last ten years continues.
So gutted by his struggling finish in which he bogeyed three of his last four holes, McIlroy did not front the media after his round, perhaps understandably as this was one he should have won.
Tony Finau and Cantlay tied for third, two behind the winner.
The best of the Australasians was Min Woo Lee who finished tied for 21st. Adam Scott’s final round of 69 saw him finish 35th and Ryan Fox was 56th.
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Cam Davis wins second PGA Tour title in Detroit
Cam Davis – image Getty Images
Australian Cam Davis has today further confirmed his liking for the Detroit Golf Club by claiming a second Rocket Mortgage Classic and his second PGA Tour title with a narrow one-shot victory over fellow countryman Min Woo Lee, Americans Davis Thompson, Akshay Bathia and England’s Aaron Rai.
Davis, who won this event three years ago, began the final round one shot behind Bathia and Rai. However, there were still many chances with just a few holes to go before Davis got up and down for birdie from just off the green at the par 5 17th to draw level with Lee who had finished 15 minutes earlier and Bhatia who was playing in the group behind.
Needing a par at the last to force a playoff with Davis, Bhatia three putted from 30 feet, the second from 3 feet, leaving Davis as the winner and with a cheque for US$1.65 million.
The win will also move Davis from his current 67th position in the world ranking to just inside the top 40, the highest-ever ranking for the 29-year-old.
Davis was asked what it is about the Detroit Golf Club that has resulted in such success.
“Honestly, I don’t know. The first couple years I played here I missed the cut and felt like this place just wasn’t for me. I love old-school design. Donald Ross golf courses to me visually are very fun, I love the greens, I love the way the fairways meander through the tree lines and I love the shapes of the bunkering.
“For some reason, I’ve never done well on a course like this before and I don’t know what’s changed. Obviously, my game plan worked really well in 2021. I’m a different golfer and it’s a different game plan, the weather was completely different.
“I don’t know, something about having to shape the ball around a bit. You can be in the fairway and still have to bend it around trees, I feel like that’s something I’ve always been more comfortable with. And also the only thing that has to be going well more than anything else is the driver off the tee here and for some reason, yeah, I’ve managed to get the ball in play quite well out here.”
“It was a rollercoaster of emotions at the end there,” said Davis referring to the many permutations on the leaderboard late in the round. “Honestly, I felt like I had done a pretty good job of really not knowing where I stood on the leaderboard. I felt like honestly, especially that back nine, just moment after moment of could have been awesome but just didn’t quite happen, I felt like it just wasn’t going to be my day.
“I was honestly very surprised that I was tied for the lead with the last group coming down 18, I guess I’ve been here before, I needed to go get ready for another playoff.
“When Akshay missed that putt, it’s a combination of shock and feeling bad for him, but at the same time just realizing that the huge burden of trying to win again is off the shoulders. Still in a little bit of shock, it doesn’t really feel real right now.”
Davis paid tribute to the work he has been doing on the mental side of his game and especially the work he has been doing with a hypnotherapist.
“I’m working with a hypnotherapist that I only just started working with, just trying to take a different approach to try and get my head back in the right place. Yeah, I honestly haven’t been a very good place mentally at all for the last six months or so. I felt like all the opportunities have been slipping out of my hands as the year progresses without playing very good golf.
“I had a great week at the Masters and it feels like since then it all had just left me. I felt like a change of direction was definitely needed, something that I was actually going to stick to because I’m definitely someone that will start doing something and if it doesn’t feel like it’s helping straight away, it’s very easy to drop it.
“Sticking with the work that I’m doing with Grace has made a very big impact very quickly. I felt a lot better last week even though the score didn’t show it, and to have it turn into this this week is hard to believe really because I was not in a good place two or three weeks ago.”
Lee who is in his first season on the PGA Tour finished runner-up for the second occasion and is clearly a young man with a big future at this level and beyond. He will regret his final hole bogey which cost him a chance for a playoff with Davis but the week provides further evidence of his immense talent.
Lee will move close to the top 30 in the world ranking, perhaps surpassing his previous best of 31st.
SCORES
Richard Green just one off halfway lead at US Senior Open
Richard Green during today’s second round – image USGA
Australia’s Richard Green is just one off the halfway lead at the US Senior Open at the Newport Country Club on Rhode Island, a second round of 67 added to his opening 63 to be just one off the lead held by his co-first round leader Hiroyuki Fujita.
An opening bogey on day two by Green after starting at the 10th was quickly put right with two consecutive birdies at his 2nd and 3rd holes before completing an outward nine of 1 under 34. Then, just as he did on day one he birdied the first and 2nd holes of the course and parred in to be nicely positioned heading into the weekend.
Green described the more demanding conditions on day two but expressed his satisfaction with how he ground out his round.
“Hung in there pretty well today. It was much tougher conditions today with the wind. It’s something we faced in the last couple of holes yesterday, but not for the whole round.
“There were some really testing shots out there today coming through 4, 5, 6 and the early holes on the back nine, 10, 11, 12, 13. Some really, really tough, demanding shots.
“I was able to hit some good ones when I needed to and hang in there when I needed to. It was a much tougher feeling out there today.
“Fujita obviously had a great start, another great round. So, he must be feeling pretty comfortable out there.
“So, I was aware of it. Obviously aware of Steve Stricker and the good round to get up to that position where I was tied with him for 2nd for a long part of the day until I sort of made a couple towards the end.
“Yeah, it’s just being there on Sunday now. Just giving myself a chance tomorrow, giving myself a chance Sunday.”
Green finished runner-up at the recent Senior PGA Championship so contention at this level on the PGA Tour Champions is nothing new to him.
Cameron Percy – en route to a second round of 65 – image USGA
Australia’s Cameron Percy reeled off seven birdies in his opening 16 holes before bogeys at the 17th and 18th put a bit of a dampener on his efforts but he improved considerably from his opening 70 for his round of 65 to be now tied in a share of 9th place and six off the lead held by Fujita an eighteen-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour.
“I mucked up the last two holes, said Percy. “Yeah, I just tweaked my lie angles and irons and going left on me. If I don’t hold onto it it’s going left, so that’s happened on 17.
And then 18 I just blocked my driver. Been hitting a beautiful draw all day and it went straight, so that was no fun. It was in the hazard and had to chip it out.
“But I found something in my putting this morning on the putting green. Made a lot of 10-, 15-footers today so it was nice.”
The talk of the day however was the amazing feat by American Frank Bensel who, playing in his first US Senior Open, holed in one on consecutive holes.
Bensel a teaching professional at Century Country Club in Purchase, N.Y., and the Club at Mirasol in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., made USGA history with back-to-back holes-in-one on the par-3 fourth and fifth holes. He used a 6-iron on both holes, which measured 173 and 202 yards, respectively. They were the 22nd and 23rd aces in U.S. Senior Open history.
Other Australasians in the field to make the cut were Steve Alker and Mark Hensy (24th), Hensby bouncing back from his opening 75 with a best of the day round of 63, Mathew Goggin 31st, Michael Wright 36th, Michael Long and Stuart Appleby 47th and Greg Chalmers 60th.
Leaderboard
Frank Bensel – consecutive holes in one today – image USGA
Richard Green shares first round lead at US Senior Open
Richard Green in action during the opening round – image USGA
Australian Richard Green shares the opening round lead at the US Senior Open on Rhode Island, his opening round of 63 having he and Japan’s Hiroyuki Fujita one ahead of American Billy Andrade.
Green, who played in the morning field on day one, birdied his opening two holes and never looked back adding five further birdies including one at the last to join Fujita who had teed off an hour earlier.
“Started off very nicely,” said Green. “You know, I felt the preparation this week has been set up really well to play on this golf course. Felt pretty comfortable in my preparation and practice rounds.
“Today’s round, you know, proved itself. Hit the ball very, very well. A lot of work has been put in and it’s just nice to see to come to fruition.
“It was beautiful conditions. Couldn’t have asked for a better morning to play golf. It’s probably what’s going to be one of my favorite golf courses I’ll ever play. It just suits my eye.
“I really enjoy hitting good golf shots around it. Obviously conditions this afternoon are a little bit more windy. More than likely it will even itself out after a couple days and we’ll get our share of it tomorrow.”
Green enthused over his opening effort suggesting it was one of the better rounds of his career.
“Yeah, one of the best I’ve had really. I’ve had lower scores in my time, but from a feeling of how I feel on this golf course and the way I prepared and practiced and got my game into this shape, as good a round as I’ve ever had. Can’t ask for more.”
Earlier this year Green finished runner-up at the Senior PGA Championship and finished 7th in this event last year.
The next best of the eight Australians in the field was Mathew Goggin who was debuting in a PGA Tour Champions event.
Goggin who lead the qualifiers at his qualifying venue after also recording a round of 63 at his venue, impressed with five birdies and a bogey for his round of 66 to be in a share of 5th place.
“I hit the ball really nicely today,” said the Tasmanian who has focused much of his recent attention on the development of a new golf course in his home state. “I drove the ball well and got a bit of confidence early and smashed a few tee shots, and that sort of helped.
And then knocked it on 16 for 2 and then 1 for 2 and drove the 2nd green. It’s not often you get to three eagle putts in five holes at a U.S. Open. So that was just a bonus.”
Stuart Appleby and Rod Pampling opened with round of 67 to be tied for 15th, Michael Wright had 68 and Cameron Percy 70.
SCORES
Large Australasian line-up at US Senior Open
New Zealand’s Steve Alker – during practice today – image USGA
The US Senior Open gets underway on Thursday at the Newport Country Club on Rhode Island, where eight Australians and three New Zealanders will take their place in senior golf’s most prestigious championship.
New Zealanders Steve Alker, Michael Long and Richard Lee will be joined by Australians Richard Green, Rod Pampling, Mark Hensby, Greg Chalmers, Cameron Percy, Michael Wright, Stuart Appleby and Mathew Goggin in the US$ 4 million event, making the strongest representation ever numerically from this part of the world.
Goggin, Percy, Chalmers, Percy, Long and Lee earned their way into the field via Final Qualifying with Percy and Long gaining late starts as alternates from qualifying. Goggin set a qualifying record with his round of 63 at his particular venue in South Carolina to win by five shots over 90 participants.
Alker, Green, Hensby and Pampling are considered potential contenders for the title, Alker currently in second place on the season-long Schwab Cup money list, Hensby having finished 3rd in this event two years ago, Pampling 4th three years ago and Green finishing runner-up at this year’s Senior PGA Championship.
Bernhard Langer, at the age of 66, will defend the title he won in Wisconsin last year as he chases a 47th title on the PGA Tour Champions and a third US Senior Open.
TEE TIMES
Mathew Goggin – a round of 63 in qualifying – image USGA
Amy Yang earns major championship status
Amy Yang – image PGA of America
In her 75th appearance in a major championship, 34-year-old South Korean Amy Yang has broken through for a first major title with a three-shot victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at the Sahalee Country Club near Seattle.
Yang began the final round two ahead of Lauren Hartlage and Japan’s Miyu Yamashita but with an outward nine of 34 and further birdies early in her back nine she had extended her lead to six through 15 holes.
Despite dropping three shots at her next two holes, including a double bogey when finding the water from the tee at the 17th, she held on to win over Lilia Vu, Jin Young Ko and Yamashita.
Yang has recorded a massive 21 top tens in her previous 74 major appearances including twice runner-up but despite a game and demeanor seemingly perfect for major championship golf, she has been unable to break through – until today that is.
“Sorry, I’m lost for the words right now,” said Yang on the 18th green. “It’s all the hard work our team did together, and I’m so grateful for that. All four rounds it was tough out there, but I just trusted what I prepared and just I did my best all week.
“I always wanted to win a major. I came close several times, and I started doubting myself if I ever going to win a major before I retire because I’ve been on tour quite a while. I am so grateful and very, very like, happy to win a major.
“I was so nervous beginning of the day, even night before, and I told Jan (caddie) on the 18th fairway, this has been the longest 18 holes I ever played in my career. I was that much stressed and felt pressure out there. But I think I managed to stay well and stay positive, and of course with him as well he makes things light out there.”
Another benefit of her win was that she will now represent South Korea at the Olympics but was not aware of it immediately.
“I wasn’t aware of it. I really wanted it represent South Korea. That was one of my biggest goals for this year. Missing cuts past few tournaments and I saw my world ranking went down so I wasn’t sure if this winning was enough to make the team. But I made it, so I’m very grateful for that.”
Yang attended Robina State High School on the Gold Coast in Australia in her teens, participated in their golf program there, and was one of the more dominant amateurs during those years, winning the Queensland Amateur and New Zealand Amateur titles.
But it would be her win at the 2006 Australian Ladies Masters as an amateur after receiving an invite from tournament promoter Bob Tuohy that would expedite her arrival into the professional ranks.
The event was a Ladies European Tour event and gave Yang status on that tour and she played there for two years, winning twice before finally securing her full playing rights to the LPGA Tour where she has been ever since.
There had been five LPGA Tour victories prior to today, the biggest coming late in 2023 when winning the CME Tour Championship but this win takes her into a different league as a major winner and might well open the door for more to come.
The Australasians in the field were headed by Hannah Green and Minjee Lee who tied for 24th, Lydia Ko and Gabi Ruffels were 46th, Stephanie Kyriacou was 52nd and Grace Kim 58th.
SCORES
Scottie Scheffler wins 6th 2024 title amongst chaotic scenes
Scottie Scheffler – file photo – image PGA of America
Amid chaotic scenes, Scottie Scheffler continued his stunning 2024 PGA Tour season by recording his 6th win of the year when defeating his good friend Tom Kim in a playoff for the Travelers Championship near Hartford in Connecticut.
The pair were tied at 22 under after Kim had holed a ten-footer for birdie at the 72nd hole to draw level with the world number one but after finding the greenside bunker at the first extra hole, Kim was unable to get up and down from a plugged lie and the title and yet another US$3.6 million was Scheffler’s.
But the final stages of the US$20 million event were not without even more drama. As the final trio of Scheffler, Kim and Akshay Bhatia arrived at the 18th green, several climate change protesters burst from the crowd and dispersed a dye-like substance onto the green before being nailed by police and others.
They were surreal scenes but Scheffler and Kim were able to put aside any concerns and return to the 18th tee to commence the playoff.
For Scheffler it would be his 12th PGA Tour title and his PGA Tour earnings in 2024 are now US$27,696,000 and career earnings close to US$70 million.
Scheffler explained his thoughts on the protesters’ involvement at the 72nd hole.
“Fortunately for Tom and me, we were both out there, we’re great friends. So we were able to sit there and kind of relax each other before, because you don’t really know what’s going on, you don’t really understand the situation, you don’t really — there’s people running around everywhere and you don’t really know what’s going to happen.
“So it was a bit confusing. Fortunately, the police did a great job of getting everything in order very quickly. I don’t know how quick it was, but it seemed really fast to us. So we’re very thankful for them.”
Scheffler lavished praise on his friend and playoff opponent, Kim.
“We play a lot of golf at home and play a lot of golf out here too. He’s one of my good buddies. It’s always fun competing against your friends, but it’s also really tough. I feel for him there in the playoff, but I told him he’s a great player and a great champion and I’m proud of him and the putt on 18 was pretty sweet and I’m sure that’s something that he’ll remember for a long time.”
Scheffler has two more events before the FedEx Cup playoffs begin, namely the Open Championship and the Olympics.
Kim earns US$2.16 million for his runner-up finish and continues his remarkable start to his PGA Tour career.
The 22-year-old South Korean spent time in Melbourne in several of his formative golfing years and led the New Zealand Open in Queenstown as a 17-year-old in 2020 before finishing 4th and, eventually heading for the US in 2022.
Kim earns US$2.1 million for his runner-up finish and his career PGA Tour winnings are already US$16.5 million.
The Australians in the field were led by Adam Scott 39th, Jason Day 44th and Cam Davis 48th.
SCORES
Amy Yang shares halfway lead KPMG Women’s PGA
Amy Yang in action today – image PGA of America
34-year-old South Korean Amy Yang has taken a share of the halfway lead at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at the Sahalee Country Club near Seattle, a bogey-free best of the day round of 67 having her join the early day two leader, American Sarah Schmelzel.
Yang has strong connections to Australia, especially Queensland, having attended high school on the Gold Coast and, at 16, winning the Australian Ladies Masters before turning professional soon after.
Yang has won five events on the LPGA Tour in addition to events on the Ladies European Tour and the Korean LPGA Tour and although yet to win a major title, she has recorded numerous (21) top tens at that level, two of those runner-up.
Her performance this week has been somewhat of a turnaround in form for her given that she has yet to record a top-ten finish in 2024 and has missed the cut in three of her last four starts but she has a proven record on the big stage and they don’t come much bigger than this week.
“You know, obviously my back had been bothering me last few days, but I was still striking the ball really well like yesterday, and so I thought it would be fine,” said Yang.
“I woke up today and starting few holes was feeling a little pain on my lower back, but I fight through really well and that actually gave me more like focus out there. Make sure I put even more like focus on each shot.”
Yang’s win in the season ending CME last year against such a strong field gave further proof of just how good she can be when it all fulls into place and she indicated as much.
“Definitely gave me a lot of confidence after CME, but also I had some up and downs beginning of the season. So I have to, you know, stay focused and just see what I can do and enjoy.”
30-year-old Schmelzel is into her 6th season on the LPGA Tour but has yet to win an event but today she joined Yang and South Korean Haeran Ryu in recording the best rounds of the day to move into the lead when she finished her round some seven hours ahead of Yang.
Advice from a new instructor has helped Schmelzel take a new frame of mind on to the golf course.
“I saw him after I guess that was U.S. Open,” she said after he round. “I went to go see him and I played — honestly I started to hit it well again at Founders and hit it really well at the U.S. Open; just didn’t putt very well.
“He just told me, I was kind of in that perfection frame of mind. Like, what do I need to do to play well? He said you’re going to play well. Relax and it’s going to happen and believe it.
“So I’ve just been last few weeks thinking of that. Saw some really positive stuff last week and took that into this week.
“He’s just been amazing at the mental side and the process side of it. Really got me dialed into this is your game plan of the day. If you continue to take care of each day then the bigger things will happen, and that’s really helped me just let go of all the other stuff, all the end goals and that kind of thing, and just really focus on the process.”
The pair lead by two over a resurgent Lexi Thompson, Hinako Shibuno and former world number one Jin Young Ko.
Thompson announced recently that this year would be her last as a full-time competitor on the LPGA Tour and given a runner-up placing last week and a great start this week it will be interesting to see if her decision is not reversed.
The Australasian challenge is currently led by Sydney’s Stephanie Kyriacou who is in a share of 12th place at 1 under and five off the lead.
Minjee Lee is 33rd while Hannah Green, Grace Kim, Gabi Ruffels and Lydia Ko are tied in 52nd place at 2 over and eight off the lead.
The shock of the day was the performance of world number one, Nelly Korda, who after an opening round of 69 on Thursday slumped to a round of 81 today to miss the cut by one
“It’s just golf recently for me,” said Korda. “No words for how I’m playing right now. I’m just going to go home and try to reset.”
“A lot went my way at the beginning part of the year, and just giving it back.” she added referring to her six titles earlier in the season.
Leaderboard
KPMG Women’s PGA Championship begins Thursday in Washington State
Hannah Green – in fine form in 2024 and chasing a 2nd KPMG PGA title – image PGA of America
The world of women’s professional golf tackles its third major of the year this week when the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is played at the Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish in Washington State.
The US$10.4 million event will be played at Sahalee for the second occasion, the first being in 2016 when Brooke Henderson defeated Lydia Ko in a playoff.
Prizemoney in 2024 will be the highest on offer for the event, the winner this week securing US1.56 million of the US$10.4 million.
Three Australians have won this championship, Jan Stephenson (1982), Karrie Webb (2001) and Hannah Green (2019). In 2024 nine Australians and one New Zealander have earned their right to tee it up.
Hannah Green, Minjee Lee, Lydia Ko, Grace Kim, Gabi Ruffels, Stephanie Kyriacou, Sarah Kemp, Robyn Choi, Hira Naveed and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko will fly the flags for our part of the world.
Lee and Ko have struggled for much of this season and it has been Hannah Green who has stepped up to the plate with two wins and a runner-up finish which have elevated her to her highest standing in the game (5th) and she will start as one of the favourites to challenge Nelly Korda.
Korda has missed the cut in her last two starts on the LPGA Tour this season so she appears a little more vulnerable than was the case a month or so ago when she was in the process of winning six events in seven starts and surging well clear in the Rolex World Rankings.
Lee missed the cut by a large margin last week in Michigan and with three missed cuts in her last six starts there is concern about her game at present. She finished inside the top ten at the Women’s US Open however so when good she is very good.
Ko played well early in the season but has lost her way in recent starts, missing her last two cuts. She is capable of much better than that but like Lee appears to be well below her best at present.
Gabi Ruffels just keeps getting better and with three third-placed finishes this season in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour she has jumped 110 places in the world ranking to 41st and might well threaten the leaders this week.
In just her second LPGA Tour season, Grace Kim has already won on the LPGA Tour and lost a playoff last week for another title and expressed great satisfaction with her game.
Kyriacou, Kemp and Naveed have done well to make the field, perhaps surprising with a runner-up finish in her rookie LPGA Tour season earlier this year.
TEE TIMES
Grace Kim runner-up in LPGA Tour’s Meijer Classic
Grace Kim – image PGA of America
Sydney’s Grace Kim has narrowly missed out on a second LPGA Tour title after losing a two-hole playoff to American Lilia Vu at the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan.
Grace was tied with Vu and soon-to-be-retired American Lexi Thompson through 72 holes after taking a five shot lead into the final day.
Kim started shakily with bogeys at her opening two holes but she was able to recover to join the playoff in which all three birdied the first extra hole before again sharing honours at the second.
Vu, a two-time major champion, would however birdie the third extra hole to record a victory in her first start since March during which she was recovering from a back injury.
Kim earns a cheque for US$234,000, bettering her previous best cheque this season of US$31,000 after what had been a very slow start to the year.
“I mean, I think going the three playoff holes with the Player of the Year last year, two major champions and obviously Lexi just being an icon for women’s golf says a lot about my game I guess,” said Kim acknowledging what had been an outstanding week.
“Obviously, didn’t get it done. Yeah, it sucks, but I think I can see myself I guess in the future as well. Just how much I’ve grown as well. It’s only my second year out, and to be in this position it’s as you can tell overwhelming.
“I think again, just seeing how much improvements I’ve gone through, obviously it’s credit — all the credits go to my team to push me this far, and to get to these opportunities is, you know, unbelievable.
“To be able to play against these players in certain conditions and playoff for three holes, I think we all know we played some good damn golf. It’s just making sure you have a good circle around you and I think I have that.
“I know I’m hitting it good. Doing all the right things. Just things have to kind of go my way as well. It’s not just about hitting good shots. It’s about better luck as well.
“Excited for Sahalee next week. Haven’t been there before and I know it’s going to be a course that I’m going to like. Yeah, really looking forward to it and hopefully try and do it again.”
Kim’s fellow Australians Hira Naveed and Gabi Ruffels tied for 17th
RESULTS
Bryson DeChambeau wins 2nd US Open in cliffhanger
DeChambeau poses in the bunker from which he produced a miraculous par save – image USGA
In one of the more gripping final round US Open battles, Bryson DeChambeau has won his second US Open title with a one-shot victory over Rory McIlroy at Pinehurst No 2.
Beginning the day three ahead of McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay and Matthieu Pavon, DeChambeau recorded an early bogey but so too did McIlroy and through 8 holes DeChambeau still led by three, that was however until a withering burst by McIlroy of four birdies in the next five holes put him two ahead through 13 holes.
DeChambeau was playing in the group behind McIlroy and he matched McIlroy’s birdie at the 13th and the difference was just one but then came a wrong club for McIlroy at the 15th and, unable to save par from behind the green, his lead had been cut to one.
McIlroy found the green at the long par 4 16th but almost inexcusably three-putted, the second putt from less than 3 feet, and the pair were tied at 6 under.
DeChambeau narrowly missed a 20-footer at the 16th and again from 15 feet at the 17th and so he headed to the 18th tee tied with McIlroy who was facing an up and down to save par at the last.
McIlroy’s pitch from just short of the green finished 3 feet behind the hole but once again, he would miss from an almost unmissable range, which created the opportunity for DeChambeau to make par and win by a shot.
His drive was well left but it came up against a tree root in the sandy waste area and all he could do was to pitch out and hope for a bit of luck. The shot went sideways into the front bunker some 45 yards from the hole but in one of the most brilliant up and downs ever in such a situation, he hit his bunker shot to 4 feet and made the putt to win by a shot.
“Well, first off, I want to say happy Father’s Day to every father out there,” said the champion. “Unfortunately, my dad passed a couple years ago, and this one is for him.”
“Also, to Payne Stewart, he was the reason why I went to SMU. He’s the reason why I wore the cap. Pony up, that’s right. Go SMU. Wow. I just can’t thank you guys enough for all the support this week. You guys have meant the world to me. You are the best fans in the world, and I can’t thank you enough. What a group of people.
“To my team that’s growing quite a bit and to my best friends and the people that I love the most, I’m surprised you’re here — not really surprised, but I can’t thank you enough for being here. You guys mean the world to me, and I would not be here without you guys. I really appreciate it, team. Thank you, all.
“I felt like I was hitting the driver pretty well today. It just wasn’t starting exactly where I wanted it to. Ultimately on 13, I knew I had to make birdie there to give myself a chance because Rory was going on a heater, and he slipped up a couple on the way coming in, and I just kept staying the course, focused on trying to hit as many fairways as I could, even though I didn’t. I was not great today with that.
“But I got out of trouble really well, and then, man, I can’t believe that up-and-down on the last. That was overall probably the best shot of my life.
“I was just trying to land it pretty much where I landed it and run it out to the right. 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. I still can’t believe it. It’s unbelievable.
“What it means? I haven’t really let it sink in yet. Tonight I want all of you guys somehow, I want you guys to touch this trophy because I want you to experience what this feels like for me. You were a part of this journey this week, and I want you to be a part of it for the after-party.”
McIlroy’s putter, who had been such a servant for nearly all of the final day, let him down when he most needed it, and so the drought of major titles over the last ten years continues.
So gutted by his struggling finish in which he bogeyed three of his last four holes, McIlroy did not front the media after his round, perhaps understandably as this was one he should have won.
Tony Finau and Cantlay tied for third, two behind the winner.
The best of the Australasians was Min Woo Lee who finished tied for 21st. Adam Scott’s final round of 69 saw him finish 35th and Ryan Fox was 56th.
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