Bryson DeChambeau of the USA won the US Open for the second time in his career with a one-stroke victory over Rory McIlroy on Sunday at Pinehurst in North Carolina.

DeChambeau started the final round with a three-stroke advantage but in a back nine that was described as 'wild', he lost the lead to McIlroy.

The American then played the shot of his life on the par 4 18th when his bunker shot from 54-yards out stopped just 4 feet short of the cup.

DeChambeau finished the major on 6-under-par to edge the former world number one, McIlroy, by a single stroke.

The 2011 champion, McIlroy, finished on 5-under-par, while Tony Finau of the USA was third in 4-under.

DeChambeau said with the finish round being on Father’s Day it meant a lot more to him and he wanted to secure the victory in honour of his late dad.

“I'm so happy I got that shot up-and-down on 18,” said DeChambeau.

“Oh, man, I didn’t want to finish second again. PGA really stung and Xander Schauffele played magnificent.

“I wanted to get this one done, especially at such a special place that means so much to me, SMU, my dad, what Payne meant to him, the 1000th USGA championship. Stack them on top.

“That bunker shot was the shot of my life. I’ll forever be thankful that I’ve got longer wedges so I can hit it farther, get it up there next to the hole.”

DeChambeau's only other major title came in 2020 when the won the US Open at the Winged Foot Golf Club in  Mamaroneck, New York.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout was the leading South African in the field and finished in a tie for 32nd on 7-over-par, while Dean Burmester finished in a tie for 69th on 15-over-par.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport