An emotional Bryson DeChambeau paid tribute to his late father, Jon, and his golfing idol, the late Payne Stewart, when he won the US Open for a second time.

The American saved an epic par from a greenside bunker 50 metres from the flag on the final hole to defeat Rory McIlroy by one, thwarting the Northern Irishman’s bid to end a 10-year majors drought. “I can’t believe that up and down on the last; that was the best shot of my life,” DeChambeau said.

The 30-year-old DeChambeau, who won the 2020 US Open at Winged Foot, had driven it way left behind a TV tower on the final tee shot. But he limped home with a one-over-par 71 to finish at six under par (274). McIlroy shot 69 to finish at five under.

McIlroy led with four holes remaining but made bogeys on three of the last four holes. Two of them were putts inside four feet, including 2.5 feet at the par-4 16th and just inside four feet at the par-4 18th.

DeChambeau felt for McIlroy, DeChambeau found native grass and sand with his tee shot left and a bunker for his second shot at 18. I still can’t believe it

“He slipped up a couple times on the way in and I just stayed the course,” DeChambeau added.

The North Carolina crowds were overwhelmingly on DeChambeau’s side on the final day. The LIV golf star has revamped his image since joining the rival league after years of being one of golf’s most polarising figures. He battled accusations of slow play, regular public complaints about his own equipment and a degree of unpopularity due to his quirky, scientific approach to golf.

But recently, DeChambeau has built a YouTube channel that regularly yields audiences in the hundreds of thousands and interacts with fans on course at tournaments better than any other tour player.

“I cant thank you guys enough for the support all week; you’re the best fans in the world and I can’t thank you enough,” he said.

He has become the greatest show on turf.

The. was undoubtedly a crushing blow for McIlroy, whose long search for a fifth major victory included a second at last year’s US Open at LACC.

DeChambeau became the 23rd player to win multiple US Opens, a list that includes Stewart. Stewart won the 1991 US Open and again at Pinehurst in 1999 as well as the 1989 PGA. Months after winning at Pinehurst, Stewart died in a private plane accident in October 1999.

“I want to say happy Father’s Day to every father out there; unfortunately my dad passed a couple years ago (in 2022 after kidney problems related to diabetes) to and this one is for him,” DeChambeau said on the Pinehurst No.2 course’s 18th green. “Also to Payne Stewart. He’s the reason I went to SMU (Southern Methodist University, Stewart’s alma mater), the reason I wore the cap (peaked cap).”

Tony Finau (67) and Patrick Cantlay (70) tied third at four under, while Frenchman Matthieu Pavon was solo fifth at three under.

McIlroy led DeChambeau by two shots late in the round but the Northern Irishman missed a short par putt at the 16th and at the 18th to allow DeChambeau to claim a second career major. DeChambeau becomes the second LIV golfer to win a major after Brooks Koepka claimed the 2023 PGA Championship.

Min Woo Lee was the top Australian in a tie for 21st at five over par after a 71.

Adam Scott, playing his 23rd consecutive US Open, was two shots further back of Lee at seven over having closed with a 69. Scott was tied with fellow Queenslander Cameron Smith at seven over after the 2022 British Open champion signed off with a 72.

More to come…