Brooks Koepka Congratulates Bryson DeChambeau on Winning US Open for 2nd Major Title
June 16, 2024
There was a time when Brooks Koepka congratulating Bryson DeChambeau for winning a major championship would seem like the least likely thing to happen in golf, but the two have squashed their beef and seem to be in a good place.
Never was that more apparent than Sunday when Koepka congratulated DeChambeau for winning the 2024 U.S. Open and joining the list of those who have taken home the tournament title more than once:
DeChambeau also won the 2021 U.S. Open, while Koepka won it in back-to-back years in 2017 and 2018.
Koepka still has bragging rights if he wants them, though, as he is a five-time major champion thanks to three titles at the PGA Championship, including one last year. He was unable to keep pace in this year's U.S. Open and finished in a tie for 26th place at plus-six.
DeChambeau ended up as the winner in large part because of his ability to scramble to save pars.
He missed the majority of the fairways with his drives but still found a way to salvage a plus-one 71 and hold onto a one-stroke victory over Rory McIlroy. The victor's most impressive scramble came on the last hole, as he hit his drive near a tree root and his second shot into a bunker but still managed to save par and the tournament.
It also helped his cause that McIlroy missed putts from within four feet for par on the 16h hole and the 18th hole. Had he made them both, he would have won the tournament. Had he made even one of them, he would have forced a playoff.
Making it all the more painful for McIlroy was the fact he hadn't missed a putt from within three feet all season prior to Sunday's round.
As for the relationship between Koepka and DeChambeau, it has been clear there is no longer any bad blood for some time now. Koepka even posted a picture of themselves on Instagram and said they had a good relationship last year.
Still, it was a memorable feud that included Koepka unleashing a head-turning eye roll in the direction of his counterpart and fans being warned they would be kicked out of tournaments for heckling DeChambeau with "Brooksy" chants.
Now they are both on the LIV Tour, famously embraced as teammates at the Ryder Cup and seem to have a cordial relationship.
They are also both members of the two-time champions club when it comes to the U.S. Open.
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