Bryson DeChambeau's second US Open win overshadowed by more Rory McIlroy heartbreak

Bryson DeChambeau won the 2024 US Open with a 3-foot-11 putt on the 18th hole at Pinehurst No. 2 after a phenomenal up-and-down for par from the front bunker. He was the first player to get up and down from that spot all week, made even more impressive after he had a terrible position out of the pine straw to the left of the fairway for his second shot. But really, that was his story all week.

And yet, even with the incredible scrambling of DeChambeau further highlighted by his always-present incredible ability with the driver and his stellar putting for the week, it's hard not to look at this victory without thinking about Rory McIlroy.

With four holes to play, McIlroy had a one-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau. He missed the green on No. 15 and ultimately had to settle for bogey in a bad spot, but that was lessened when the eventual champion also bogeyed that same hole. All Rory had to do to eliminate a literal decades worth of coming up just short was par out and he would be a major champion for the first time since the 2014 PGA Championship.

Instead, it was perhaps the biggest punch to the gut of this decade-long drought for McIlroy.

Rory McIlroy heartbreak overshadows Bryson DeChambeau's second US Open win

After the bogey on the 15th hole, McIlroy found the green in two with 24 feet-plus left for birdie. He missed that effort but had just a 2-foot-6 putt for par to keep the lead. Instead, he hit a squirrely one that lipped out dangerously, leaving him and DeChambeau tied. But that was just setting up the ultimately low-blow to his psyche on the 72nd hole of the US Open.

Rory missed the fairway and had to play a low runner out of the native area for his second shot. He then hit a fast chip up the hill that ran past the hole. 3 feet, 9 inches downhill left for par and to likely force at least a playoff with DeChambeau after seeing where Bryson drove his tee shot. As has been the case so many times, though, it wasn't meant to be for Rory, missing the putt on the low side and dropping one shot back of the lead.

All the credit in the world to DeChambeau. He was phenomenal this week and, now just the 23rd player to be a two-time US Open champion, he made the shots that needed to be made at the crucial moments, including the bunker shot and putt on the 18th hole on Sunday to avoid a playoff with Rory.

For as exciting and as much of a fan-favorite as Rory has become, though, the simple truth of the matter is that McIlroy has long been one of the most popular figures in the golf world. He's beloved, which has only made his major shortcomings that much more painful. This, however, has to feel like the worst. He was right there, he had a short putt to stay right there, and he didn't convert.

And if you need to know if he felt the sting of it all, this was his face as he watched DeChambeau's winning putt fall from the scoring room.

Dejected. Despondent, Disgusted. Heartbroken once again.

Rory McIlroy will win another major championship in his career. Though that may seem wild to say after this moment, he's been too close and is too talented for that to not ultimately end up being the case. But for that triumphant moment to come, he now has one more demon among many others to overcome.

Congratulations to Bryson DeChambeau. Again, Rory's miss shouldn't take a single thing away from the big golfer. He was stellar throughout the week. At the same time, that doesn't mean that McIlroy's heartbreak still won't ring louder than DeChambeau's victory.