US Open 2024: McIlroy and DeChambeau battle for title in final round – live | US Open

Phew. McIlroy makes par. Missing two tiddlers on the trot would have been too appalling to contemplate. He walks to the 18th tee as DeChambeau prepares himself on the penultimate tee.

Wowzers. DeChambeau’s birdie putt at 16 shaves the hole. It looked like it would drop. An agonised knee dip from him. Seconds later McIlroy escapes the bunker. Wayne Riley, on course reporter, giddily fancied he’d hole it. His par putt is in the newly nasty 3 foot range.

Meanwhile … a first major championship top 10 for Tony Finau in 13 starts. He made nine in 13 starts before that drought. He’s signed for a 67, -4 for the week and is currently tied 3rd with Cantlay.

DeChambeau likes his approach to 16. He lets go of the club and then bends down to watch it. Classic Bryson tells. He’s got a good hand. The ball finds the heart of the green. 22 feet for birdie coming up. Up ahead, McIlroy faces the 220 yard par-3 17th … and his tee shot finds sand.

Reader Michael Cruise writes: “DeChambeau looks very stiff under pressure.” He also looks a little fatigued, as he did at about this point last evening. His lucky break with the drive, and McIlroy’s error, ought to be a boost to the energy levels, however.

Oh dear. McIlroy misses a tiddler for par from 2 feet 6 inches. It lips out. “He’s been rock solid,” said Rich Beem, seconds before he wasn’t. They are tied at the top again!

Thanks Dave. McIlroy’s first putt at 16 runs close to the hole but doesn’t drop for birdie. Behind, DeChambeau unleashes another wayward drive but it hops, skips, jumps and skitters through the hard pan and scrub to the fairway.

And with that, I’ll hand you over to Matt Cooper to call this home. Fasten your seatbelts!

On 15, DeChambeau stalks his putt. He seems to have lost a bit of rhythm with the flatstick over the last couple of holes, his timing off. It’s again a tad clumsy here as he races his effort nearly four feet past. And, wow, his return putt catches the lip and it’s a bogey! Rory leads on his own again! At the same hole, Pavon makes birdie to give himself a glimmer still at -3, four back. Rory is safely on the green at 16. This is tense stuff!

-7: McIlroy (15)
-6: DeChambeau (15)
-5: Cantlay (15)
-3: Finau (17), Pavon (15)
-2: Matsuyama (16)
-1: Henley (F), Schauffele (F)

What can DeChambeau make of 16? Well, flying a towering iron to 25 feet left of the pin is what he can make of it. Chance for a birdie and at worst a par where Rory just made bogey. At the tough 540-yard par-4 16th, McIlroy thumps driver down the middle. “He couldn’t have walked it out there any better,” says Laura Davies on commentary. Cantlay also finds the fairway.

-7: McIlroy (15), DeChambeau (14)
-5: Cantlay (15)
-3: Finau (16)
-2: Matsuyama (16), Pavon (14)
-1: Henley (F), Schauffele (F)

It’s a good putt from McIlroy but that’s a bogey. Tee-shot to blame for taking four swishes there and suddenly the ball game is all tied up again at -7. Playing partner Cantlay is still in the hunt at -5, two back, and misses a decent opportunity for birdie from 16 feet which would have cut the gap to one.

McIlroy’s chip up the bank from an awkward lie behind the 15th green comes out a little hot and bounds way past the flag. It’s kind of not the worst outcome as going off the other side of the green was a possibility but the bottom line is that he has 30 feet for par. DeChambeau keeps the pressure on with a two-putt par at 14.

McIlroy ranks 1st for Strokes Gained: Off The Tee and 2nd for SG: Putting in this final round. But he’s only 50th for Approach and you sense it’s his iron play which holds the key from here. That tee-shot at 16 was a big mistake.

DeChambeau has hit just 4 of 11 fairways so far. Will it finally catch up with him? From the native area, his wedge finds the front of the 14th green but he’s a long way from the pin. Still, he’s on the putting surface which is more than can be said for Rory’s tee-shot at 15. That’s bounded through the back of the green, his ball settling near a clump of wispy grass. A very tough up and down from there. Meanwhile, Finau stays solo fourth on -3 with a 12-footer for par at 16 and gives it a fist pump.

Rory’s greenside chip at 14 sounds a tad clunky and pulls up short. But you fancy him to make those four-footers today and he does without fuss. A difficult hole out of the way. From downtown, Cantlay shuffles his feet, eventually pulls the tigger and ends up a similar distance away on the other side of the hole. A birdie for Pavon back at 13.

-8: McIlroy (14)
-7: DeChambeau (13)
-5: Cantlay (13)
-3: Finau (15)
-2: Matsuyama (15), Pavon (13)
-1: Henley (F), Schauffele (F), Conners (16)

Cantlay is still plodding and pottering away at -5 but he doesn’t seem to have the oomph to get involved with the top two. An approach way short of the flag at 14 rather sums it up. DeChambeau misses another fairway, this time back down the 14th, but he looks to have avoided the tufts and his ball is in view.

Temporarily knocked back by that two-shot swing, DeChambeau delivers a counter-punch with birdie at 13. His eagle putt looks way short but keeps trickling and trickling to end kick-in distance away. McIlroy pulls his approach left of the 14th green but it’s pin-high and that won’t be the most difficult of chips.

Just to stand back and take stock, Rory’s -4 score is the best of the day so far. That’s how well he’s performing. Bryson is 1-over for his round. And, more good news for McIlroy, he’s drawn a good lie down the left, his ball finishing in some pine needles that won’t affect his second shot.

… but, Bryson now has a crack at the driveable par-4 13th and pounds one onto the green. He’ll have 30 feet or so for eagle. Almost certainly, DeChambeau will be able to cut Rory’s lead in half here. And maybe even reverse the two-shot swing completely after McIlroy tugs his tee-shot at 14 into spectators. Up at 18, US PGA winner Xander Schauffele makes birdie to complete a very well played 2-under 68. It’s currently worth tied sixth.

McIlroy birdies to go two clear!

Rory’s frustrating near misses in the majors – think last year’s US Open and the 2022 Open at St. Andrews – have been down in large part to a cold putter on the final day. But there’s a completely different scenario unfolding here. McIlroy ranks 2nd in the Strokes Gained Putting stats for round four and it’s fuelling his charge. It might be the difference again at the short par-4 13th. His drive leaks way right but he’s left with a chip from the tightly-mown grass surrounding the green. It’s a good one, leaving him around five feet. Back at 12, DeChambeau has to hoick out from the tufty stuff, leaving himself a wedge and a putt for par. The first part of that combination isn’t great though, so he’ll have to drain a 20-footer for par. Are we looking at a two-hole swing in Rory’s favour?

Is this a two-horse race now because, perhaps spooked a little by Rory’s putt dropping, Cantlay misses a much shorter one for par and drops back to -4. That’s now three behind the two leaders. Up at 18, it’s a frustrating bogey finish for Henley. Still, a brilliant round of 67 and that’s the clubhouse lead of 1-under. As he drops to -1, Matsuyama replaces him at -2 after a birdie at 13 which was almost an eagle after he’d driven the green and just missed with his 25-footer for a two.

Thanks Matt. And what a time to return! Rory drains his birdie putt at 12 and ties the lead again! He stands still as it drops, just a celebratory movement with the hands. Kind of letting go but not letting go. You get the feeling Rory feels things are happening. And they most certainly are. What a finish this promises to be.

Seven feet for par at 11 for DeChambeau. A nasty length but he makes it. Very solid. The narrow lead retained. And with that, I’ll hand you back to Dave!

After a superb drive at 12, McIlroy has another wedge to a green. He doesn’t appear too comfortable and pulls away from it to chat with caddie Harry Diamond. But when he finally does strike the ball he finds the heart of the green. Safe but not the worst.

-7: DeChambeau (10)
-6: McIlroy (11)
-5: Cantlay (11)
-3: Finau (13)
-2: Henley (17), Pavon (10)

The short par-4 13th could be key in the next 45 minutes. It’s playing 316 yards and can be driven. Tony Finau took aim, his ball bounded across and through the putting surface, then he got up-and-down for birdie. DeChambeau has missed the green at 11. He has a test to come.

DeChambeau’s driver is going as far right as European politics today. He loses yet another at 11 but the ball doesn’t find the trees. Instead, it gets tangled up in the scrubby grass. Famed for his big hitting, it has been his short game that has kept him clear of the chasers.

DeChambeau lines up his short birdie putt. He reminds me of a child with a new geometry set when he does this. It’s enthusiastic but a little awkward. It works though – the putt drops. He walks to the next tee interacting with the galleries and Nick Faldo is trying – badly – to hide his confusion at such behaviour. Wonderful stuff. McIlroy’s lengthy lag putt is excellent and secures par.

At the par-5 10th DeChambeau found trouble from the tee. He shunted his ball down the fairway and has hit an excellent pitch close. He’ll have 5 feet for birdie and to regain the solo lead. Up ahead, McIlroy’s wedge to the par-4 11th is not one he likes. Finds the green but a long way from the hole.

We’ve not seen much of last month’s PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele. Don’t worry though. He’s doing Xander Schauffele things. He’s -1 for the round, level-par for the week, tied 8th and set to make it eight top 15s in a row at the championship. Yup, he’s never finished worse than 14th and is three holes from maintaining that incredible run.

Boom! Birdie for McIlroy at 10! What a way for him to start the back nine. Many putts have dribbled into holes this week. That one absolutely plopped in from 27 feet. Probably best it hit the hole but whatever. Joint leaders! Oh and hello. Patrick Cantlay does dribble one in for a birdie of his own. He is now one back of DeChambeau and McIlroy but three clear of the chasing pack.

Low amateur update. Neal Shipley takes the honours after a head-to-head final day battle with Luke Clanton. Shipley carded a 71 to finish the week on +6 which is currently good for a share of 28th.

DeChambeau leads by one shot heading into the back nine.

Pinehurst No. 2 was designed by the famed Scottish architect Donald Ross. DeChambeau is clearly enjoying the test this week and he has form on Ross tracks – and form for knowing it. He won the 2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic at the Ross-created Detroit GC and during that week said: “There’s a lot of bunkers at around like 290 yards. Hopefully I’ll be able to clear those and take them out of play. So, sorry, Mr. Ross, but, you know, it is what it is.” Is Ross going to bite back or are we set for deja vu?

Tony Finau isn’t done. The big man is also up to -2 for the week, alongside Henley who now has only three holes to play, and can still get involved. In the football England still lead 1-0. Why not open up another tab and keep in touch on the live blog.

A fist bump and a growl of “Yeah, let’s go!” from DeChambeau. He saves par and remains ahead. Russell Henley is on fire. Another birdie as he seeks to set a clubhouse target of note. He’s now -2 for the week.

-6: DeChambeau (8)
-5: McIlroy (9)
-4: Cantlay (9)
-2: Henley (14), Finau (10), Pavon (8)

Birdie for McIlroy at 9! His 14-foot putt wanders in two subtle directions and then drops. Meanwhile, DeChambeau impresses the TV commentary team by finding the green with his chip shot at 8 but he has 11 feet for par. Cantlay can’t follow McIlroy into the hole up ahead for his own birdie. The Northern Irishman is solo second and might be sharing the lead soon.

Bryson in the trees. They’re not thickly wooded so there is space for his ball to re-emerge, but it’s far from ideal. The ball rests a little awkwardly on the pine straw, among the shawdows. Wayne Riley says he needs a “low slicey thing”. He has 199 yards to the green and commits to the shot. He’s back on the course but beyond the green and Riley says the next shot is “horrendous”. The Aussie on-course reporter does tend to make a meal of things for dramatic purposes but a big moment or two coming up.

DeChambeau has crushed yet another drive, this time at the 8th. But he’s sent it clattering into the trees and it could be nasty for him. All the more important that, up ahead, McIlroy saves par after missing the green.

Henley likes a low score in the US Open. He was the first round leader in 2018 and again in 2021 when he remained tied for the lead through 54 holes. He closed 68-68 in last year’s championship.

Is there potential for a scene-stealer? Russell Henley is -3 through 13 holes and -1 for the tournament. Could he get it to -3 for the week? Would that be enough? He wouldn’t go home, let’s put it that way.

DeChambeau can’t make birdie at 7. The putt slips by and his lead remains two. At half-time in the football, England lead Serbia 1-0.

DeChambeau crushes his drive at the 7th. He really does crush the ball doesn’t he?! When the editor zooms in to allow us to see him close-to at impact it is just extraordinary. His drive runs out of gas at 341 yards and a graphic reveals it is the longest of the day at this hole. He has 88 yards to the pin and the approach hops around it but leaves no gimme. He’ll have 14 feet for birdie.

A big moment for Rory McIlroy. His approach to 7 scuttled through the green and his chip shot didn’t look good but it kept on moving toward the hole. He has nearly 6-feet for par … and makes it. Patrick Cantlay makes an excellent birdie at the same hole from short range to join McIlroy in a share of second.

-6: DeChambeau (6)
-4: McIlroy (7), Cantlay (7)
-3: Pavon (6)
-2: Matsuyama (7)
-1: Finau (8)

Canada’s Corey Conners gets his round back to level-par with a birdie at 8. His record coming into this week was a delight for those who enjoy the event form versus current form debate. He’d played the championship five times and missed the cut every time. But he’d also not missed a cut in a year (i.e. since last year’s US Open). Current form has prevailed this week – he’s also level-par for the week and currently tied 7th.

There’s quite the vibe for DeChambeau on the course. His arrival at the par-3 6th tee is Ryder Cup-like and very loud. He launches his tee shot high but it lands on the false front and dribbles back. It’s possible the caddie is getting more flak.

An excellent bunker shot from Wolverhampton’s Aaron Rai who is +1 for the tournament and tied for 10th. He always makes me think fondly of my granddad, also from the Black Country, who was quite an emotional watcher of sport and any success by a local sportsman or woman prompted tears. Tessa Sanderson’s Olympic gold? Stevie Bull playing for England? Rachel Heyhoe Flint at Lord’s? He loved it all and Rai’s progress would delight him too.