'Hulk' DeChambeau "Conquering Winged Foot"..."Alone Under Par"

120th US Open Final Day 3-Under Par Daily Best '6-Stroke Victory', Wolff 2nd, 'Number 1' Johnson 6th, Im Sungjae 22nd 'Strong Performance'

Bryson DeChambeau is cheering at the moment his victory is confirmed on the final day of the 120th US Open. Mamaroneck, New York, USA = Getty Images / MultiBits Photo by MultiBits

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Only one player scored under par."

'The Hulk' Bryson DeChambeau (USA) won the 120th US Open, a major on the PGA Tour with a total prize of $12.5 million. On the final day held on the 21st (Korean time) at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York (par 70, 7,477 yards), he led with a daily best 3-under-par and achieved a commanding 6-stroke victory (6-under-par 274). This is his 7th career win following the Rocket Mortgage Classic in July, with a winner's prize of $2.25 million (26.2 billion KRW).

DeChambeau started 2 strokes behind in second place and recorded one eagle, two birdies, and one bogey. It is notable that he never scored over par even once on the 'Devil's Course' Winged Foot. He scored 1-under-par on the first day, 2-under-par on the second day, and even par on the third day. On the final day, he exchanged a birdie on the 4th hole (par 4) for a bogey on the 8th hole (par 4), then made an eagle on the 9th hole (par 5), and secured his lead with a birdie on the 11th hole (par 4) in the back nine. Above all, his 'stingy putting' stood out with an average of 1.50 putts per hole.

True to his background as a physics student at Southern Methodist University in Texas, DeChambeau is a player who makes big news with radical experiments. After playing on the Korn Ferry Tour (second-tier) in 2016, he joined the PGA Tour in 2017 and immediately entered the PGA Tour champions group by winning the John Deere Classic in July. In 2018, he rose to global stardom by sweeping back-to-back playoff wins at The Northern Trust and Dell Technologies in August and September, following the Memorial Tournament in June.

Bryson DeChambeau is giving an exhilarating kiss to the trophy immediately after winning his 120th US Open. Mamaroneck, New York, USA = Getty Images / Multibits Photo by Getty Images

His momentum accelerated with a win at the Shriners event included in the 2019 season in November. DeChambeau also attracted attention with his aristocratic style and distinctive fashion, often wearing a hunting cap reminiscent of the late Payne Stewart, and gained fame for his unconventional club setup. From the 3-iron to the wedge, all 10 irons have the same length of 37.5 inches and weight of 280 grams. He explained, "I learned from Homer Kelly's book 'The Golfing Machine' that you must swing on the same plane." Only the loft differs by 4 degrees each.

This season, he attempted a 'bulk up' by increasing his body weight by 18 kg to gain more power for long drives. "I increased muscle mass through intense workouts combined with a diet," he said. In fact, he ranked first in average driving distance in the 2020 season with 322.1 yards, a huge improvement compared to 34th place last year (302.5 yards). He argued, "Hitting far makes the next shot easier and allows you to get closer to the hole." In this tournament, he also unleashed an average long drive of 336.30 yards.

Matthew Wolff, known for his 'twist swing,' finished second (even par 280). Although he made an eagle on the 9th hole (par 5), he collapsed with five bogeys and a double bogey on the 16th hole (par 4), finishing 5-over-par. World No. 1 Dustin Johnson tied for 6th place (5-over-par 285), while No. 3 Justin Thomas (USA) and Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) tied for 8th place (6-over-par 286). Korea's Im Sung-jae (22, CJ Logistics) performed well, finishing 22nd (9-over-par 289).