US Open 2024: final round – live | US Open

“What are we doing, dude?!” cries the leader. DeChambeau’s approach to the 4th bounces through the green and he’s not happy with the club selection. Implication: it’s the caddie’s fault.

Missed green trouble for the penultimate group at 4. Cantlay, from sand, has 6 feet for par. McIlroy chips to 4 feet and Paul McGinley, on Sky Sports, is impressed. Cantlay misses his par saver, McIlroy makes no mistake.

A birdie for Pavon at 3 get him back to level-par for the round. How much is a good caddie worth? In the recently published book ‘The Secret Tour Caddy’ the anonymous author notes, among many nuggets of info, that he and his colleagues were somewhat disappointed when Matthieu Pavon and his long-time caddie went their separate ways after last year’s BMW PGA Championship. He was replaced by current bagman (the very experienced Mark ‘Woody’ Sherwood) and the caddie community soon accepted the best decision had been made because the pair won on their third start in Spain and won again on the PGA Tour in January. I messaged TSC today and he said that Pavon, “always had the potential but the minute he gets Woody on the bag suddenly he starts winning. Like everyone knew he would, apart from himself! Woody has really got rid of the mistakes on the course.” It’s going very well this week.

Thanks, Dave. So, England are playing in the European Championship and English golfers, who might be interested in the result, are playing a major – sound familiar? It might be for Sky Sports commentator Laura Davies. Back in 1996 the final round of the Evian Masters (as it was then – it has since been retitled a championship and become a major) coincided with the Euro 96 quarter final between England and Spain. LD watched the match on a portable TV and was fined. She was gloriously unrepentant, however, and said the €50 fine was worth it. She also won the event.

And while I sit down for a bit of Father’s Day pizza and flick my eyes between the golf and the England game, I’ll hand you over to Matt Cooper for the next couple of hours.

Booming drive by McIlroy finds the fairway at 4. It’s been a heartening start for Rory. Meanwhile, you can find coverage of England v Serbia right here.

Is US PGA winner Xander Schauffele still in this? Birdies at 3 and 7 after an opening bogey have lifted him to even par. That’s still seven behind the man he pipped at Valhalla but there are only five players above Schauffele on the leaderboard now. A two-putt par for Rory at 3 keeps him two behind DeChambeau.

-7: DeChambeau (2)
-5 McIlroy (2)
-4: Cantlay (2)
-3: Pavon (2)
-2: Matsuyama (1)
E: Thompson (7), Schauffele (7), Kim (5), Aberg (3)

Pavon is in danger of also dropping a shot at 2 but he ranks 1st for Strokes Gained: Putting this week and rolls in the par putt to remain at -3. That’s four behind playing partner and leader DeChambeau who shows off his nifty chipping skills for an easy par save at the second. A par-par start is just fine, especially with so many others making mistakes beneath him – apart from Rory!

A bit late but here are the pin positions today.

And this is a nice touch…

It seems that Dechambeau cracked his driver head on the driving range although perhaps he’ll be less affected than most given how much clobber he carries around and tinkers with. He’ll need to get his short-game skills going at 2 after missing the green left.

Hatton’s 5-6-5 start has cost him four shots in the first three holes and a spiral down the leaderboard to tied 18th. Pinehurst has got him. Morikawa and Conners are also suffering, both +2 for the day and now the tournament after four holes. At least there’s a slither of good news for Aberg after his triple at 2. The Swede has bounced back with a birdie at 3 and is now tied sixth alongside Finau and Thompson at even par.

Ouch. Pavon three-putts the 1st to give one away cheaply. DeChambeau makes his par, as does Rory after finding the green at 2. There are now just five players under par as Pinehurst continues to flash its teeth.

-7: DeChambeau (1)
-5 McIlroy (2)
-4: Cantlay (1)
-3: Pavon (1)
-2: Matsuyama (1)
E: Thompson (6), Finau (3)

Scottie Scheffler’s trying week comes to an end. Well, at least he avoided arrest. Not that four straight over-par rounds of 71-74-71-72 and a tally of +8 will do much for his mood. The haircut that left him far too shorn wasn’t great either. Move on to the next one. That’ll be the Open Championship at Royal Troon in July.

DeChambeau’s approach from a divot is nicely judged. He finds the green and in a similar place to where Rory just made birdie. Matthieu Pavon changes clubs as a gust of wind comes up. “It’s downwind now,” says his caddie. The Frenchman pulls the trigger and he’s also in that 20 feet left of the flag range. At the 2nd, Aberg’s tournament is unravelling. He made a triple at the 13th yesterday, a massive punch to the gut, and he’s just scribbled another ‘7’ on his card at the par-4. In the blink of an eye he drops eight behind DeChambeau.

It’s Bryson time! The three-shot leader also goes with iron – a popular play – and finds the short … oh, wait, it lands in a divot. And an ugly one at that. Up at the green there’s a huge roar as McIlroy gets the start he wanted so badly: a birdie courtesy of a 20-foot putt. That could be a huge moment. Rory has struggled to get out of second gear in recent final rounds with a major on the line but he’s up and running here. The Northern Irishman cuts DeChambeau’s lead to two. Game on!

Lots of talk that the course is playing a little easier and could yield something in the mid-60s but where’s the evidence? Still there’s no round – either completed or live – that is better than -2 for the day … although, scrub that! Tommy Fleetwood has just birdied 13 to go -3 for his round and +2 overall. The 2018 US Open runner-up is up to tied 16th and, gulp, he’s been joined there, but not in a good way, by compatriot Tyrrell Hatton, who has started bogey, double bogey.

Here goes Rory! McIlroy goes with iron off the 1st tee and draws one nicely into the middle of the fairway. Up at the green, Åberg and Matsuyama hole putts from 8 feet and 5 feet respectively to save par. Time for a leaderboard update although there’s not much to show yet.

-7: DeChambeau (-)
-4: Pavon (-), McIlroy (-), Cantlay (-)
-2: Matsuyama (1), Åberg (1)
-1: Finau (1)
E: Hatton (1)

The chasing pack can’t afford mistakes but that’s easier said than done at Pinehurst. Tom Kim has followed an opening birdie with back-to-back-bogeys while Morikawa has given one back at 2. Both drop to +1 and eight behind DeChambeau. That looks quite a gap now.

Some last-minute alterations from the man nicknamed ‘The Scientist’ ahead of his NASA launch in 12 minutes’ time.

We’ve not seen any footage yet but there could well be steam coming out of Tyrrell Hatton’s ears after a bogey at the opening hole. An approach that never found the green was the culprit there. Hatton’s hopes of coming from six back have suffered a major dent as he drops back to evens. It’a par for playing partner Tony Finau, who stays at -1. The opening five holes present several birdie chances so you sense that Hatton will have to find something at the 3rd and 5th, the two most obvious opportunities.

Nick Faldo in the Sky commentary box is talking us through how he would approach the situation facing Bryson DeChambeau today: entering the final round with a three-shot lead. Not surprisingly, the six-time major winner’s tactic would be “head down, blinkers on”. That’s obviously a stark contrast to what we’ve seen from DeChambeau this week. At one stage Bryson was even signing autographs during his round yesterday but will the winks and gurns to camera continue today with the heat on? Faldo suspects not although, put under the gun to name the winner, Faldo admits: “I’ve got a feeling that Bryson will find a way.” Fun fact: Faldo never won a US Open. His best was runner-up on just his second appearance in 1988.

Just a two-putt par for Morikawa at the 1st hole keeps him at even par. He’s been joined there by Canadian Taylor Pendrith, who has birdied the second hole after a sumptious approach and now has a 12-footer for another red circle at 3. Back at the 2nd, Tom Kim will need to hole from just over six feet to par and stay at -1. Can any of this trio get in the hunt later today?

Collin Morikawa shot the low round of the day on Saturday, a well-crafted 4-under 66 that elevated him up to tied ninth and seven back. At the 1st, his approach from the middle of the fairway lands pin high and around 20 feet left of the flag. A chance for the double major champion and runner-up at week’s Memorial Tournament to make an immediate gain.

A tough last 20 minutes for Nicolai Hojgaard. He’s dropped a fourth shot of the day to slump to +9 and Denmark have conceded an equaliser against Slovenia. Better news though for Tom Kim, the Korean who (true story) named himself after Thomas The Tank Engine. Good job it wasn’t Spongebob Squarepants who won his heart as a toddler. Kim, the runner-up in last summer’s Open at Hoylake after a fast finish, has birdied the 1st and moved to -1 for the tournament and tied seventh. Could the 21-year-old produce something spectacular today?

It’s an odd dynamic for the world’s best golfers playing out the final round down among the stragglers. Perform poorly in tennis and you’re going home. In golf, the frustration of not being at your best is dragged out. You’re playing on the weekend and yet know in your heart of hearts that you have absolutely no chance of winning, the thing you came here to do. Scottie Scheffler and five-time major winner Brooks Koepka are suffering this feeling right now. Perhaps it explains why they seem to be rather going through the motions, both +1 after 13 holes today and sharing 39th place a whopping 14 shots off the lead.

In the battle for top amateur, Neal Shipley has edged in front of playing partner Luke Clanton. Both started at +4 and Shipley, who traded an opening birdie with a dropped shot at 2, has remained there after five holes. Clanton is now one back after a bogey at 4.

Where’s that low round today? No-one is better than 2-under for the card. Tommy Fleetwood once closed with a stunning 7-under 63 in a US Open won with 1-over (Shinnecock 2018) so maybe the runner-up from six years ago is the one who can go low. He’s made a good start in that respect having reached the turn in 2-under 33 after red numbers at 5 and 9. That’s taken the Englishman, who is still searching for a first major win, to tied 20th overall on +3. He’s been joined there by 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry, who is -2 for the day after 8.

A couple of early birdies for Russell Henley (2nd) and Davis Thompson (1st) have taken the American duo to +1 for the tournament. That’s currently tied 12th, eight behind DeChambeau, so both are on track for a decent share of this daft amount of wonga.

Nicolai Hojgaard was the only Dane to make the cut and he may be a tad frustrated to be missing Denmark’s Euro 2024 opener against Slovenia. I expect the Manchester United fan will be following the live Guardian blog on his phone, snatching crafty glances on each tee box and perhaps fist-pumping after Christian Eriksen’s first-half opener. While it remains 1-0 to Denmark, his own score isn’t bringing the same joy. The Ryder Cup star is +3 for the day after 10 and +8 overall, putting him in tied 50th. Nicolai was runner-up to Matthieu Pavon in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in California. earlier this year.

Thanks Matt. As I write this, Justin Lower has just completed a solid round of 70. A player I’d like to see Bruce Forsyth say ‘hiya’ to.

Time for me to hand you back to Dave. As I do so, TV shows Patrick Cantlay making his way to the range. He’s playing with Rory McIlroy today. It’s a delicious sub-plot for the final round after their experiences at the Ryder Cup and reputed frosty relationship.

A pub quiz question for you. Which player in the field links the US Open and the European Championship? This one is a bit tentative but it’s Matthieu Pavon. Currently tied 2nd on the leaderboard, his father Michel played football for Toulouse and Bordeaux.

Do you believe in the Theory of Golfing Progression? Rory McIlroy’s recent US Open record reads: 9th in 2019, 8th in 2020, 7th in 2021, 5th in 2022 and 2nd last year. He’s only got one way to go, right?!? (Or does defeat via a play-off count as another agonising step towards the inevitable?)

Four players are 2-under out on the course. It’s the best score out there at the moment. One of them is Ireland’s Shane Lowry and it gets him upto T20. If he stays in the top 20 it will be his fifth in the last seven majors and nice preparation for the Open at Royal Troon next month.

What do you suppose the contenders will be thinking about during the final round? 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell once asked me if I could guess what he was thinking of when he went head-to-head with Tiger Woods down the back nine that Sunday. It turns out he would prepare for each tournament with mini targets like hitting 80% of greens in regulation. He’d also think of a reward and on the plane to the States that June he decided his prize for a top 10 would be a second-hand Porsche. He even wrote 997 (the model he desired) on his ball. On Friday evening he upgraded to a new one and on Saturday to a better model. And down the stretch? “I wasn’t visualising lifting the trophy or beating Tiger, I was visualising my new car – the brake calipers, the wheel arches, the exhaust!” His delight in this tale was terrific and he added that the mayor of Brighton, where he lived at the time, gave him the keys to the city which, coincidentally, granted him free parking.

The 2014 US Open champion at Pinehurst, Germany’s Martin Kaymer, has completed his tournament. Talking to TV afterwards about the pressure the leaders will experience later on today he said: “The intensity is different to normal PGA Tour events. It’s very, very difficult. It’s about not making big mistakes. And the pin position on 18 – there will not be many birdies there. ” Kaymer played with Sepp Straka who actually did make birdie at 18 (via a 30-foot putt admittedly). Not a 2, alas (see 17:12).

Min Woo Lee left the first tee 30 minutes ago and he’s opened with two pars. The Aussie started the final round in a share of 25th and it’s familiar territory for him. Should he remain in the top 30 by the end of play it will be the eighth he has recorded in the 11 majors since the start of 2022. He was tied fifth in this championship 12 months ago in LA which remains his best finish.

Frenchman Matthieu Pavon contending this evening reminds me of this lovely little video made during the final round of the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach. It follows Jeff Lucquin (who denied Rory McIlroy a first professional win at Crans in 2008) as he watches his friend Gregory Havret play with Tiger Woods and very nearly tie the winner Graeme McDowell. It’s not in English and has no subtitles but it is friendship not French you need to understand to appreciate these few minutes of pure charm. The contrast between Lucquin and Havret is just wonderful. The former chews his fist, adopts the foetal position, is often on the verge of tears and, at one stage, repeats the word “Allez” in a desperate mantra. Meanwhile Havret strolls around as if he’s off to buy a couple of croissants from his favourite boulangerie.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xdrgo9

Disappointment for Austria’s Sepp Straka and Italy’s Francesco Molinari. Of a kind. Both were chasing the completion of an odd set of numbers today. They both made holes-in-one at the 9th before the cut and also have a 3, a 4, a 5, a 6 and a 7 on their cards for the week. A 2 today and they’d have been entitled to shout: “House!” Molinari couldn’t manage it and Straka needs to hole his second at 18 to tickle no-one’s fancy but my own.

Thank you Dave and good afternoon everyone. Dave has just mentioned some of the big numbers that US Open 54-hole leaders have carded in recent times and Bryson DeChambeau, although he won the 2020 championship, has gone sub-74 just twice in seven US Open Sundays. A little bit of hope for the chasers maybe.

Righty, I’m going to have a break for an hour and use a double TV system to watch the golf and catch some Slovenia v Denmark too. Check our live blog on that one here! In the meantime, I’ll hand you over to Matt Cooper.

A few more stats to try and frame DeChambeau’s position and chances of victory. It’s far from a given that he wins his second US Open later this evening.

By the way, Shane Lowry (Oakmont 2016), Dustin Johnson (Pebble Beach 2010) and Retief Goosen (here at Pinehurst in 2005) were the three who blew those leads. Lowry shot a 76, DJ an 82 and Goosen an 81. Blimey! Those are some collapses! Goosen was a double US Open champion at the time as well!

Perhaps a 65 is optimistic as no-one on the course is better than -2 for the day. A couple of rounds in the 60s have been recorded: a 2-under 68 by SH Kim and a 1-under 69 from 2022 US Open champ Matt Fitzpatrick. Sweden’s Tim Widing (tied 20th), Matt Kuchar (tied 40th) are 2-under for their rounds through 5 and 10 holes respectively.

No change of gear from Scottie Scheffler today. Five pars and a bogey in his first six holes so far. Wayne Riley, who admits he had a picture of Seve Ballesteros on his wall growing up, reckons there’s a 5-under 65 to be had today although qualifies his prediction by adding that it’s more likey to come from the morning starters. A 65 from those lurking six or more back such as Tyrrell Hatton (-1), Tony Finau (-1), Collin Morikawa (Ev) or Tim Kim (Ev) would be interesting if DeChambeau has a wobble.

Is our leader Bryson DeChambeau any good with a lead? Here’s the tale of the tape which shows he’s converted three times on the five occasions when he’s had a piece of the lead. Interesting to note that Cantlay’s name pops up a couple of times.

• 2018 Memorial (outright lead), won in a playoff over Kyle Stanley and Ben An

• 2018 Northern Trust (outright lead), won by 4

• 2018 Shriners Hospitals for Children (tied for lead), won by 1 over Patrick Cantlay

• 2019 3M Open (tied for lead), finished T-2, 1 shot behind Matthew Wolf

• 2021 BMW Championship (tied for lead), lost in a playoff to Patrick Cantlay

It Ain’t Half Hot (hitting 90 degrees and more) at Pinehurst again today which seems a good time to mention the player with the best name in the field this week: Gunnar Broin. I’d like to think he plays piano and is constantly barked at by a demonic Welsh coach. The 22-year-old has made his mark this week as one of three amateurs to make the cut. Gunnar Broin, currently +16, won’t be winning that accolade; instead, the B… O… B.O.Y.S. boys to entertain you are fellow Americans Neal Shipley and Luke Clanton at +4. Intriguingly, they’re paired together, heading out at 12.04 local (17.04 UK).

Here goes the defending champion, Wyndham Clark, at 1. Prior to that stunning victory at Los Angeles Country Club 12 months ago, his record in the majors showed MC-75-MC-MC-76-MC. Since the win: 33-MC-MC. He’s currently tied 33rd here. All very strange given that he’s world No 4 and has an excellent record in big events this season with second places at The Players Championship and Arnold Palmer invitational along with a victory at Pebble Beach. Perhaps a good round today and he can at least tick off another top 20 in a major.

Sporstpeople who have turned their reputations around. You’d have McEnroe in there, a brat who became a loveable rogue with a twinkle in his eye. Beckham as well. Once public enemy No 1 for getting sent off in the 1998 World Cup for flicking a leg but a media darling for over 20 years now. Now we must add Bryson DeChambeau. Previously dismissed as stroppy, entitled and lacking self-awareness, we’re now lapping him up. This clip would have induced eye-rolls not so long back. Instead it seems fun, quirky and engaging.

Some wholesome content. “Daddy might make the top 50 if he pulls his finger out. Is Daddy clever?” Yep, it’s not been Jordan Spieth’s week either, as highlighted just now by a lip out at 5 which leaves him at +9 (tied 52nd).

Another entry for the ‘not your week Scottie’ collection. Scheffler’s 15-foot par putt at 2 is tracking into the centre of the hole but decides ‘nah’ and breaks right across the front of it. A bogey. That’s +7. Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open champion, is going nicely today. He’s -2 for the day after 14 but it’s all rather academic following a 79 yesterday after he’d only just made the cut on the number. Fitzpatrick is +12 and tied 64th.

What can help us decide who wins this thing later today? Gut instinct? An omen? Cold hard facts. Let’s focus on the last of those and note that each of the last four US Open champions ranked among the top 5 in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee for the week. In other words, driving it well is key in this event. How do the four leaders measure up in that department so far?

SG: Off The Tee
DeChambeau – 2nd
Pavon – 20th
McIlroy – 1st
Cantlay – 36th

A tick in the box for DeChambeau and McIlroy but that’s a negative for Cantlay’s chances.

Martin Kaymer, the runaway winner here in 2014, had made a bright start today with birdies at 1 and 5 flashing away among the string of pars. But he’s given both shots back in one go via a double-bogey 5 at the par-3 9th. The German is +10 and in a tie for 57th. Korea’s Seonghyeon (SH) Kim has the best round going so far; he’s -3 after 13 holes. All very welcome after after yesterday’s 83.

It’s a while yet before we see what Bryson, Rory, Patrick and Matthieu throw at us. So what about the early play so far at Pinehurst? Scottie Scheffler was the red-hot favourite coming into this week but he only just made the cut on the number (+5). A 1-over 71 in round three confirmed he’d be among the also-rans this week so can he at least go out on a high today? He’s playing the first alongside young Irishman Tom McKibbin and has a 25-footer for birdie after finding the green. As it stands, world No 1 Scheffler is +6, 13 off DeChambeau’s lead and in a tie for 43rd. His birdie putt looks in but somehow finishes behind the back of the hole. Very much a sums up his week moment.

Preamble