More major hurt for Rory McIlroy as two missed putts in the closing three holes allows Bryson DeChambeau to claim second US Open title

Rory McIlroy waves after making a putt on the 10th hole during the final round of the U.S. Open

​McIlroy started the round three shots behind leader DeChambeau and teed off at 7.10pm alongside American Patrick Cantlay.

A solid tee shot at the first presented McIlroy with an outside chance of a birdie and he would make the perfect start by finding the bottom of the cup from 20 feet to move within two strokes of the lead.

Chances would come and go for McIlroy at the next two holes as the chasing packs all started to drop shots as Tyrrell Hatton and Ludvig Aberg started badly at Pinehurst.

Overnight leader DeChambeau would make a steady start as he parred the first three holes but he would bogey the fourth after hitting his second shot over the green, a result which prompted an unhappy query to his caddie.

“What are we doing dude? It’s an eight iron all day,” DeChambeau complained to Gregory Bodine as McIlroy would move to within a shot of the lead.

However, a second shot into the 5th would cruelly go off the green and present McIlroy problems. From a poor lie, McIlroy could only chip his ball into the bunker in front of him and, after splashing out to 20 feet, narrowly failed to hole the par putt, allowing DeChambeau to go two shots ahead yet again.

The fifth would then cause DeChambeau some concern as a loose tee-shot resulted in the LIV Golf member to fire a second into the bunker. However, he was able to get up and down to remain -6.

With McIlroy a hole ahead on the sixth, a 7 iron would give him an eye for a birdie but unfortunately, his putt failed to yield a birdie as he stayed at -4.

Elsewhere, Cantlay, Matthieu Pavon and Hideki Matsuyama were all within four shots of the lead as they aimed to close down the leaders.

A “really poor shot” was the call by Paul McGinley on Sky Sports as McIlroy’s approach into seven fails to find the green but McIlroy salvages a par, with Cantlay finding a three to move to -4 and in a tie for second.

DeChambeau missed a good chance to move three shots clear as his birdie attempt was close on the seventh, with McIlroy yet again showing great recovery skills to record a par on eight.

Two great shots into the par 3 ninth presented birdie opportunities for Cantlay and McIlroy, with Rory converting his to move to -5 as Cantlay remained at -4.

DeChambeau would have problems at the eighth as a tee-shot finds trouble. However, the 2020 US Open would let out a roar as he saved his par.

McIlroy would then move joint-top of the leaderboard with a cracking putt from distance with a birdie on 10, with Cantlay also closing the gap as he also sunk his effort to move to -5.

As the entire field entered the business end of the US Open now by starting the back nine, DeChambeau moved ahead again by converting a birdie put on 10 to go -7.

McIlroy and Cantlay would both have to settle for a par at the 11th, with DeChambeau also carding a four at the same hole after a thunderous tee-shot found the rough.

At the 12th, Cantlay was unable to save his par after failing to find the green in regulation to move back to -4, but McIlroy would have further joy as another birdie would be on the card to join DeChambeau on -7.

As the chase for the trophy looked like it was now a two-way chase, McIlroy would drive the 13th green on the par 4 and was able to get up and down for another birdie and top the leaderboard at -8.

That birdie would be coupled with DeChambeau being unable to save his par at the 12th, meaning the Northern Irishman was two shots clear in his bid to finally land a fifth major.

The tee on the par-four 13th had been pushed forward to tempt players to drive the green and DeChambeau’s tee shot landed in the heart of the dance floor – where he made a birdie and move to -7.

McIlroy’s short game would be put to the test on the 14th after a wayward tee shot, but a lovely chip and putt allowed the 35-year-old to card a par, with Cantlay maintaining his pursuit on -5.

The Sky Sports commentators acknowledge McIlroy’s “positive demeanour” during the final round, with DeChambeau also posting a four on the 14th to ensure the gap was still a single stroke.

McIlroy’s approach to the par-three 15th hit a “rock-hard” green, with the ball finding the rough at the back of the putting surface. Sir Nick Faldo called Rory’s shot “ridiculously difficult” as he was unable to save a par as he moved back to -7 and tied with DeChambeau at the top of the leaderboard.

Despite the chase looking like a two-horse race, Cantlay remained in the hunt two strokes behind on -5.

It would be DeChambeau’s time to play the 15th and Faldo labelled his approach as “a great shot” as he found the middle of the green. A 25-foot putt went abegging and the American then missed his par conversion as McIlroy led by a single stroke.

That gifted McIlroy the advantage, but he lost it immediately after amazingly missing from two feet for par on the 16th.

Both DeChambeau and McIlroy would par the 17th, leaving it down to the last where Rory inexcusably missed another short putt for par as he finished -5.

DeChambeau knew a par would be enough to win his second major title and he duly obliged despite sending his tee-shot horribly wide and his second into the bunker.