Bryson DeChambeau's bunker shot, explained: How golfer improbably made the 'shot of [his] life' at 2024 U.S. Open

Jacob Camenker

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Bryson DeChambeau's bunker shot, explained: How golfer improbably made the 'shot of [his] life' at 2024 U.S. Open image

Bryson DeChambeau was presented an opportunity on the final hole of the 2024 U.S. Open when Rory McIlroy missed what looked like an easy par putt from inside four feet.

McIlroy and DeChambeau were tied entering the final hole, so the Northern Irishman's bogey presented the American a chance to win with a score of par or better.

DeChambeau's first two shots made that mark look unlikely. He drove his tee shot well left into Pinehurst's native-area rough and hit his approach shot into one of the worst spots on the 18th hole: A bunker 55 yards from the green.

Many believed DeChambeau would have to scramble to save bogey. Instead, he hit his difficult bunker shot within four feet of the hole.

The shot will be a lasting memory for all who witnessed it at the 2024 U.S. Open. Even DeChambeau, who has played professionally since 2016, isn't sure he's ever hit a better shot than that.

"That bunker shot was the shot of my life," DeChambeau said after his U.S. Open win.

MORE: Explaining the Bryson DeChambeau-Payne Stewart connection

Bryson DeChambeau's bunker shot, explained

Just how unlikely was DeChambeau's bunker shot? The 55-yarder had roughly a 1.7 percent chance of hitting the ball within four feet of the hole, per Lou Stagner.

DeChambeau did that, as the ball came to rest three feet, 11 inches away from the hole.

What makes DeChambeau's improbable shot even more impressive is that he has admitted it is the exact type of stroke that tends to give him trouble. In his LIV Golf Profile, he was asked which shot gives him the most difficulty, and his answer was "the 60-yard bunker shot."

That's part of the reason he was kicking himself for failing to stop his second shot on the fairway. 

"One of the worst places I could have been," DeChambeau thought when first looking at his ball, per Golf Digest.

DeChambeau may have had a point, but the calm confidence of his caddie Greg Bodine helped him realize he could still nail the shot.

"G-Bo just said, 'Bryson, just get it up-and-down. That’s all you’ve got to do. You’ve done this plenty of times before. I’ve seen some crazy shots from you from 50 yards out of a bunker,'" DeChambeau detailed.

None of the shots Bodine referenced were quite as unlikely or important as DeChambeau's strike on the 18th hole at Pinehurst, but the golfer still managed to make a near-perfect strike that will live on as one of the best in U.S. Open history.

MORE: How missed putts cost Rory McIlroy a win at the 2024 U.S. Open

Bryson DeChambeau bunker shot video with Johnson Wagner

Of course, DeChambeau wasn't the only one to hit a beautiful shot out of that bunker. He helped golf commentator and PGA Tour golfer Johnson Wagner do the same after the U.S. Open was won.

During Golf Channel's postgame show, Wagner attempted to recreate DeChambeau's incredible bunker shot. Wagner's first attempt presumably sailed over the green, though cameras couldn't capture it in the dark.

Then, DeChambeau swung by with the U.S. Open trophy and offered to coach up Wagner. The result? Wagner actually got the ball closer to the hole than DeChambeau.

Wagner's shot came with considerably less pressure than DeChambeau's, but seeing Wagner and DeChambeau celebrate the maneuver made for a great finish to the U.S. Open.

So too did the revelation that DeChambeau had placed some sand from the bunker into the U.S. Open trophy as a memento for his second major victory.

"That sand is from this bunker shot," DeChambeau said. "I'll forever have that sand in my house."

Jacob Camenker

Jacob Camenker Photo

Jacob Camenker first joined The Sporting News as a fantasy football intern in 2018 after his graduation from UMass. He became a full-time employee with TSN in 2021 and now serves as a senior content producer with a particular focus on the NFL. Jacob worked at NBC Sports Boston as a content producer from 2019 to 2021. He is an avid fan of the NFL Draft and ranked 10th in FantasyPros’ Mock Draft Accuracy metric in both 2021 and 2022.