DeChambeau wins the Memorial

By
Mo Yoshimoto,

By
Mo Yoshimoto

Published October 4, 2018 04:04 PM

Memorial Tournament

Dublin, OH

Playing out of the final threesome, overnight leader and World No. 38 Bryson DeChambeau carded a 1-under-par 35-36=71 in Sunday’s final round at Muirfield Village Golf Club to match playing competitor Kyle Stanley (70) and Byeong Hun An (69) on 15-under 273, and then, in his first playoff appearance, beat An with birdie on the second hole of sudden death, the par-4 18^th.

The 24-year-old, a pre-tourney 40/1 outright, claims his second PGA TOUR title in 62 events (57 pro), first since the 2017 John Deere 22 starts ago.

This was his second Memorial after a T38 in 2016 (72-67-69-73), in the field that year as the 2015 U.S. Amateur champion.

DeChambeau and Stanley both bogeyed the par-4 18^th in regulation to drop back into a tie with clubhouse leader An, who as it turns out, could have won in regulation but missed birdie on 18 from 14’11”. An almost finished birdie-birdie after sticking his approach on the par-3 17^th from 172 yards out for a kick-in 2 from 27 inches.

In extra time, Stanley bogeyed the 18^th (again) and was eliminated, while DeChambeau and An scrambled for pars. On the second tour of the 18^th, the remaining duo hit their tee shots in the fairway but An missed the green, while DeChambeau found the surface and knocked home the winner from 11’10”.

Patrick Cantlay, who completed the final 3-ball and led by two at the break, faded to solo 4^th on 14-under 274 (68-69-66-71), one short of the playoff, while TOUR rookie Peter Uihlein finished solo 5^th on 13-under 275 (69-70-70-66), two adrift, closing with bogey-free 66.

DeChambeau, a California native, improves to 14-for-16 on the season with eight top 25s, six top 10s and five top 5s, bettering a solo 2^nd at Bay Hill as a 36-hole co-leader. Speaking of, he’s been a 36-hole leader/co-leader three times this season, most recently at the RBC Heritage, and is 0-for-4 in his career from the midpoint perch.

This was the SMU product’s first 54-hole lead/co-lead and converted.

FUN FACT: DeChambeau now has a 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th-place finish this season.

DeChambeau’s KEY Stats for the Week (ranking of 73):

Scrambling: 16/20 (1^st) at 80.00%

Bogeys: 4 (T1)

Par-3 Scoring: 2.75 (T2)

All Around: 2^nd

Final Leaderboard (pre-tourney odds outright):

P1- Bryson DeChambeau (40/1)

P2- Byeong Hun An (80/1)

P2- Kyle Stanley (80/1)

4- Patrick Cantlay (66/1)

5- Peter Uihlein (100/1)

FUN FACT: Cantlay tied for low-rookie honors here last year (of six) with T35. He’s now 12-for-14 on the season with nine top 25s, five top 10s and three top 5s, highlighted by his maiden (playoff) win at the Shriners.

FUN FACT: Uihlein was low rookie this year (of six) and now has three top 5s this season in 18 events, two in his last three starts (Wells Fargo), and all three top 5s are 5^th-place finishes.

After kicking off with 69-67-66, DeChambeau began with a one-shot lead over three players, including playing competitors Cantlay and Stanley, two clear of An.

He conjured five (of 14) fairways and hit 12 greens in regulation, losing 0.842 strokes off-the-tee, but gaining 0.422 approaching and 0.382 around-the-green.

DeChambeau went out in bogey-free 1-under, circling the par-5 fifth from 10’2”, now solo 2^nd and two back of leader Cantlay, who went out in bogey-free 4-under. Cantlay bogeyed 12, the first of three squares on a birdie-less inward half, while DeChambeau birdied 11 and 12 to take a one-shot lead.

He stalled out from there, however, with four pars and bogey-5s at 14 and 18, the latter a 3-putt version from 56’3”, missing an 8’2” putt for par for the win. DeChambeau posted 1.833 putts per GIR and 0.311 SG: Putting with 29 total putts.

For the week, he tallied 21 birdies versus four bogeys and one double.

FUN FACT: DeChambeau arrived off a T42 last week in Fort Worth. He is the 20^th straight winner this season with either 0 or 1 week off prior to their wins. In total, 26 (of 31) event winners fall into this category. #NoLongLayoffsPlease

DeChambeau’s 2 TOUR wins:

2018: Memorial (54-hole leader)

Shot: 1-under 71

Winning Margin: playoff

Career Start: 62 (57 pro)

Starts Between Wins: 22

2017: John Deere (come from behind, T5, 4-shot deficit)

Shot: 6-under 65

Winning Margin: 1 shot

Career Start: 40 (35 pro); first-time member, not rookie

*Note: DeChambeau’s win at the John Deere was over 36- and 54-hole leader Patrick Rodgers. Rodgers, an Indiana native, finished T8 this week (68-73-68-68).

With a Strength of Field rating of 652 – up from 582 last year – DeChambeau banks 70.00 world-ranking points. Winning the Memorial comes with a three-year TOUR exemption (through 2020-21) and a three-year exemption into THE PLAYERS (2019-21).

FEC Rank: 4^th (UP 18); career high

OWGR: 22^nd (UP 16); career high

Season Form: P1-42-37-4-3-38-2-WD-41-55-5

Starts: 16

Cuts Made: 14

Top 25s: 8

Top 10s: 6

Top 5s: 5

Wins: 1

Runners-Up:

Byeong Hun An: Playing out of the penultimate threesome and eyeing his first TOUR title in 64 events (56 pro), the 26-year-old wrapped with a 3-under 69 and drops to 0-2 in sudden death, joining a loss at the 2016 Zurich, which was reduced to 54 holes. He was 2-over thru his first four holes but then played his final 14 in bogey-free 5-under.

The South Korean, who lives in Orlando, improves to 10-for-14 on the season with six top 25s, three top 10s and two top 5s (T5, Honda). For the week, he totaled 20 birdies against five bogeys and was No. 1 in GIR at 83.33% (60/72). An checked in off a T15 at last week’s BMW PGA in England.

FUN FACT: An was the only player to post all four rounds in the 60s (68-67-69-69). This was his fourth Memorial, third as a pro, and in his last three visits, has recorded 11 of 12 rounds at par or better with 10 of those sub-par laps.

FEC Rank: 46^th (UP 38)

OWGR: 56^th (UP 29)

Season Form: P2-30-63-MC-7-52-14-MC-5-23

Starts: 14

Cuts Made: 10

Top 25s: 6

Top 10s: 3

Top 5s: 2

Kyle Stanley: Playing out of the final threesome, the second-round co-leader concluded with 2-under 70 and drops to 1-2 in extra time.

The 30-year-old was chasing his third TOUR title in 203 events (199 pro), first since the 2017 Quicken Loans, but settles for his third runner-up, first since a P2 at the 2012 Farmers.

This was his sixth Memorial, third top 25 and third top 10, second straight (T6/2017), and betters a solo 3rd in 2013.

The Clemson product improves to 12-for-15 on the season with nine top 25s and four top 10s, bettering a pair of T5s at the WGC-HSBC and WGC-Match Play. For the week, he posted rounds of 67-66-70-70 and was No.1 in total birdies with 26 against nine bogeys and a double. Unfortunately, one of those bogeys was a walk off and the double came at the par-3 12^th today (water ball). In between, the Washington state native mounted a serious rally with four straight birdies at 14-17.

FEC Rank: 30^th (UP 23)

OWGR: 38^th (UP 11); career high

Season Form: P2-MC-13-52-5-14-25-MC-MC-51

Starts: 15

Cuts Made: 12

Top 25s: 9

Top 10s: 4

Top 5s: 3

Odds Favorite(s):

Three players topped the betting this week as pre-tourney 12/1 outrights: Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy.

Dustin Johnson: In his first action since losing World No. 1 after a T17 at THE PLAYERS three weeks ago, the 33-year-old ended an up-and-down week with a 7-birdie, 2-bogey 67 for T8 on 11-under 277 (72-66-72-67).

FEC Rank: 8^th (UP one)

OWGR: 2^nd (no change)

Season Form: 8-17-16-10-59-7

Starts: 10

Top 25s: 9

Top 10s: 6

Top 5s: 3

Wins: 1

Memorial Form: 8-MC-3-13-46-MC-19-4-33-14-68

Justin Thomas: In his first action as World No. 1, the 25-year-old played his final four holes in 4-under (eagle-birdie-par-birdie) to finish T8 on 11-under 277 (72-69-68-68). The reigning FEC champion remains No. 1 in the FEC standings for a 16^th event in a row and a 15^th overall week this season.

Thomas retakes the season lead in top-25 finishes with 13 in 14 starts. His only non-top-25 finish was a MC at the Zurich teamed with fellow Alabama product Bud Cauley. Cauley, who MC’d this week, was seriously injured in a one-car accident on Friday evening near Muirfield Village. Cauley, a passenger in the vehicle, remains hospitalized in Columbus and had to WD from sectional qualifying for the U.S. Open.

FEC Rank: 1^st (no change)

OWGR: 1^st (no change)

Season Form: 8-11-21-MC-17-4-P2-P1-9-17-14-22-11-P1-17

Starts: 13

Top 25s: 12

Top 10s: 6

Top 5s: 4

Wins: 2

Memorial Form: 8-4-MC-MC-37

Rory McIlroy: Arriving off a solo 2^nd at last week’s BMW PGA Championship in England, the World No. 6 Rory McIlroy wrapped with a five-birdie, two-bogey 69, up three spots to T8 on 11-under 277.

After making the 36-hole cut on the number (74-70), the 29-year-old fired the week’s low round with bogey-free 64 on Saturday. He ranked No. 1 for the week in SG: Around-the-Green (5.630) though 57^th (of 73) in SG: Putting (-1.733).

FEC Rank: 31^st (UP five)

OWGR: 6^th (no change)

Season Form: 8-MC-16-5-36-1-MC-59-20-MC

Starts: 10

Top 25s: 5

Top 10s: 3

Top 5s: 2

Wins: 1

Memorial Form: 8-4-15-57-MC-5-10

Player Spotlights:

Jordan Spieth: The World No. 5, a pre-tourney 14/1 outright, sleepwalked to an even-par 72 in the second round and at 3-over-75-72=147, missed the cut by three shots.

It’s his first MC at the Memorial in six tries and his fourth MC of the season in 15 starts, already surpassing last year’s MC total of three in 23 events.

For the short week, the 24-year-old ranked 26^th in SG: Putting (1.841) but 108^th in SG: Approach (-4.154) and 98^th in SG: Around-the-Green (-1.435). He mustered eight birdies against seven bogeys and two doubles. Of the top 14 players in the field in OWGR, he was the only one to MC.

Season Form: MC-32-21-41-MC-3-3-17-MC-14-9-20-MC

Starts: 15

Top 25s: 9

Top 10s: 4

Top 5s: 2

Wins: 0

Chesson Hadley: The 2017 Web.com Tour Player of the Year finished T40 on 5-under 283 (73-70-71-69). He entered the week with a TOUR-leading seven straight top-25 finishes. The new leaders in that category are now Jimmy Walker (idle) and Henrik Stenson (T13) with six each.

Season Form: 40-20-11-16-4-20-7-18-49

Starts: 20

Top 25s: 12 (ranked 2^nd to Justin Thomas’ 13)

Top 10s: 6

Top 5: 5

Wins: 0

Justin Rose: Last week’s winner in Fort Worth began R4 in solo 6^th and four back. Playing out of the penultimate threesome, he treaded water with a four-birdie, two-bogey 70 for T6 (71-66-69-70), his fifth straight top-25 finish. For the week, the 37-year-old totaled 21 birdies versus nine bogeys.

Season Form: 6-1-23-19-12-52-3-5-37-8-1

Starts: 11

Cuts Made: 11

Top 25s: 9

Top 10s: 6

Top 5s: 4

Wins: 2

FEC Rank: 2^nd (no change)

OWGR: 3^rd (no change)

Joaquin Niemann: Making his tournament debut, the 19-year-old, in on a sponsor invite, needed birdie on the 72^nd hole to secure Special Temporary Membership and did just that, canning a 16’11” birdie-3 to conclude an up-and-down 73 (five birdies, two bogeys, two doubles) out of the penultimate threesome. That bumped him from a would-be T7 to T6 on 12-under 276 (65-68-70-73). He needed a solo 7^th or better.

The Chilean, who was a first- and second-round co-leader, tallied one eagle and 23 birdies against nine bogeys and two doubles and is now eligible for unlimited sponsor exemptions for the remainder of the season. This was Niemann’s eighth career event, sixth of the season (fifth pro), and already has three top 10s. He is in the published field at this coming week’s FedEx St. Jude. Niemann was top debutant (of 24) this week.

Non-member FEC Rank: 2^nd (UP two)

OWGR: 223^rd (UP 183); career high

Season Form: 6-8-MC-MC-6-MC

Tiger Woods: At one point in R3, the five-time past champ was tied for the lead on 11-under but played his final 20 holes in 2-over, outbalancing three birdies with five bogeys, including three, 3-putts and a missed par-saver from 39 inches. Ranked No. 1 for the week in SG: Approach (11.164), Proximity to Hole (23’8”) and SG: Tee-to-Green (14.157), but 65^th (of 73) in SG: Off-the-Tee (-1.983) and 72^nd in SG: Putting (-7.695). After beginning the final round T7, finished T23 on 9-under 279 (72-67-68-72). The 42-year-old totaled two eagles and 17 birdies against 10 bogeys and one double.

FEC Rank: 50^th (UP four)

OWGR: 80^th (UP three)

Season Form: 23-11-55-32-5-2-12-MC-23

Field Scoring Average:

Yardage: 7,392

Par: 72 (36-36)

Cumulative scoring averages:

R1: 72.56

R2: 70.46

R3: 71.17

R4: 71.27

Total: 71.40

DeChambeau: 69-67-66-71 for 12.46 SG: Total

*Note: R2 was delayed for 1 hour, 28 minutes due to inclement weather

DeChambeau’s Position by Round:

R1: T16

R2: T4

R3: 1

R4: T1

Leader/co-leaders by Round:

R1: Abraham Ancer (finished T57): Drops to 0-for-1 as 18-hole leader/co-leader

R1: Joaquin Niemann (finished T6): Drops to 0-for-1

R1: Hideki Matsuyama (finished T13): Drops to 1-for-5

R2: Kyle Stanley (finished P2): Drops to 0-for-4 as 36-hole leader/co-leader

R2: Joaquin Niemann (finished T6): Drops to 0-for-1

R3: Bryson DeChambeau (P1): Improves to 1-for-1 as 54-hole leader/co-leader

R4: Bryson DeChambeau (P1): Playoff Record: 1-0

R4: Byeong Hun An (P2): Playoff Record: 0-2

R4: Kyle Stanley (P2): Playoff Record: 1-2

Note: Of the last 10 non-team events, NINE were won by a 54-hole leader/co-leader, six straight. Satoshi Kodaira (Heritage) is the most recent come-from-behind winner.

Draw:

A total of 81 pros from a field of 119 pros and 1 amateur made the 36-hole cut of even-par 144:

47 (of 60) EARLY/late

34 (of 60) LATE/early

73 players made the secondary 54-hole cut of even-par 216

12 players finished in the top 10:

EARLY/late (9):

Bryson DeChambeau (P1); Byeong Hun An (P2); Kyle Stanley (P2); Patrick Cantlay (4^th); Peter Uihlein (5^th); Justin Rose (T6); Joaquin Niemann (T6); Justin Thomas (T8); Rickie Fowler (T8)