DeChambeau wins Memorial on second extra hole

For the fourth straight year, Bryson DeChambeau leaves Ohio feeling like a winner. This time he has a trophy to show for it, and a handshake with Jack Nicklaus to remember.

DeChambeau finally made it easy on himself the third time playing the 18th hole at the Muirfield Village on Sunday, rolling in a 12foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to beat Byeong Hun An and win the Memorial.

“I can’t believe I did it,” said DeChambeau, a winner for the second time on the PGA Tour.

He had played the Memorial only once before, though the 24-year-old from Clovis has been a regular in central Ohio. He has made it through the 36-hole U.S. Open qualifier each of the last three years. This was far more rewarding.

DeChambeau watched his putt disappear and raised both arms, pumping them as he yelled above the cheers. Many fans lingered at the 18th green after spending much of the final round following Tiger Woods, in case this was the day he returned to winning.

It wasn’t. Woods was never a serious factor and finished in a six-way tie for 23rd.

Kyle Stanley joined DeChambeau and An in the first playoff but was eliminated after a bogey.

“A couple bad breaks on 18,” Stanley said. “I mean in the playoff, if I knock that ball two, three feet right of where it was, I would have had a shot. But after hole 12 my chances were looking pretty slim, so to come back and make some birdies coming in, it’s a bit of a sour finish, but proud of the way I hung in there.”

Former UCLA star Patrick Cantlay also had a chance, leading by two shots going to the back nine. But he didn’t make a birdie over his last 10 holes and finished fourth.