MIKE TIRICO: Ladies and gentlemen, happy Father's Day, and please welcome the winner of the 124th United States Open and the winner of the 1000th USGA championship, two-time U.S. Open champion, Bryson DeChambeau.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the CEO of the USGA, Mr. Mike Whan.
MIKE DAVIS: Anybody have any fun today? To my neighbors in Pinehurst and the Carolina Golf Association, it's pretty clear you are great at three things: Championship golf, friendliest people in the game, and world-class humidity.
You know what makes this place amazing? 225,000 people walked through the gates in the last seven days, 4200 volunteers and 2000 volunteers on a waiting list. NBC covered this event with a team bigger than they take to the Super Bowl. What a week.
If you think this week was as great as we think this week was, there's two people we really need to clap for, the USGA championship committee chair, Kevin Hammer, and the chief championships officer, John Bodenhamer.
When you play a U.S. Open, you're really just hoping for one thing: The greatest track in the world that'll bring out the best in the best golfers in the world.
The highest honor we offer at the USGA is called the EJ Marshall Platter, and that's for preparing a golf course for a true championship, and we don't give it out all the time, but this year we voted unanimously that John Jeffreys and his team at Pinehurst No. 2 deserve the EJ Marshall Platter.
One thing that's clear, when you want a championship like this, you don't do it alone. It's a team effort, and a couple years ago we decided we needed to recognize that team effort. So join me in congratulating the 2024 U.S. Open caddie award winning Greg Bodine. Congratulations, Greg.
Now to recognize our low am and the U.S. Open winner, please welcome me in joining to the stage the USGA president Fred Perpall.
FRED PERPALL: Thank you, Mike. This year's U.S. Open field included 16 amateurs, three who made the cut. Earning low amateur honors with a score of 286, please join me in congratulating Neal Shipley of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Congratulations.
Now it is my honor to welcome the champion of the 124th United States Open and the 1000th USGA championship, with a score of 274, the Jack Nicklaus Gold Medal for the 124th U.S. Open goes to Bryson DeChambeau of Grapevine, Texas.
We are thrilled to present the historic U.S. Open trophy given annually to the winner of the U.S. Open.
MIKE TIRICO: Congratulations, Bryson. I heard you wanted to wear that hat. We'll talk about Payne Stewart and his memory and legacy in a second.
First off, you're reunited with this trophy. Let's discuss when you won in 2020 at Winged Foot. Your walk up 18 was just polite applause like a Thursday morning out on Tour. You didn't have all the fans. That was during COVID. You were engaged with the fans unlike any golfer we've seen before. What was the connection with the fans and you this week? Why was it so powerful for you?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Well, Mike, first off, I want to say happy Father's Day to every father out there. Unfortunately my dad passed a couple years ago, and this one is for him.
Also to Payne Stewart, he was the reason why I went to SMU. He's the reason why I wore the cap. Pony up, that's right. Go SMU. Wow. I just can't thank you guys enough for all the support this week. You guys have meant the world to me. You are the best fans in the world, and I can't thank you enough. What a group of people.
To my team that's growing quite a bit and to my best friends and the people that I love the most, I'm surprised you're here -- not really surprised, but I can't thank you enough for being here. You guys mean the world to me, and I would not be here without you guys. I really appreciate it, team. Thank you, all.
MIKE TIRICO: You have a lead, get to the 13th tee, you're two back. Obviously with where you were and Rory was, you guys could keep an eye on what was going on. Give me your mindset on 13 tee and how you found the way to steer it home.
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Man, I felt like I was hitting the driver pretty well today. It just wasn't starting exactly where I wanted it to. Ultimately on 13, I knew I had to make birdie there to give myself a chance because Rory was going on a heater, and he slipped up a couple on the way coming in, and I just kept staying the course, focused on trying to hit as many fairways as I could, even though I didn't. I was not great today with that.
But I got out of trouble really well, and then, man, I can't believe that up-and-down on the last. That was overall probably the best shot of my life.
I was just trying to land it pretty much where I landed it and run it out to the right. I remember Payne's putt and how it broke up there, and I knew that was obviously huge to get up-and-down to win this prestigious championship that will be the highlight of my life. I still can't believe it. It's unbelievable.
MIKE TIRICO: You become the 23rd individual to win multiple U.S. Opens, one of whom is back here, two-time U.S. Open champion Andy North. You're in a special and select club in American golf. What does it mean to you to have this baby for the second time?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: First off, I'll say to the USGA, thank you for hosting such an incredible event. Mike, you've done a great job. John, fantastic. Fred, you're the man. You know that. I love you, bro.
I'll tell you the most important thing is the greenskeepers and greens crew out here. They did an incredible job keeping this golf course in spectacular shape. Thank you very much for your continuous hard work every single day out here to keep this championship the way it needed to be. Hats off to you.
What it means. I haven't really let it sunk in yet. Tonight I want all of you guys somehow, I want you guys to touch this trophy because I want you to experience what this feels like for me. You were a part of this journey this week, and I want you to be a part of it for the after party.
MIKE TIRICO: All right, the after party is funded by Bryson. Ladies and gentlemen, 2024 and now two-time United States Open champion, Bryson DeChambeau.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports