Why Bryson DeChambeau’s US Open defence was even worse than you thought
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Bryson DeChambeau arrived at Oakmont looking to defend his US Open crown, but instead made unwanted history by missing the cut.
There’s never a good time to miss the cut at a major, but doing it as the defending champion? That’s brutal. You arrive riding high, ready to defend your crown, and end up packing your bags before the weekend, forced to watch on television as someone else lifts the trophy you came to keep.
Unfortunately for Bryson DeChambeau, that’s exactly how his 2025 US Open went, as he became one of several big names to miss the cut at Oakmont.
Just a year after thrilling fans with his victory at Pinehurst, DeChambeau became only the eighth player this century to miss the cut in their US Open title defence – and the first since Gary Woodland in 2020.
It’s a sharp contrast to his previous defence. After winning at Winged Foot in 2020, DeChambeau managed a respectable T26 finish at Torrey Pines the following year. This time, there was no such silver lining.

How the last 25 US Open winners have fared in their defence
YEAR | CHAMPION | DEFENCE |
2024 | Bryson DeChambeau | MC |
2023 | Wyndham Clark | T56 |
2022 | Matt Fitzpatrick | T17 |
2021 | Jon Rahm | T12 |
2020 | Bryson DeChambeau | T26 |
2019 | Gary Woodland | MC |
2018 | Brooks Koepka | 2 |
2017 | Brooks Koepka | 1 |
2016 | Dustin Johnson | MC |
2015 | Jordan Spieth | T37 |
2014 | Martin Kaymer | MC |
2013 | Justin Rose | T12 |
2012 | Webb Simpson | T32 |
2011 | Rory McIlroy | MC |
2010 | Graeme McDowell | T14 |
2009 | Lucas Glover | T58 |
2008 | Tiger Woods | T6 |
2007 | Ángel Cabrera | MC |
2006 | Geoff Ogilvy | T42 |
2005 | Michael Campbell | MC |
2004 | Retief Goosen | T11 |
2003 | Jim Furyk | T48 |
2002 | Tiger Woods | T20 |
2001 | Retief Goosen | MC |
2000 | Tiger Woods | T12 |