The Sportsletter - A Payne-Filled Pinehurst Finish ⛳️

BY JEFF YODER

JUNE 17, 2024 | SUBSCRIBE | WEB VIEW

Welcome Back 👋

And a late Happy Father’s Day! A busy weekend of sports concluded with one epic Father’s Day moment on Sunday at Pinehurst. It was a story of heartbreak and triumph that felt like a movie for golf fans.

Plus, there would be no sweeps in the NBA and Stanley Cup Finals. I’ll admit we left the Mavericks and Oilers for dead on Friday. With their backs against the wall, both trailing 3-0, they delivered Game 4 blowouts nobody saw coming. We’ll tell you about it. But first...

Letter Rip!

GOLF ⛳️

A Payne-Filled Pinehurst Finish

Photo: Tracy Wilcox / Getty Images

Bryson DeChambeau — Carried by Father’s Day & Payne Stewart — Makes 18th-Hole Sand Save to Win the U.S. Open By 1 Stroke

Some storylines write themselves. It was 1999 when SMU grad and flat-cap-wearing Payne Stewart hit the famous putt on Hole 18 to win the U.S. Open at Pinehurst by one stroke. Later that fall, Stewart was killed in an aviation accident, but his golf legacy transcends time thanks to that iconic clip.

Fast forward 25 years. Another flat-cap-wearing SMU grad, Bryson DeChambeau, began his Sunday quest for the U.S. Open Trophy at Pinehurst with a three-stroke lead. His play was head-and-shoulders above the competition through three rounds. His fan base louder, too. But DeChambeau faltered throughout Sunday, slicing drives into the wire grass at every turn. Meanwhile Rory McIlroy was torching the first 13 holes en route to a two-stroke lead (a five-stroke swing). It was McIlroy (-8) and DeChambeau (-6) with just three holes to play. This fairytale looked over, but Rory bogeyed three of his last four holes, including two missed putts from inside four feet. The latter an earth-shattering collapse on the 18th. McIlroy (-5) entered the clubhouse five-under. But in the final group, 400 yards back, was DeChambeau (-6)… And he was on a mission.

DeChambeau’s 18th: For Payne & Dad

Another mis-hit drive carried Bryson into an unforgiving lie. He had no choice but to chip out from under a tree and into the fairway bunker. From 50-plus yards in a sand trap, one that no golfer had managed to get up-and-down from all weekend, DeChambeau did. He hit a gorgeous sandblast to within five feet and drilled a par-save to erase the pain, for Payne, and fathers everywhere. DeChambeau’s father passed away two years ago. It was his second U.S. Open win, but the first since he lost his dad. He grabbed the trophy, put on the Payne Stewart flat-cap, and pointed to the sky as he shed a tear for his idol and father — on Father’s Day, no less. Watch DeChambeau’s Last 2 Shots

Heartbreak at another major for Rory McIlory, but what a moment for Bryson DeChambeau.

Final Leaderboard (U.S. Open)

B. DeChambeau (-6)

R. McIlroy (-5)

P. Cantlay (-4)

T. Finau (-4)

M. Pavon (-3)

H. Matsuyama (-2)

R. Henley (-1)

X. Schauffele (-1)

*Eight Players Below Par is the Most Ever at a Pinehurst-Hosted U.S. Open

Other Notable Scorecards: S. Burns (E), C. Conners (E), L. Aberg (+1), C. Morikawa (+2), B. Koepka (+6), N. Shipley (+6), A. Scott (+7), C. Smith (+7), J. Spieth (+8), S. Scheffler (+8) | Full Leaderboard

Watch: Sunday Highlights at the U.S. Open

Watch: Bryson DeChambeau’s 18th Hole

PGA: Bryson DeChambeau Wins 124th U.S. Open, Evokes Memory of Payne Stewart

NBA FINALS 🏆

Game 4: Doncic, Dallas, Domination

Photo:Stacy Revere / Getty Images

Mavericks Smash Celtics in Game 4 Head-Scratcher (122-84) to Extend NBA Finals

There would be no sweep in the NBA (or NHL) finales over the weekend. Not. Even. Close. The Mavericks showed us something we hadn’t seen through the first three games of the NBA Finals as Dallas dismantled Boston (122-84) with an epic performance in Game 4 on Friday. They led by as many as 48 before emptying the bench and settling for a 38-point win. Luka Doncic (29 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts) and Kyrie Irving (21 pts, 4 rebs, 6 asts) only needed 50 combined points (almost all in the first half) before both teams pulled the starters and lived to fight another day. Jayson Tatum (15 pts) was the C’s leading scorer — yikes.

Could this be a true momentum shift? Or are the Celtics just setting the stage for a celebration tonight at TD Garden?

A Rout for Finals History: The Dallas blowout was the third-largest in NBA Finals history. Only Bulls>Jazz (42 points, 1998) and Celtics>Lakers (39 points, 2008) saw bigger blowouts, but both of those were done by the team who won the title (not trailing 3-0).

Watch: Mavs Smash Celtics in Game 4 (122-84)

BOS Leads NBA Finals (3-1)

Game 5: Tonight (8:30 pm ET, ABC)

Read More

Sporting News: Dallas Pummels Boston in Must-Win Game 4

Yahoo! Sports: Rookie Dereck Lively II Leaving an Impression as Mavs Try to Stay Alive in NBA Finals

STANLEY CUP FINALS 🏆

Game 4: Historic Spoiler Oilers

Photo:Andy Devlin / Getty Images

Connor McDavid (4 Points) Makes History as Oilers Obliterate Panthers (8-1) in Do-Or-Die Game 4

Much like the NBA Finals’ Game 4, the team trailing (3-0) was not going to go quietly. The Oilers gave Edmonton (and Canada) fans something special Saturday night at Rogers Place, blasting the Panthers (8-1) in a ridiculous performance few saw coming. Connor McDavid (1 goal, 3 assists) spearheaded the blowout while Dylan Holloway (2 goals, 1 assist) and Leon Draisaitl (2 assists) joined the fun. Goaltender Stuart Skinner (32 saves, .970%) was brilliant as the Oilers finally found a way past Sergei Bobrovsky. Edmonton thrashed Bob for five goals in 25 minutes before Florida swapped out their star goalie. Overall, this was just a complete stunner to send the Stanley Cup Finals back to Florida for Game 5.

McDavid Makes History: Connor McDavid’s first-ever goal in the Stanley Cup Finals was a cool moment, but his three assists gave him 32 for the playoffs and broke Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record for the most in a single postseason.

Let’s play more hockey!

Watch: Oilers Obliterate Panthers in Game 4 (8-1)

FLA Leads Stanley Cup Finals (3-1)

Game 5: Tuesday (8:00 pm ET, ABC)

SI: Connor McDavid Makes Cool Assist History in Game 4 Blowout for Oilers

SOCCER

Euro 2024: Eriksen's Revival

Photo: DeFodi Images / Getty Images

Matchday 1: Denmark’s Christian Eriksen Scores Opener 3 Years After Cardiac Arrest

The Euros are off and running! And amid opening weekend’s seven matches was a story of heart-warming redemption. Denmark’s Christian Eriksen scored the opening goal of his nation’s Euro 2024 campaign — a back-heel flip from a throw-in fell to Eriksen in striking position. The goal was a thing of beauty and a touching moment for the Danish leader. You may remember Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch at Euro 2020 (played in 2021). He was never expected to play soccer again. Three years later, he scores the Danes’ opening goal? Amazing. Denmark tied Slovenia (1-1). The other six matches helped separate the haves from the have-nots as Germany and Spain flexed their muscles. We’ll learn more in the coming days.

Euro 2024 Scores & Highlights (Match 1s)

🇩🇪 Germany def. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland (5-1)

🇨🇭 Switzerland def. 🇭🇺 Hungary (3-1)

🇪🇸 Spain def. 🇭🇷 Croatia (3-0)

🇮🇹 Italy def. 🇦🇱 Albania (2-1)

🇳🇱 Netherlands def. 🇵🇱 Poland (2-1)

🇩🇰 Denmark draw 🇸🇮 Slovenia (1-1)

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England def. 🇷🇸 Serbia (1-0)

Today’s Schedule

🇷🇴 Romania vs. 🇺🇦 Ukraine (9:00 am ET, Fubo)

🇧🇪 Belgium vs. 🇸🇰 Slovakia (Noon ET, FS1)

🇦🇹 Austria vs. 🇫🇷 France (3:00 pm ET, FOX)