Rolex Testimonee Bryson DeChambeau on defending his U.S. Open title

The hype builds as reigning U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau returns to defend his title at one of golf's landmark competitions. David Ho reports

Rolex Testimonee Bryson DeChambeau is set to return as defending champion at this year’s U.S. Open and is feeling good about his chances. "I’m personally excited for the opportunity to defend. I haven’t been able to defend a tournament in my career and that’s what I intend to do this coming year,” he says.

Running from June 12 to 15 June, the 125th edition of the U.S. Open will take place at one of the great U.S. golf courses - the Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania. It is the same location where back in 1962, Rolex Testimonee Jack Nicklaus claimed his maiden U.S. Open victory in a tense 18-hole playoff against fellow Rolex Testimonee Arnold Palmer, setting the stage for an iconic rivalry. 

This remarkable victory was achieved in Nicklaus’s first year as a professional at just 22 years old. It set him on the path of being a true golfing #legend with a record 18 major championships. If one has any doubt about his credentials, it should be noted that the gold medal that is awarded to the tournament winner since 1895 was officially rebranded the Jack Nicklaus Medal in 2012. 

The U.S. Open has long been the scene of memorable triumphs for an elite band of Rolex Testimonees. “It’s always a great tournament at Oakmont, so I’m excited for the challenge. I played well there last time and look forward to doing so again this year. With the game that I’m coming in with, I feel very confident,” says DeChambeau.

DeChambeau’s victories in 2020 and 2024 makes him part of an exclusive group of players to have won the U.S. Open twice or more. The list includes fellow Rolex Testimonees Nicklaus (1962, 1967, 1972, 1980), Curtis Strange (1988, 1989), Tiger Woods (2000, 2002, 2008) and Brooks Koepka (2017, 2018). 

Memories and anniversaries 

Other Testimonees to have triumphed at the tournament include Arnold Palmer (1960), Gary Player (1965), Tom Watson (1982), Martin Kaymer (2014), Jordan Spieth (2015), Jon Rahm (2021) and Matt Fitzpatrick (2022).

Many members of the Rolex family have fond memories of the event. It has been 10 years since Spieth won both the Masters Tournament and the U.S. Open in 2015, becoming only the sixth player to win both of these prestigious events in a single year.

“I found myself on the last four holes, battling them all really. I kept on having differing thoughts – from believing in my chances of winning to thinking I was going to lose, and then expecting to end in a play-off. That is golf and this is something that occurs especially at the U.S. Open,” recalls Spieth of his 2015 victory. 

“It was probably the most fitting ending to that specific U.S. Open. I just tried to stay very calm, to remain grounded, and appreciative of where I was throughout those months. That night I won, I was surrounded by a lot of family and we were able to celebrate that particular success all together which was nice.”

It has also been 60 years since Gary Player won his U.S. Open title (1965), completing his career major Grand Slam and becoming only the third player to achieve this feat at the time. 

This year also marks 25 years since Woods achieved the remarkable feat of winning the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open in a calendar year, the only player in history to have done so. He followed it up by claiming the Green Jacket at the 2001 Masters Tournament to become the first player in the modern era to hold the title at all four major championships simultaneously – a historic achievement coined the “Tiger Slam”.

The U.S. Open dates back to 1895 when the inaugural championship was played at Newport Country Club, Rhode Island. Conducted annually in June, the tournament features the game’s best amateurs and professionals, vying for the coveted U.S. Open Trophy. 

Also see: Rolex supports photographer Cristina Mittermeier's ocean advocacy