The best golfers in the world will be at Oakmont Country Club just outside of Pittsburgh this weekend competing in the U.S. Open, one of the greatest tests in golf.
On Monday, golfers began to arrive at the course, getting to work on practice rounds, workout routines, and all of the hard work that goes into winning a golf tournament in the days leading up to their first tee time.
Bryson DeChambeau, the reigning U.S. Open champion, had one extra item on his to-do list at Oakmont—returning the U.S. Open trophy.
“One last time,” DeChambeau said, before kissing the trophy and then placing it on a podium to scattered applause from those in the room.
Bryson’s arrived. pic.twitter.com/NZY0g6wSyA
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 9, 2025
DeChambeau’s errand is one of the many quirks of the many trophies that make up professional sports.
With the U.S. Open trophy, winners get to take the official trophy home with them for the year after they win it. At the ensuing year’s tournament, they turn it back in, and will later receive a replica, around 90% of the original's size, which they can take home and display in their trophy case for good.
The system is not entirely dissimilar to how the Masters operates with its iconic green jackets—that year’s champion is allowed to take home the green jacket for the year, but the next year, it is returned to the player’s locker at Augusta National for use at the club only, unless they go and win it again.
While DeChambeau said “One last time,” before handing the trophy back, he very well might be kissing it again pretty soon. The two-time U.S. Open winner enters the weekend with the second-best odds on the board to win the tournament, trailing only Scottie Scheffler.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Bryson DeChambeau Had to Return His U.S. Open Trophy Before Oakmont.
