JJ Spaun Takes Early Lead at Oakmont
Oakmont, Pa. — JJ Spaun had a remarkable start in the opening round at Oakmont on Thursday, showing impressive skill.
The 34-year-old golfer from San Diego finished the day without a single bogey, scoring a solid 4-under par 66, which places him at the top as he competes in the 27th major championship of his career.
He stood out as the only player in the morning rounds to complete a bogey-free round. By the end of play, only six of the 78 morning competitors managed to achieve par.
Spaun’s score tied with the lowest opening round ever recorded in US Open history.
He netted four birdies within the first eight holes, shooting a 4-under 31 on the front nine.
“I knew it was going to be tough,” Spaun remarked. “I did my utmost to really bring it.”
Starting strong, he hit a chip-in birdie from about 20 feet on the very first hole and maintained that momentum throughout the round.
With just 26 putts during the round, Spaun successfully made crucial par-saving putts that kept him on track.
“This was definitely one of my better putting performances this year,” he explained.
His score marks a record for the lowest first-round score at the US Open held at Oakmont, matching Andrew Landry’s 4-under 66 from the 2016 tournament.
Spaun currently ranks 25th in the world. Interestingly, all recent US Open winners have come from players within the top 25 rankings.
This is only Spaun’s second appearance in a US Open, with his first being at Torrey Pines in 2021, when he unfortunately missed the cut after rounds of 77 and 75.
He’s in the midst of what seems to be the best year of his career, notably finishing as a runner-up in the Players Championship earlier in March after going into a playoff with Rory McIlroy.
Also in 2025, he placed T-2 in the Cognitive Classic and T-3 at the Sony Open in Hawaii earlier this year.
Spaun ranks 6th in FedEx Cup points and holds the 13th position for the US Ryder Cup.
“This truly feels like a breakout year for me,” he stated. “I’m starting to have faith in my abilities. My experiences have been eye-opening, boosting my confidence to perform on the biggest stage. I’m off to a solid start this week.”
