JJ Spaun Celebrates His First Major Win at the US Open
JJ Spaun openly acknowledges that he might have received a bit of assistance during his crucial winning putt at the US Open.
In the final round, he played alongside Viktor Hovland, and both players managed to land their approach shots on the par five within an inch of one another. By that moment, Hovland was, let’s say, not in a strong position to compete, but Spaun was looking to convert those shots into what would be his first major championship.
Interestingly, Hovland missed his putt, leaving Spaun with a nearly identical line from over 64 feet away. When it mattered most, Spaun nailed that putt, adding some serious drama to his round.
There’s a good chance that he would have made it without Hovland’s help. But, Spaun confirmed that Hovland plans to accept some sort of “thank you” gift. “I’ll have to get him some nice wine or something—whatever he wants,” Spaun joked in an interview.
Spaun reflected on the experience, noting how, sometimes, you need to navigate your path not just to win tournaments but to capture major titles. His final scores at the tournament were 66-72-69-72, standing out as the only player to achieve that at Oakmont.
The Challenge of Oakmont
As was expected, Oakmont proved to be a formidable challenge for competitors like Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry. The tough greens, dense rough, and the rain that battered the course on Sunday made for a serious test. Nonetheless, after the first 18 holes on Thursday, Spaun had emerged as the leader with a solid 4-under 66.
By Saturday, he found himself at 1-under, realizing he was in a good position for his major debut. However, Sunday morning took an unexpected turn during his first six holes, as he recorded five bogeys. This was a situation he had faced before, and typically, it might have discouraged him—but not this time. The weather halt seemed to help him refocus.
When play resumed, he made a remarkable comeback. After posting pars on the first two holes of the back nine, he got a birdie on hole 12, and then another on hole 14, bringing his score to 3-over for the day. Multiple players were eyeing the top spot, even if they weren’t tied. Spaun did drop a shot at 15, but he quickly rebounded with birdies on 17 and 18, sealing his victory.
A Personal Celebration
His final putt at 18 might not have been spectacular, but it put him in a position to win. He narrowly missed an eagle chance on 17 but managed to sink a three-foot putt for victory. To top it off, he celebrated Father’s Day on the 18th green, surrounded by his daughters, Emerson and Violet, along with his wife, Melody.
