J.J. Spaun claimed his first major championship title, winning the U.S. Open at a rain-soaked Oakmont Country Club on Sunday in an unexpected triumph.
Despite a challenging start in the final round with five bogeys on his first six holes, Spaun, finishing at one under par, recovered strongly with three birdies later in the round. At 34, he becomes the fifth-oldest golfer to achieve a major win without a prior top-20 finish at a major event.
With Robert MacIntyre ending his round at one over par and creating a temporary four-way tie for the lead, Spaun rose to the challenge. He birdied the 17th hole to gain sole possession of the lead, then sealed his victory with another birdie on the 18th. His win is particularly notable as he is only the fifth player in the last century to win the U.S. Open after missing the cut in all previous attempts.
The decisive moment came on the 72nd hole where Spaun sank an incredible 64-foot, 5-inch birdie putt for the win – the longest successful putt of over 60 feet recorded by any player throughout the tournament.
