J.J. grabs a tournament that was a very wide Open

OAKMONT, PA. — J.J. Spaun overcame a historically difficult golf course, the worst of Mother Nature, and the best of competitors to become the champion of the 125th U.S. Open.

On a Sunday of rain, suspense—and a 90-minute suspension—Spaun grabbed the lead and then grabbed the glory by ramming in a 64-foot birdie putt on the last hole.

There had been as many as five players tied for first on the back nine, it was truly a wide-open Open with the climax very much in doubt.

Spaun had hedged into the lead on 17 and then stomped off as an enthralled crowd roared its approval. A winner of only one prior event, Spaun had not been considered among those to take the tournament.

“Yeah, it’s definitely like a storybook fairytale ending,” said Spaun. “Kind of an underdog fighting back, not giving up, never quitting. With the rain and everything and then the putt, I mean, you couldn’t write a better story. I’m just so fortunate to be on the receiving end of that.”

A 34-year-old from Southern California, who played at Long Beach State as did Xander Schauffle, Spaun, whose given name is John Michael, is known only by the initials.

Now he’ll have an addition to the listing, a major golf winner.

“I thought it was a good thing having the delay. It happened to me at The Players earlier this year where I was kind of struggling on the front nine. I had the lead going into Sunday, and we had a four-hour delay, I think. I ended up turning that round into a nice fight where I got myself into the playoff.”

Spaun could only come in with a two-over par 72 for his final round, a not-unusual finish for the U.S. Open. But his four-round total of 279 was two strokes clear of Robert MacIntyre, one of the many who were at least briefly in or sharing the lead.

Spaun started the day a shot behind Sam Burns, but he had been a big factor throughout, having leaped into the first-round lead and then never losing touch as the tournament swirled among many, including Adam Scott, who at age 44 was seeking a last hurrah to go with his 2007 Masters title. Scott faded at the end, shot 79, and fell to 12th place from a third-round position of second place.

Scottie Scheffler, the number one-ranked golfer in the world, rallied somewhat, and after a poor beginning in the first and second rounds, ended up in a three-way tie for seventh place.

This was the tenth Open at Oakmont, and each one has provided both the excitement the USGA wants and the weather it doesn’t.  

The key is that the course provides the difficulty and character that is sought for the event that becomes the golfing championship of America.