American J. J. Spaun won the U.S. Open at the famed Oakmont Country Club golf course near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania—despite a rain delay but in great style—by holing a mammoth 64-foot putt on the final, 72nd hole to win by two strokes over Robert McIntyre of Scotland.
I Had Picked Spaun to Win
Before the day’s play today, I picked Spaun to win the tournament. Early this year, I had never known about him. He is 34 years old. He had never done much in professional golf. He had had times of discouragement, seriously contemplating quitting his profession. Then, at 32 years of age, he won his first tournament PGA Tour tournament—the 2022 Valero Texas Open at San Antonio. Then this year he tied Irish superstar Rory McIlroy in the Players Championship, which pros consider the 5th major, and lost to him in a playoff. I was then impressed with Spaun’s game.
Before the final round started today, I picked J. J. Spaun to win. Why? He has a good golf swing that I would describe as “in control.” I said, “Spaun is a U.S. Open player.” What did I mean? The U.S. Open is usually the toughest test of golf of all the four majors. It is known for narrow fairways and very penalizing, deep rough if you drive offline. Oakmont kept that history alive this week. That rough looked like you could lose your ball.
Spaun Started Badly Today and Finished Marvelously
Spaun started the day one stroke behind the leader, Sam Burns, who was four under par total at 2006, thus in second place. But Spaun got off to a miserable start today, shooting five the first six holes. On the second hole, a par four, his iron shot to the green hit the flagstick after the first bounce and rebounded to the false front of the green rolling backwards some fifty yards and off the green. He finished that hole with a bogey when it looked like he would have a very close birdie putt. What a terrible break!
But J. J. recovered from his 40 on the front nine to register a sizzling 32 on the back nine to win with a two-over par 72 while several leaders collapsed that back nine. Leader Sam Burns shot 78 to finish tied for 7th, and Australian Adam Scott, a 2012 U.S. Open winner who had started the day in second place, shot 79 to finish tied for 12th.
Burns and Scheffler Are Christian Buddies
Burns, who is best friends with #1 pro golfer Scottie Scheffler, both of whom are prominent members of the weekly PGA Tour Bible Study, had an unfortunate ruling on the par-four 15th hole. He called for a second ruling with his ball in the fairway and questionably in water. The rules of golf allow for a free drop if the ball is in “standing water.” But both rules officials ruled that he must play the ball “as it lies.” To get a free drop, you must be able to see water near your feet when you take your stance. Burns obviously was unhappy with the ruling. He then hit is iron shot. Water splashed from his divot, suggesting that maybe he should have been entitled to a drop. And the shot looked like it. The ball hooked left of the green when Sam was trying to fade it.
J. J. Played those Pressure-Packed Three Holes Magnificently
Spaun had played the last three holes heroically. On the long par-three 16th hole, he hit his long iron just right, leaving him an easy two-putt par. The 17th hole is a short par four that many pros can drive onto. I thought Spaun didn’t hit long enough to drive that green. Wrong. He drove it so perfectly through a tiny opening on the front of the green that his ball almost hit the pin and stopped 14 feet past the hole for an easy two-putt par again. The long par-four 18th hole requires demanding accuracy off the tee as well, and Spaun arose to challenge with a perfect drive in the middle of the fairway. He then struck his six-iron to the safe side of the green, to the left, with the pin tucked on the right side, leaving himself 64 feet away.
Spaun was playing in the second-to-last twosome with Viktor Hovland. Viktor needed to birdie that last hole to tie McIntyre, the leader in the clubhouse at one-over par total of 2081. Hovland then struck his iron second shot, and his ball stopped right next to Spaun’s ball, only one foot farther from the hole at 65 feet away from the hole. When that happened, I then said, “Wow. J. J. just got a break.”
Spaun Learned from Hovland’s Putt on the Last Hole
I meant that Viktor would have to putt first, and J. J. could take advantage of watching the line and speed of the ball on Viktor’s putt. That is very important. Oakmont’s greens are famous for being difficult to read and being so fast. Yet the heavy deluge had changed that, making the putts slower and breaking less. J. J. got a break in being able to watch Viktor’s putt. His ball missed wide of the hole and settling about eight feet past.
J. J. then went to school by rolling his ball perfectly. It was a widely breaking putt. The ball hit the pin and disappeared out of sight. Spaun had only needed two putts to win the tournament by one stroke. Instead, he won in great style by holing that long, breaking 64-foot putt to win by two strokes with a 279 total.
What a Great Father’s Day for J. J. Spaun
Both J. J. and the crowd went wild. J. J. grabbed his caddie and lifted him off the ground, dancing around. And what a Father’s Day present it was for him. His wife and two young daughters were in the crowd, rejoicing when his daddy’s putt dropped. As a spectator of America’s greatest golf tournament, its 125th to be exact, it made your heart leap with joy. And for Father J. J. Spaun, the man could barely contain his emotions.
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