J.J. Spaun Did the Unthinkable—U.S. Open Champion Against All Odds
Let’s Talk About That Wild Final Round
Man, golf can be crazy sometimes. J.J. Spaun—yeah, that J.J. Spaun—just went and won the damn U.S. Open at Oakmont. No big deal, right? Except it’s a huge deal. The guy started Sunday one shot back, had a total meltdown on the 3rd hole, and still somehow walked away with the trophy. That’s not just skill—that’s pure guts. And maybe a little bit of magic.
From “Who’s That Guy?” to Major Champion
Okay, real talk—before last week, if you’d asked most casual fans about Spaun, you’d get blank stares. Dude had exactly one PGA Tour win (Valero Texas Open, 2022) and a reputation for being consistently… fine. Not exactly headline material. But here’s the thing about golf: it only takes one week. One stupid, ridiculous, perfect week where everything clicks.
And Oakmont? Brutal doesn’t even cover it. This course eats PGA Tour pros for breakfast. Phil Mickelson once lost a ball in a tree here. So when Spaun made the cut—after barely surviving his last two majors—nobody was printing “Cinderella Story” t-shirts yet. But then Saturday happened. And Sunday? Absolute chaos.
That Final Round Had More Twists Than a Netflix Drama
Picture this: Spaun steps up to the 3rd hole Sunday, one back of Burns. Then—boom—double bogey. Game over, right? That’s what I thought too. But the guy somehow birdies the 7th like it’s nothing. Then comes the 12th—par 5, 600-something yards. He sticks his approach to 15 feet and drains the eagle putt. The crowd went nuts. I was screaming at my TV.
Here’s where it gets wild: while Burns was busy tripling the 9th (yikes) and Scheffler was being Scheffler (dude never quits), Spaun just… kept hitting fairways. Fifteen greens in regulation on Sunday at Oakmont? That’s not golf—that’s a surgical strike.
Oakmont Was Basically a Horror Movie for Golfers
You know those greens where if you breathe too hard, your ball rolls off? That was every hole after the rain stopped. And the rough? I swear they were hiding lost balls from the 1920s in there. Most guys were complaining nonstop—except Spaun. The man adjusted like a pro. Started playing for bogey on some holes just to avoid disaster. Smart. So damn smart.
His quote afterward killed me: “I knew par was a good score out here.” Understatement of the century. It’s like saying Everest is “a bit steep.”
Meanwhile, the Other Guys Were Falling Apart
Burns—bless him—had that deer-in-headlights look after the turn. Scheffler being Scheffler made it interesting (because of course he did), but even he couldn’t catch Spaun. And Rory? Don’t get me started. Another major, another “what if” for the guy.
But this wasn’t about them collapsing. This was Spaun winning. There’s a difference. When that final putt dropped? The man just crouched there like he couldn’t believe it. Same, bro. Same.
The Internet Lost Its Collective Mind
Justin Thomas’ tweet said it all: “So happy for JJ. Dude works harder than anyone.” And you know what? That’s why people love this. Not some manufactured rivalry—just a guy who grinded for years finally getting his moment. The replies were full of stories about Spaun signing autographs for kids or helping out at junior clinics. Feels good man.
What’s Next? Who Cares—Let Him Enjoy This
Sure, he’s now top 20 in the world or whatever. Gets into all the majors for the next five years. But forget the rankings—this changes everything. No more “journeyman” labels. Now it’s “major champion J.J. Spaun.” Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?
Final Thought: Why We Watch Sports
Because sometimes—not often, but sometimes—the guy you least expect goes out and does something impossible. And for one weekend in June, J.J. Spaun was the best golfer on planet Earth. Whatever happens next, nobody can take that away from him. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go practice my putting.
Source: ESPN – News
