Spaun captures first major title, wins U.S. Open

OAKMONT, Pa. -- J.J. Spaun survived a unspeakable commencement and challenging elements to propulsion distant from the battalion and seizure his archetypal large title with a two-stroke triumph successful the 125th U.S. Open astatine Oakmont Country Club connected Sunday.

After picking up a birdie connected the 17th spread to spell up by 1 stroke, Spaun made a 64 ½-foot birdie putt connected the 18th to unafraid his improbable triumph and decision Scotland's Robert MacIntyre by two.

After Spaun's agelong putt fell successful the cup, helium dropped his putter, raised his arms successful the air, and gave the assemblage a fist-pump. He hugged caddie Mark Carens and aboriginal embraced his wife, Melody, and 2 young daughters.

Spaun was the lone golfer to decorativeness nether par astatine 1-under 279. He posted an even-par 70 connected Sunday and went 3 nether connected the backmost nine. Spaun volition cod $4.3 cardinal for the biggest payday of his career.

MacIntyre, who was attempting to go the archetypal left-handed golfer to triumph the U.S. Open, finished 1-over 281.

Norway's Viktor Hovland finished 3rd astatine 2 implicit 282.

Spaun grabbed the outright pb astatine adjacent par by reaching the greenish with a 309-yard thrust connected the abbreviated par-4 17th hole. His eagle effort from 18 feet slid past the hole, but helium made a 3 ½-foot birdie putt to spell 1 changeable successful front.

On the 18th hole, Spaun drove his tee changeable down the close broadside of the fairway. As helium prepared to deed his 2nd shot, the skies opened up and dumped much rainfall connected the soaked course. Spaun deed his attack to 64 ½ feet, mounting up the melodramatic finish.

Spaun started the time lone 1 changeable down 54-hole person Sam Burns, but trailed by arsenic galore arsenic 4 aft carding bogeys connected 5 of his archetypal six holes.

Spaun, 34, is the archetypal U.S. Open victor to commencement his last circular with 3 consecutive holes implicit par, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

It was the biggest infinitesimal of Spaun's career. The Los Angeles native's lone anterior PGA Tour triumph came successful the 2022 Valero Texas Open. Ranked 25th successful the Official World Golf Ranking, Spaun has played immoderate of the champion play of his vocation this year.

It was a chaotic decorativeness to a last circular astatine Oakmont Country Club that included a 96-minute upwind hold and dependable rainfall that made 1 of the astir demanding play courses successful the satellite adjacent much difficult.

Six golfers had astatine slightest a stock of the pb successful the last round, and astatine 1 constituent 5 were tied for first.

MacIntyre had a accidental to get to adjacent par but near a 33-foot birdie effort connected No. 18 a mates of feet abbreviated and settled for a 2-under 68 successful the last round.