MANILA, Philippines — Filipino-American J.J. Spaun authored a storybook ending on one of golf’s most brutal stages, emerging from chaos, rain and relentless pressure to capture his first major title in a jaw-dropping finale at the US Open in Oakmont on Sunday (Monday Manila time).
Spaun, steady as he was spirited, drained a stunning 64-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to seal the deal in a scene destined for highlight reels and golf lore. The dramatic putt, curled perfectly over the soaked, undulating green, sent the gallery into a frenzy and etched Spaun’s name in history as one of the most improbable, heart-stirring finishes in the sport.
It was the kind of putt that not only wins majors — but also makes legends.
But the US Open crown was actually locked up one hole earlier, when Spaun birdied the drivable par-4 17th — a hole he dominated all week — to leapfrog clubhouse leader Robert MacIntyre.
Still, the closing putt, seemingly dropped from the clouds, was the exclamation point, the crowning shot in a round — and a week — defined by guts, resilience and magic.
He capped the rollercoaster final day with a gritty even-par 72 and a one-under 279 total, besting a world-class field and outlasting Oakmont, a course that has humbled the best and broken the rest. He pocketed a whopping $4.3-million prize.
“We love you, J.J.!” one fan shouted as Spaun arrived on the 18th green for the traditional trophy presentation, still soaking in the moment, eyes glassy with disbelief and joy.
Moments earlier, as the rain glistened off his cap and shoulders, Spaun bent forward, overcome with emotion. The crowd roared, not just for the shot, but for the story — a tale of a player who had knocked, scratched and clawed at the door for years, finally breaking through in the grandest way imaginable.
MacIntyre, who closed out with a 68 to finish at 281, had held out hope for a breakthrough major victory — or at the very least, a Monday playoff with Spaun, who stood at one-over with two holes to play.
But Spaun — and the golfing gods at Oakmont — had a different script in mind.
Viktor Hovland settled for third with a 282 total after a 73, while Cameron Young shot a 70 to grab a share of fourth at 283. He finished alongside Tyrrell Hatton, who carded a 72, and Carlos Ortiz, who closed with a 73.
As for Sam Burns and Adam Scott — once rock-solid contenders — they cracked down the stretch. Burns, steady for most of the tournament, collapsed with a back-nine 40 for a disastrous 78, dropping him to a tie for seventh at 284. Scott fared even worse, stumbling to a 41 on the inward nine and limping home with a 79 to finish in a share of 12th at 286.
Spaun’s route to glory was anything but straightforward. After stumbling to a ragged frontside 40, marred by five bogeys in his first six holes, the 34-year-old looked out of contention — four to five strokes adrift and seemingly fading as conditions came down harder. Then, the horn blew. Play was suspended due to lightning, halting the round for one hour and 37 minutes.
It turned out to be a blessing.
Where others unraveled after the delay — most notably overnight leader Burns and Scott — Spaun regrouped. He came back out with renewed focus and staged a monumental rally: birdies on Nos. 12 and 14, a bounce-back after a bogey on 15, and then those epic closing birdies on the last two holes.
He was all steel when it counted. While Burns and Scott imploded under pressure, Spaun calmly split the fairway on the 18th and nestled his second shot to the left fringe. From there, he read the line perfectly, aided by playing partner Hovland’s putt, and stroked the most memorable putt of his life.
And in that moment, everything changed.
Spaun had been grinding on the PGA Tour since 2017. Until Sunday, his résumé included a lone win at the Valero Open in 2022, three runner-up finishes, five third-place results, and 11 Top 5s. He had been close for a second victory, heartbreakingly so, but never through the door.
That all changed at Oakmont.
And what a place to do it.
In only his second career US Open start and without any prior experience at Oakmont, Spaun managed to master one of the most demanding major venues. He opened the tournament with a solid 66 that quietly positioned him as a dark horse. But few, if any, expected him to finish on top.
“I came out here with no prior history at Oakmont, not really knowing what to expect — even US Open-wise,” said Spaun, who lost to Rory McIlroy in a playoff at the Player’s Championship at TPC Sawgrass last March. “This is only my second one. I don’t know if that freed me up in any aspect… I’m just overly pleased with how I started the tournament.”
But it turned out he was infinitely more thrilled with how he finished it.
