OAKMONT, Pa. — In a rain-soaked, chaos-filled final round at Oakmont Country Club, J.J. Spaun emerged as the champion of the 125th U.S. Open on Sunday, securing his second career win and first major title with a stunning 64-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole.
The 34-year-old Californian’s victory, two shots clear of Robert MacIntyre, was a testament to resilience, composure, and a touch of magic on one of golf’s toughest stages.
Spaun’s journey to the U.S. Open title was anything but straightforward. Starting the final round one shot behind overnight leader Sam Burns, Spaun stumbled out of the gate, carding five bogeys in his first six holes, including an unlucky break on the par-4 second when his approach shot struck the flagstick and rolled 49 yards away. By the turn, his front-nine score of 40 left him four shots off the pace, seemingly out of contention as Oakmont’s brutal conditions and relentless rain punished the field.
A 1-hour, 37-minute weather delay at 4:01 p.m. local time proved to be the turning point. Spaun, who had been reeling, used the break to reset with encouragement from his coaches, who urged him to “just chill.” The pause in play shifted the momentum, and Spaun returned with renewed focus, mounting a remarkable back-nine charge. He ignited his comeback with a 40-foot birdie putt on the 12th and a 22-footer on the 14th, clawing his way back into the mix as the leaderboard tightened.
The decisive moments came on the final two holes. On the par-4 17th, Spaun drove the green, setting up a 3-foot birdie putt that gave him the outright lead at level par. Then, on the 18th, needing only a two-putt to secure the championship, Spaun delivered the putt of his career — a 64-foot, 5-inch birdie that snaked across the soaked green and dropped into the cup, sending the drenched crowd into a frenzy. The electrifying finish sealed a final-round 72 and a 72-hole total of 1-under 279, making Spaun the only player to finish under par for the tournament.
“I never thought I’d be here,” an emotional Spaun told NBC after the round, fighting back tears. “I was trying to dig deep. The weather delay changed the whole vibe for the day. I leaned on my experience from The Players Championship earlier this year, and I just kept pushing.”
Spaun’s victory was all the more poignant as it came on Father’s Day, with his wife and two daughters joining him on the 18th green in a celebration that went viral online. “It was a dream week to have my kids here,” Spaun said, hugging his family as he hoisted the U.S. Open trophy.
Robert MacIntyre, who posted a stellar final-round 68 to finish at 1-over, showed class in defeat, applauding Spaun’s clutch putt from the clubhouse.
“What a putt,” MacIntyre said, offering a one-word reaction: “Wow.” The Scotsman’s runner-up finish marked his best major result to date. Viktor Hovland took third at 2-over, while Cameron Young, Tyrrell Hatton, and Carlos Ortiz tied for fourth at 3-over. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm shared seventh at 4-over, alongside overnight leader Burns who faded after a final-round 78.
Spaun’s triumph was a career-defining moment for the San Diego State alum, who turned pro in 2012 and earned his first PGA Tour win at the 2022 Valero Texas Open. Earlier in 2025, he narrowly missed out on a victory at The Players Championship, losing in a playoff to Rory McIlroy. At Oakmont, he went one better, holing a putt twice the distance of his near-miss at TPC Sawgrass to claim the $4.3 million winner’s share of the $21.5 million purse.
The final round was a war of attrition, with Oakmont’s punishing layout and torrential rain creating carnage. No lead was safe, and at one point, five players were tied for the lead with an hour to play. Spaun’s ability to limit mistakes and produce three monster putts totaling 127 feet on the back nine set him apart in a field battered by the elements.
“Nobody backs their way into a U.S. Open title,” Spaun said, reflecting on his grit. “I just felt like if you keep putting yourself in these positions, eventually you’re going to tick one off.”
As the golf world debates whether Oakmont delivered a historic classic or a supernova, there’s no denying the drama and Spaun’s place in history. From a nightmare start to a fairytale finish, J.J. Spaun refused to back down, etching his name alongside golf’s greats with a putt that will be replayed for years to come.
