Golfer J.J. Spaun has won his first major at the US Open. The 34-year-old American, who participated for only the second time, secured the victory with a sensational birdie on the last hole.
Spaun caused a stir with his putt on the eighteenth hole. He scored from about twenty meters, much to the delight of the crowd at the final hole of the Oakmont Country Club.
Due to his strong finish, Spaun ended up with 279 strokes. He was the only golfer to finish below par. He had two strokes less than the Scot Robert MacIntyre, who finished second. The Norwegian Viktor Hovland came in third, three strokes behind.
“It was a dream to finish it like that. No matter how bad it went, I tried to go all out with every stroke,” Spaun said. “Fortunately, I was able to score very well on the last nine holes, and it still went my way. And now we are here with the trophy. It’s great to have my whole family here on Father’s Day.”
Last year, Spaun, who had only been the best once before on the PGA Tour, was still doubting whether to continue his career. He had only participated in the US Open once before (in 2021) and did not make the cut then.
Wet conditions
It was the 125th edition of the US Open, one of the four majors in golf. The Masters, the PGA Championship, and the British Open are also among the majors.
The tournament was played under wet conditions. The rain poured down on the final day, leaving puddles on the greens and fairways. An interruption of more than an hour and a half was necessary to make the course somewhat playable again.