Oakmont, Pa. – The toughest man in golf won the toughest test in golf. Don’t get wrong about that. One Week is Big and Brave, Titan of the Game – JJ Spaun has proven that to be nominated as the US Open Championship at the Oakmont Country Club you need more than a physical gift and an impressive resume.
The 2025 US Open was in fact strictly charged for the brute and the beast. Only the bombers, the short batter is at home. Participating in the world’s best season of major championships pushed the room for outsiders into the corner of the standing room only section. That’s where the spawn is, and he’s much taller than his 5-foot, 9-inch height suggested.
With his second career US Open Start, Spaun began his trekking in western Pennsylvania without any hope. He didn’t know what test Oakmont admitted to bringing about the golf course social media clips that made him uneasy before the tournament began.
So, Spaun may not have had the physical tools of Bryson Dechambeau or Scottie Scheffler, but the experiences of Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm also brought him something else. The toughness necessary to conquer the US Open at the Oakmont Country Club.
Spaun’s journey was different from other journeys in the field, including those who found themselves in Sunday’s contest, which proved to be one of the strange final rounds of the major championship in recent memory. (That’s what I’m saying was given what happened in April.)
It was thought to be a four-man race, and Spaun’s name was listed at the bottom of the program. All eyes were 44-year-old Adam Scott looking for one (probably the last) chance of glory. The beloved Viktor Hovland played the second fiddle as the best player without a big victory. He seemed eager to kick that descriptor along with his name.
But this was the US open and effectively a national championship. For many people on the ground, it was important. Those fans wanted someone to represent Red, White and Blue to raise the US Open Trophy. When Sunday’s final round began, Spaun was not their choice. It was Sam Burns, the leader of 54 holes – Schaeffler’s best companion, five PGA Tour winner, champion of all levels outside the majors.
Snapped between two young guns and the heart-warming 44-year-old beating, Span is a forgotten man. The 34-year-old wasn’t the other way around.
Not one of the kids who played junior golf at the AJGA or ran through the academy, Spaun was not groomed for a professional golf career.
Spaun placed one leg in front of the other and continued biting together. He consistently improved, qualified for several larger tournaments, played well in those events and began to realize his potential. That is what advances in his professional career. It’s also how his last 18 holes US opening unfolded.
Faced with professional adversity, Spaun was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2018 after consulting with a doctor after losing weight for unknown reasons. Three years later he took part in more tests and found out he actually had a slow onset of Type 1.
At this point in the 2024 season, Spaun played 14 events and missed nine cuts with the best finishing T26 in the Myrtle Beach Classic. He fell to 169th in the official world golf rankings. In his eighth season on the PGA Tour, he was on the verge of losing his full-time status if anything changed.
“I just said, ‘My career is my career. No matter what happens, it happens.’ “I am pleased to have a career I had, and that put a lot of pressure on my back when it comes to expectations on the golf course.
“It looked like I was going to lose my job, and that was when there was a moment like, ‘If this was the way I go out, I might swing too.’ My coach is like my golf shots and my challenging shots. It’s a kind of mantra I have all year round. ”
Spaun began its Sunday march in the most ideal way imaginable. A brutal break at No. 2 followed by a bogey in No. 1, turning a sure birdie into the second straight square on the scorecard. Three more five made five calls from the gate in a row as Spahn fell to 3 for the championship and four strokes out of the pace.
It was a scary way to start the fourth consecutive day with competition. The fewer men would have been wrinkled, all efforts would be wasted. Playing 72 holes of major championship golf is difficult. Playing 72 holes major championship golf during competition is nearly impossible. Sleep on the lead of the first round, wait all day for the second round, play in that final group on Saturday, finding the opportunity to make your dream come true a day later, and playing in that final group.
“Like things are bad, I was still trying to commit to every shot. I just tried to dig deeper. I’ve been doing it for the rest of my life,” Spaun said. “I think the biggest difference this year was being able to do that. Luckily, I delve into the Back nine very deeply and things went my way.
With the assistance of a 95-minute weather delay, Spaun was given the opportunity to reset and rediscover his groove.
Before play was stopped, Spaun was over five on his first eight holes, all at the edge of the competition. After the reboot, he was 3 under on 11 holes and rarely missed a shot.
“I was having lunch with Max Homa at home. We live in the same area. We belong to the same club,” Spawn said. “He was talking about Tiger (Woods) and he said, “I said this would happen, but even if you just stay there, you need to stay there.”
“I might have come back this afternoon, four back, after the delay, but then I made some good pars. Then there was nothing crazy about it, and I know what you know.
Following his life’s drive, he walked the 17th Green and set up a birdie to evenly pull him back Robert McInteel, who was in one or more clubhouses. Spaun is back at the 18th tee as the solo leader of the 125th opening in the US, the same place he stood three days ago.
The grandstand rose to his feet and began reciting his name as a new cloud had been embodied, retrieving the rain. Span had one foot in front of the other, dead and dead as Chaos was wrapped around him. The first thing I lied was the perfect drive, the wise seconds, and 64ft, 5inch birdie putts – Walkoff Championship winners – down in US open history.
Spaun threw his putter aside and hugged his caddy. The US Open Champion came on the green side as playing partner Victor Hofland.
As tears began to roll uncontrollably out of his eyes, bent to hold his breath, Spawn took off his hat and wiped his face clean. My dreams have come true and my journey has been completed – it is extremely tough.
