J. J. Spaun of the United States celebrates with caddie Mark Carens. Photo: PATRICK SMITH / Getty Images via AFP
J.J. Spaun emerged from a packed leaderboard to win the US Open for his first major championship with a two-shot victory over Robert MacIntyre at Oakmont Country Club after heavy rains had forced a suspension in play.
Needing a par at the closing hole to avoid falling into a two-hole aggregate score playoff that would have been held on Tuesday, Spaun went one better and drained a massive 64-foot birdie putt in the rain to win by two shots.
When the clinching putt dropped, Spaun tossed his putter, delivered a fist pump, hugged his caddie and then walked off the green with his two young daughters in tow on Father's Day to celebrate a career-defining win.
Spaun reached the driveable par-four 17th hole level on Monday with Scotland's MacIntyre, who was already in the clubhouse after a two-under 68, and delivered the shot of his life - a 309-yard strike that settled 17 feet from the cup.
The 34-year-old American sent his eagle putt past the hole but made the comeback and then went on to secure the win in style at the 18th, a hole he had bogeyed during the previous two rounds.
The triumph comes three months after Spaun left The Players Championship, where he lost in a playoff to world number two Rory McIlroy, defeated but knowing he could hang with the game's elite and with the confidence he needed to win the US Open.
J.J. Spaun celebrates. Photo: ROSS KINNAIRD / Getty Images / AFP
New Zealand's Ryan Fox finished in a tie for 19th, at seven over par for the tournament. He pockets NZ$380,000 for his best finish in a US Open.
It was Spaun who led the way after the first round of the US Open where he managed the only bogey-free round of the day despite playing on an Oakmont layout that is considered one of the toughest courses in the world.
In the final round, Spaun appeared out of the mix after a carding five early double-bogeys but he held steady and, with the leaders all struggling to pull away, found himself back in the thick of things late on the back nine.
World number 14 Viktor Hovland (73) finished three shots back in third place, while Cameron Young (70) and LIV Golf players Tyrrell Hatton (72) and Carlos Ortiz (73) finished a further shot back in a share of fourth place.
Overnight leader Sam Burns (78), who took a one shot lead over Spaun and Adam Scott into the final round, struggled late and finished five shots back.
Australian Scott, playing in his 96th consecutive major, dropped five shots over his closing five holes and finished in a share of 12th place after a closing 79.
The final round was interrupted by a 96-minute weather delay after heavy rains forced puddles of water to form on the greens and fairways, and forced the grounds crew at Oakmont to use squeegees to get the course ready.
- Reuters
