LAST UPDATE | 16 Jun

JJ SPAUN COMPLETED a remarkable mid-round comeback to win a chaotic, rain-delayed US Open at Oakmont, finishing birdie-birdie to win his first major championship title. 

Spaun started the day one shot off the lead but bogeyed five of his first six holes, going out in 40 to reckon with the shattering of his maiden major dreams. 

But instead Spaun recovered during a lengthy rain delay and re-emerged to snatch the tournament in stunning fashion, birdieing four of his final seven holes to finish two shots clear of Robert MacIntyre, and as the only player in the field to finish under-par.

Watching on from the clubhouse as Spaun drained a monster, 64-foot birdie on 18 to secure his win, MacIntyre applauded and exclaimed, Wow. 

Spaun is the first man to win the US Open having shot a 40 across his front nine on the final day, and is the second man – after Webb Simpson – to win the US Open at his second attempt. His previous appearance at this event was in 2021, when Spaun missed the cut at Torrey Pines. 

“I don’t think I did keep my composure”, said Spaun when asked how he endured his awful start.

“I was trying to dig deep, but honestly the weather delay we had changed the whole vibe for the day. I bounced back and fought really hard on the back nine.” 

Spaun started the day one shot behind overnight leader Sam Burns but started miserably, bogeying five of his first six holes, with his only par coming on the par-five fifth. Spaun would have been forgiven for feeling luck had deserted him too, as a stunning approach shot into the second green clattered against the pin and rolled all the way off the green. 

The early wobble left him as far as four shots off the lead, until he benefitted from a lengthy rain delay in the middle of his round.

A steadied Spaun re-emerged to a sodden course, and a string of pars allowed him climb a wildly volatile leaderboard, with players continually dropping shots and falling back to the field. Spaun then found birdie on 12 and again on 14 to take the solo lead at even-par, only to quickly bogey 15. 

Ahead of him, Robert MacIntyre hung toughest of them all. The Scot opened with two bogeys on his first three holes, but extinguished them with a monster, 51-foot eagle putt on four. MacIntyre made the turn at even-par for his round and then found a big finish, birdieing 14 and 17 before a nerveless par putt on 18 gave him the clubhouse lead at one-over par for the tournament. 

Spaun, however, responded with the shot of his lifetime, driving the par-four, 17th green to set himself up for an eagle. That putt drifted three feet by, but Spaun holed the birdie putt to take a one-shot lead to the 72nd hole. Needing two putts from 64 feet to win the US Open, Spaun poured it in with one to bring the crowd around the 18th green to raptures. He signed for a closing round of 72 between tears. 

Sam Burns and Adam Scott, both playing in the final group, got caught in the carnage of a brutal course brought to the edge of playability by the deluge of rain. Burns’ challenge ended in controversy, as he was denied a drop on the 15th fairway, despite the fact his ball appeared to be lying in standing water. He made double-bogey and then finished with an eight-over 78, to tie Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler in seventh place. 

LIV duo Tyrell Hatton and Carlos Ortiz both got themselves in the mix, though Hatton’s challenge foundered with a bogey on the scoreable 17th hole. He finished in a tie for fourth place with Ortiz and Cameron Young. Viktor Hovland struggled to a third-placed finish, ending three shots behind Spaun after a fitful 73.  Scott, meanwhile, struggled to a nine-over round of 79, ending up in a tie for 12th place. 

Earlier in the day, Rory McIlroy ended a difficult week on a high with an impressive closing round of 67, finishing in a tie for 19th place.

“Hopefully I can continue that on into next week”, said McIlroy at the end of the tournament. “Physically I feel like my game’s there. It’s just mentally getting myself in the right frame of mind to get the best out of myself.”