JJ Spaun stuns Oakmont with late birdie blitz as Macintyre falls just short in wild finale
JJ Spaun produced a sensational finish to capture his first major title at a rain-disrupted US Open, edging out Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre on a chaotic final day at Oakmont Country Club.
The 34-year-old American delivered the defining moment on the 18th green, holing a breathtaking 64-foot birdie putt to seal victory by two shots. His winning score of one under par crowned a remarkable comeback after a rollercoaster round and a long weather delay.
Watching from the clubhouse, MacIntyre could only applaud the brilliance unfolding before him. The Scot, who had posted a two-under-par 68 earlier in the day to set the clubhouse target at one over, mouthed “wow” as Spaun’s monster putt disappeared into the hole, sparking wild celebrations among drenched fans crowding the final green.
MacIntyre, from Oban, had fought his way into contention with a superb final round on golf’s most brutal stage. Starting seven shots adrift, he was the only player from the overnight top 10 to break par, giving himself a chance of an historic maiden major. But Spaun’s late charge left him agonisingly short.
For Spaun, it was the culmination of a wild Sunday filled with drama and doubt. Beginning the round just one shot behind overnight leader Sam Burns, Spaun’s hopes seemed to unravel early as he bogeyed five of his first six holes. With the course soaked by torrential rain and play suspended for 90 minutes, Spaun appeared out of contention.
Yet after the delay, the Californian regrouped magnificently. He carded a back nine of 32, including clutch birdies at 17 and 18, to storm back up the leaderboard. The final putt was the exclamation point on a career-defining day.
“I never thought I would be here holding this trophy,” Spaun admitted. “I’ve always had aspirations and dreams but a few months ago I didn’t know what my ceiling was and how good I could be.”
As Spaun surged, chaos reigned elsewhere. Burns, who had led after rounds two and three, completely collapsed under the pressure and driving rain, carding a disastrous eight-over-par round to tumble out of contention. His playing partner, Australia’s Adam Scott, fared even worse, finishing with a nightmarish nine-over-par score.
The back nine saw a packed leaderboard with five players sharing the lead at one over at one stage, heightening the drama. England’s Tyrrell Hatton played superbly for much of the round but stumbled with a costly bogey at the 17th, eventually finishing four shots adrift.
Norway’s Viktor Hovland also found himself in the mix despite an error-strewn front nine that featured four bogeys. A steadier back nine saw him post a final-round 73, enough for third place at three over par.
“I missed three five-foot putts and you can’t be doing that if you’re going to win a major championship,” Hovland admitted after another near-miss in his quest for a first major.
Elsewhere, England’s Rory McIlroy endured another frustrating major, finishing seven over par, while fellow Brit Matt Fitzpatrick struggled to an 11-over-par total. England’s Matt Wallace and Aaron Rai ended eight and nine over respectively.
The victory completes a remarkable turnaround for Spaun, who only a few months ago questioned whether he had what it took to compete at golf’s highest level. His triumph at Oakmont, one of the sport’s most demanding tests, leaves no doubt.
