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A massive storm at Oakmont sent the final-round of the 125th U.S. Open into chaos — and J.J. Spaun emerged victorious.
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Chaos at Oakmont was the wish for a large contingent of golf fans heading into the week — and on Sunday, they got their wish.
What started as a run-of-the-mill U.S. Open final round — where pars were celebrated and bogeys shrugged away — turned into a slugfest in the elements on Sunday afternoon. And after a six-hour heavyweight bout, J.J. Spaun was the name alone atop the leaderboard.
If you looked at the final standings of the 125th U.S. Open, you might be tricked into thinking that nearly every contender lost their game prior to the final round. What those numbers don’t tell you is the war that each contender went through to post that score. Not only did players have to battle Henry C. Fownes’ diabolical design throughout the final round, they also had to contend with Mother Nature. And on Sunday, Mother Nature was a fickle beast.
As the leaders neared the turn, a massive storm rolled through western Pennsylvania, soaking the course and forcing a stoppage of play. Once play resumed some 90 minutes later, Oakmont showed its teeth.
J.J. Spaun didn’t get the memo.
While contenders like Adam Scott, Sam Burns, Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton and Carlos Ortiz sputtered after the restart, Spaun soared. Prior to the stoppage, the 34-year-old was five over on the round — including a back-breaking 40 on his front nine — but after the stoppage, he made four birdies and just one bogey to post one-under par for the championship.
It would be enough to etch his name into history.
While Spaun handled the adverse conditions with a calm demeanor befitting a major champ, those around him on the leaderboard faltered. Burns, the 54-hole leader, made two double bogeys to sink his chances, while his playing partner Scott made a mess of his own. Ortiz and Hatton could not sustain their momentum, while Hovland made just enough mistakes to sink his chances.
By late in the day, there was just one man standing between Spaun and the trophy — Robert MacIntyre. With a 69-68 weekend, the Scotsman posted one over to post the clubhouse lead as the leaders played their final holes.
Spaun would make sure there would be no need for a playoff. After birdieing the penultimate hole to take the outright lead, Spaun needed just par to clinch the title. He did one better, rolling in a 65-footer for birdie to finish off a two-shot victory.
“One of the most unlikely final rounds in U.S. Open history!” NBC’s Dan Hicks said. “J.J. Spaun closes the deal! Birdie at the last.”
