J.J. Spaun Wins US Open with Magical 65-Foot Birdie Putt

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

Photo: AFP

J.J. Spaun made his lifelong dream come true by winning his first major golf championship — the US Open — in a truly unforgettable way. He finished the final round at Oakmont on Sunday with a two-over-par 72, beating Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre by two strokes. But what really made his victory magical was the moment he sank a 65-foot birdie putt on the very last hole.

“That final shot was like something from a dream,” Spaun said. “You always watch moments like this happen to other people, and to have it happen to me — I’ll remember this forever.”

Spaun’s strong finish included birdies on four of the last seven holes, with the most important one coming on the par-four 17th, where he drove the ball straight to the green and tapped it in for birdie. That gave him the lead and set him up for his magical final putt. With this win, Spaun joins a legendary list of golfers — like Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Tom Watson, and Jon Rahm — who also had birdie-birdie finishes to win the US Open.

“It felt like something out of a storybook,” Spaun added. “Like the underdog finally winning — with rain, a crazy putt, and everything going on. I’m just lucky it was my day.”

Before this win, Spaun only had one PGA Tour victory — the 2022 Texas Open. This year, he had also come close, finishing second at both the Cognizant Classic and the Players Championship, where he lost in a playoff to Rory McIlroy.

“I always believed that if you keep giving yourself chances, one will finally go your way,” Spaun said.

However, Spaun’s final round didn’t start well. He made bogeys on five of the first six holes, including the first three. Still, he didn’t give up. “Even though things were going badly, I stayed focused and gave everything I had to every shot,” he explained. “That’s just who I am. I’ve always kept pushing no matter what.”

Spaun has faced many challenges. In 2018, he was wrongly diagnosed with one type of diabetes. Treatments didn’t work until, in 2021, doctors found out he actually had a different type. He also had to get his medication early Sunday morning before the final round — all while caring for his young daughter who was sick and vomiting during the night.

“There was a lot of chaos,” Spaun said. “It was a rough start, and while I don’t blame my early bogeys on it, it definitely added to the pressure.”

A 96-minute storm delay in the middle of the round turned out to be a blessing. It gave Spaun the time he needed to reset mentally and emotionally. “It was like starting over again,” he said. “That break helped me find my focus again. I truly felt I could still win the US Open.”

And then came that unforgettable moment on the 72nd hole, when his 65-foot birdie putt dropped in.

“I was shocked — I couldn’t believe what I just saw,” Spaun said. “That moment will always stay with me.”

Even Viktor Hovland, his playing partner from Norway and the world’s 14th-ranked golfer, was amazed. Hovland, who finished third, said, “After his rough start, I thought he was out. But that putt on 18? That was just insane. Unreal.”

J.J. Spaun's victory was more than just a win — it was a story of never giving up, even in the face of chaos, health issues, and a tough start. And with that final putt, he proved that dreams really do come true.