Searches for “JJ Spaun U.S. Open 2025,” “Oakmont underdog winner,” and “golf’s biggest shocks” are exploding—and it’s easy to see why. This is the fairytale story every golf fan loves: a journeyman pro, written off more than once, takes down the field on the game’s toughest stage to win his first major. JJ Spaun’s victory at the 2025 U.S. Open wasn’t just dramatic—it was unforgettable.
When he drained a 64-foot monster on Oakmont’s 18th green, Spaun didn’t just seal the win—he wrote himself into golf history. On a course that’s broken legends and buried dreams, the unheralded Californian was the only player to finish under par.
Flying start for JJ Spaun at Oakmont
Spaun opened with a flawless, bogey-free 66—just the second sub-par round of the week at Oakmont. That wasn’t a fluke. The stats tell the real story: he ranks top-five in Stroke-Gained: Approach (0.761) and sits inside the top 10 in Greens-in-Regulation (71.4%) on the PGA Tour this season. Ball-striking machine? You bet.
Sunday Disaster Opener
His Sunday started with disaster—five bogeys in six holes. But after a 95-minute weather delay softened the course, Spaun flipped the switch. Birdies at 12, 14 and 17 set up a dream finish. Then came the putt. 64 feet. Dead centre. A putt for the ages. “The weather delay changed the whole vibe of the day,” Spaun said. “It gave me a chance to reset. I never knew what my ceiling was. I’m just trying to be the best golfer I can be.”
He called it a “storybook, fairytale ending… an underdog fighting back, not giving up, never quitting.”
Nearly gave up due to health
In 2021, Spaun nearly walked away from the game after a misdiagnosed case of diabetes. He lost his Tour card, battled back via the Korn Ferry Tour and won the 2022 Valero Texas Open. Earlier this year, he nearly pipped Rory McIlroy at The Players. Now he’s a major champion.
This US Open win didn’t just come with a $4.3 million cheque—it secured him a Ryder Cup spot and launched him into the world top
