J.J. Spaun embraced the spotlight on Sunday evening. The California native entered the 2025 U.S. Open a relative unknown. Claiming just two PGA Tour victories across eight seasons, Spaun was a solid, if unspectacular talent who tended to stay quiet during golf's grandest competitions.

When sheets of rain descended upon Oakmont on Sunday afternoon and an army of groundskeepers started taking squeegees and towels to the fairways, a tumultuous finish and bizarre turn became inevitable at this U.

JJ Spaun triumphed at the U.S. Open at Oakmont after sinking an incredible putt on the 18th to beat Robert MacIntyre by two strokes.

Robert MacIntyre thought he had done it and it would have been oh so apt if he had won in conditions more suited to an Oban shinty match than a US Open finale. Yet despite a brilliant and nerveless 68,

A single word and a slow clap from Robert MacIntyre said everything about J.J. Spaun’s career-defining moment.

Copyright 2025 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.

The U.S. Open final round was played at the Oakmont Country Club. J.J. Spaun was the last many standing after a wet, difficult day.