PGA Tour journeyman J.J. Spaun defied the odds and won the U.S. Open to cash a record-tying $4.3 million winner’s check, which is nearly one quarter of what his career earnings were coming into the tournament.
Spaun, 34, had only won once before on the PGA Tour—the Valero Texas Open in 2022. Earlier this year, he finished second at the Players Championship after losing to Rory McIlroy in a playoff. That result netted him $2.725 million, at the time the biggest tournament check of his career.
He came into the U.S. Open with $17.98 million in career earnings, as the No. 25-ranked golfer in the world. His pre-tournament betting odds were as high as 150–1 at some sportsbooks. That means betting $100 on Spaun before the U.S. Open began would have earned bettors $15,000.
Spaun, an American with Filipino and Mexican heritage, was the only player to finish the U.S. Open under par at Oakmont Country Club. One of the toughest courses in the world, it gave the best golfers on the planet fits in the final round—especially after a 1 hour, 39 minute rain delay that had fairways and greens soaked.
At -1, Spaun beat Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre (+1) by two strokes after draining a 64-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole. That capped a back-nine 32 (-3) for Spaun, who rebounded after a 40 (+5) on the front nine.
Had Spaun bogeyed the 72nd hole of the tournament to fall back into a tie with MacIntyre, a two-hole aggregate playoff would have been played on Monday morning. The U.S. Open has not gone to a playoff since 2008, when Tiger Woods defeated Rocco Mediate in a 19-hole Monday playoff to win his 14th major championship at Torrey Pines.
The U.S. Open offered a $21.5 million purse, the same as last year’s, but still the most money ever offered at one of golf’s four major championships. In addition to the $4.3 million winner’s check, Spaun also receives exemptions into the other three major championships for the next five years. He had only played in eight majors before this week, and his best result was tied for 23rd at the 2022 Masters.
Oakmont was hosting its record 10th U.S. Open, and as one of three “anchor sites” for the tournament, already has three more U.S. Opens on deck in 2033, 2042, and 2049.
