OAKMONT, PA — On a wild, rain-soaked Sunday at the 125th U.S. Open, J.J. Spaun delivered a gutsy, storybook finish that capped off one of the most chaotic final rounds in recent major history. With lightning in the sky, five players tied for the lead, and Oakmont Country Club baring its legendary teeth, Spaun overcame a disastrous front nine, a weather delay, and intense pressure to win his first major title in unforgettable style.

The moment that sealed it? A jaw-dropping 64-foot birdie putt in a downpour on the 18th green — one that sent the crowd into shock and Spaun into the history books.

A Nightmare Start — Then the Storm (and Spaun) Reset Everything

Spaun looked like a man unraveling early on Sunday. After starting the day tied for second, he carded five bogeys in his first six holes. His Thursday magic — a bogey-free 66 — seemed long gone.

Then, nature intervened.

A torrential downpour halted play just after 4 p.m. ET, forcing players and thousands of soaked fans to flee for shelter. Spaun, playing in the penultimate group, took cover — and found something else during the delay: composure.

When play resumed over an hour later, Spaun returned a different golfer. He played the next three holes even, then birdied 12 and 14 to take the outright lead. A bogey on 15 brought the field back into a five-way tie, but Spaun wasn’t done.

A Clutch Drive and a Legendary Putt

The tournament turned for good on the par-4 17th — a 314-yard, drivable hole where many players found disaster. Not Spaun.

He ripped a 309-yard drive onto the green, setting up an 18-foot eagle attempt. Though the eagle didn’t fall, the birdie gave him a one-shot cushion heading to the final hole.

On 18, rain again poured down. Spaun found the fairway and hit a solid approach to leave himself 64 feet from the hole. Two putts would’ve secured a tie. Instead, he rolled the ball in.

64 feet, 5 inches. Birdie. U.S. Open champion.

The crowd erupted as Spaun threw his putter into the air and embraced his caddie in celebration.

Burns, Scott, and Hatton Falter Down the Stretch

The story of Sunday wasn’t just Spaun’s brilliance — it was also the carnage around him.

Sam Burns and Adam Scott, the final pairing, started strong but fell apart as conditions worsened. Burns led by two shots after 10 holes but crumbled on the back nine, carding three bogeys and two double bogeys after the rain delay. Scott, the sentimental favorite chasing a second major at age 44, also faded with four bogeys and a double of his own.

Tyrrell Hatton and Carlos Ortiz surged into contention late, but mistakes on the closing holes — including a costly bogey from Hatton on 17 — knocked them out.

Robert MacIntyre, playing a few groups ahead, posted a 2-under 68 and finished at 1-over for the tournament, temporarily tied for the lead. But Spaun’s birdie on 17 and miracle on 18 ended any hopes of a playoff.

Oakmont Lives Up to Its Brutal Reputation

All week, Oakmont had been relentless — fast greens, thick rough, and tight fairways punished even the slightest errors. Sunday’s weather made things even more difficult.

The rain delay flipped the momentum, turning lightning-fast greens soft and sticky, and the rough even more penal. What followed was survival golf: a war of attrition where every par felt like a small victory and bogeys were contagious.

Burns, Scott, Spaun, Hatton, MacIntyre, and Ortiz all took turns leading or co-leading. For much of the back nine, five players were tied at 1-over — a rare logjam that kept fans glued to every swing.

Spaun’s First Major — and a Career-Changing Moment

For J.J. Spaun, this wasn’t just a win — it was a coming-of-age. The 33-year-old, long seen as a solid tour player without a major breakthrough, showed remarkable grit to bounce back from a collapse and seize control under the most intense pressure imaginable.

Oakmont demanded perfection. Spaun gave it just when it mattered most.

Final Leaderboard (Top 5)

• J.J. Spaun — Even (Final Round 72)
• T-2. Robert MacIntyre — +1
• T-2. Tyrrell Hatton — +1
• T-2. Sam Burns — +1
• T-2. Adam Scott — +1

Key Moments:

• Weather Delay: Over 90 minutes halted play as rain pounded Oakmont.
• Spaun’s Drive on 17: A 309-yard shot onto the green set up a tournament-turning birdie.
• 64-Foot Birdie Putt: Spaun sinks a long-range birdie in the rain on 18 to win.
• Burns Collapse: Two double bogeys and three bogeys after the delay derailed his chances.
• Five-Way Tie: On the back nine, five players shared the lead — until Spaun pulled ahead.

Source: CNN – J.J. Spaun wins the 125th US Open, outlasting a brutal course, a crowded leaderboard and Mother Nature

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Nick Dunlap’s first round at the 2025 Masters is one he’ll likely want to erase from memory.

On Thursday, the 21-year-old phenom shot a staggering 18-over-par 90—making it one of the worst opening rounds in the tournament’s storied history. It’s the highest first-round score at Augusta since 2015, when two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw, then 63 and playing his final Masters, posted a 91.

To put it in perspective, Dunlap’s round was just five shots better than the worst score ever recorded in a single Masters round: Charlie Kunkle’s infamous 95 in 1956.

Things went south early for Dunlap. His opening tee shot hooked into the gallery, leading to a bogey. Unfortunately, that was just the beginning.

He racked up three more bogeys and a triple bogey on the front nine. The back nine was even more brutal—four double bogeys and three additional bogeys sealed his place in Masters infamy. Understandably, Dunlap declined to speak with reporters after his round.

What makes this performance so surprising is Dunlap’s resume. Just last season, he made headlines by winning two PGA Tour titles, including a history-making victory at The American Express in California—becoming the first amateur to win a Tour event since 1991.

But since turning pro, the Alabama native has yet to find his footing in major tournaments. He’s now missed the cut in his first five majors and, barring a miracle turnaround, Augusta looks like it’ll be number six.

Golf fans know all too well: the game can humble even the best. One week you’re striping irons and sinking putts, the next you’re just trying to keep it on the fairway. Recreational players watching might’ve even found some solidarity in Dunlap’s struggles—a reminder that the game doesn’t discriminate when it decides to punish.

Still, Dunlap’s talent is undeniable. At just 21, he has time—and potential—on his side. But the 2025 Masters? That’s one round he’ll hope to leave behind as he regroups for the road ahead.

Source: CNN – Nick Dunlap shoots one of the worst first-round scores in Masters history

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