OAKMONT, Pa. — Oakmont, already known as golf`s toughest test, faced an additional challenge it didn`t need: a severe storm. When the heavy rain arrived on Sunday, transforming the fairways into shallow pools, it felt like a cruel twist for those vying for a major championship title.
Play was halted at 4:01 p.m. The 18th green was submerged, making it impossible to play. Players were evacuated from the course, some finding ways to pass the time during the delay. Fans sought refuge under umbrellas or on the property, which notably features only one tree.
Soon, Oakmont`s grounds staff appeared with squeegees, attempting to clear water from the playing surfaces. The rain eventually lessened, and play resumed at 5:40 p.m. However, the leading players quickly realized the course they returned to was drastically different.
“Once the fairways were waterlogged, controlling the golf ball became extremely difficult,” Adam Scott commented. “It was almost unplayable, but everyone had to navigate it.”
Despite the efforts with squeegees, the fairways remained saturated. Tee shots landed with no roll, sometimes even bouncing backward. Striking the ball with any club resulted in a splash. Even top players like Scottie Scheffler found it hard to predict where the ball would go. The already challenging course became an even greater test of mental fortitude and patience.
“Waiting for the squeegeeing wasn`t enjoyable, and there was no real rhythm out there,” said Cameron Young, who finished fourth. “You had wet patches everywhere, forcing you to guess. There wasn`t much you could do. You waited for them to clear areas, but while it was still raining, the water built up so fast, you were basically trying to smack it through puddles and hope for the best.”
“It`s Sunday of the U.S. Open, one of the toughest setups, and the conditions were the most severe of the week,” Scott added. “Thankfully, it wasn`t like this all week.”
For a few holes after the break, the sun briefly emerged, offering a glimmer of hope. But as the final group teed off on the 10th, the rain returned. The tournament shifted from being about who could excel to who could simply endure. Even Justin Thomas, who hadn`t made the cut, tweeted from home that the course was “a little questionable to play.”
“It was close to unplayable, but we managed,” Viktor Hovland stated. “The conditions got incredibly tough, and this golf course is just a monster. It was a relentless struggle.”
While many players struggled to regain their rhythm after the delay, the relentless conditions proved to be exactly what J.J. Spaun needed to emerge as one of recent memory`s most unexpected major champions.
“I just tried to keep digging deep,” Spaun explained. “That`s something I`ve done my whole life.”
He began the day only one shot behind the leader, but early promise quickly faded into disappointment. He bogeyed five of the first six holes. On the second hole, his ball struck the flagstick and rolled off the green. On the third, his tee shot ended up in a difficult lie in the rough. By the turn, his score was 40, putting him three shots behind and making it seem unlikely to be his day. Then, the rain began.
“The best thing that happened was that reset,” said Spaun`s coach, Josh Gregory.
“I felt like I had a real chance to win the U.S. Open at the start of the day, but it quickly fell apart,” Spaun admitted. “But that delay was actually crucial for me winning this tournament.”
Spaun`s career has often exceeded expectations. He was never considered a top prospect or a future star. As he put it, he wasn`t “groomed” to be a professional golfer and certainly wasn`t expected to win a major. He secured his first PGA Tour victory at age 31 and, until recently, was among the many tour veterans focused primarily on keeping their playing privileges.
This year, however, Spaun has elevated his game significantly. Entering the week, he was ranked 15th globally and gained prominence after losing a playoff to Rory McIlroy at The Players Championship.
“He was right there,” Gregory noted. “I believe that showed him, `Okay, I can do this. I can be one of the world`s best. I can be a contender. I can win a major.`”
Having recently faced disappointment, Spaun seemed unfazed by bad breaks and the difficult weather on Sunday. On a day that demanded more than just raw talent, Spaun knew where to find what was needed.
“I think it comes down to perseverance,” Spaun reflected. “I`ve always had to battle through obstacles to reach my goals and get to where I wanted to be.”
As the final groups approached the finish, the rain intensified once more. The wind whipped the precipitation, presenting Spaun with one final obstacle: Oakmont`s notorious 18th hole in a downpour.
Nine years prior, Dustin Johnson stood on the same tee, aiming to seal his first major title, and played the hole perfectly – fairway, green, and a short birdie putt to conquer Oakmont.
On Sunday, Spaun hit his drive straight down the fairway, then found the green. Standing under an umbrella held by his caddie, he meticulously read the 64-foot putt. A par would be enough to clinch his first major.
Throughout the week, players speculated that even par for the tournament might be enough to win the trophy. Spaun was on the cusp of achieving this. But as Oakmont unleashed one more exhausting challenge, Spaun counterattacked.
“I didn`t want to play defensively,” Spaun stated.
The putt began its journey across the undulating green, infamous for frustrating countless players over its 124-year history. It tracked left-to-right towards the iconic Sunday pin position. Dead center. Birdie.
“Are you serious?” his caddie, Mark Carens, exclaimed as they headed towards the clubhouse stairs. “What the f— just happened?”
Spaun wasn`t just the last man standing; he was the only player to finish under par. His final score of 1-under will be remembered. For Spaun, it is a testament to his skill, resilience, and his ability to battle everything the course, the weather, and his own mental game threw at him over 72 holes.
“He`s an overachiever, a true grinder,” Gregory commented. “This should confirm for him that he belongs among the world`s best players.”
For Oakmont, the 1-under winning score might be slightly disappointing, as its members might have preferred a score over par. However, over 72 demanding holes, including 18 arduous ones on Sunday, the course once again proved its mettle by identifying a truly deserving champion.
Benedict Kingsley 
Adrian Whitmore