JJ Spaun Shines as Oakmont Tests the Best at the 2025 US Open
The 2025 US Open is already living up to its legendary reputation for drama, difficulty, and surprises — and leading the charge at Oakmont is a name many didn’t expect to see at the top: JJ Spaun. While Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, and other stars stumbled, Spaun delivered a masterclass in control, poise, and putting, carding a bogey-free 66 to grab the early lead at four under par.
Now, let’s talk about Oakmont. This course isn’t just hard — it borders on cruel. Long rough, lightning-fast greens, and a setup that punishes the smallest error. It’s a place where even par feels like a victory. Rory McIlroy knows that all too well. The Masters champion looked sharp early on, cruising to two under through nine. But then Oakmont reminded everyone who’s boss. A string of bogeys, a brutal double at the behemoth par-three eighth, and he finished with a four-over 74 — a round that threatens his hopes unless he finds some magic on day two.
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Meanwhile, JJ Spaun looked like he was in a different tournament. Calm, focused, and resilient, he opened with a chip-in birdie and never looked back. Four birdies in his first eight holes and zero mistakes — that’s rare air at a major, especially here. His putting was lights out, sinking five par saves from seven feet or longer. That kind of precision, especially under major pressure, is the stuff that separates contenders from pretenders.
This wasn’t just luck. Spaun came into the tournament with confidence shaped by near-misses and hard lessons. After a heartbreaking playoff loss to McIlroy at The Players earlier this year, he’s rebuilt his belief and sharpened his short game — even teaming up with instructor Josh Gregory this week for a tune-up that’s already paying dividends.
Other notables in the mix include Thriston Lawrence at three under, Kim Si-woo at two under, and Thomas Detry holding strong at one under. But perhaps the quote that says it all came from Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, who said his level-par 70 was “in the top 10” rounds he’s ever played. That’s how grueling Oakmont has been. Bryson DeChambeau shot a 73 and admitted, “This course can come up and get you pretty quick — and it got me.”
As for Spaun, this lead marks a new high point in a career that’s been building toward something big. He’s never led a major, never posted a bogey-free round in one, and certainly never done it at a course this punishing. But here he is — calm in the chaos, standing tall while others falter.
Whether he can hold on over the next three days is anyone’s guess. Oakmont is only going to get nastier as the weekend rolls in. But for now, Spaun has the spotlight, the lead, and the belief that he belongs right where he is.
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