USGA : US Open, Oakmont GC Leaderboard Results
I'm sure I was in good company with golf fans right across Canada, when JJ Spaun and his caddie surveyed a very long 65 foot undulating putt in the gathering gloom on the 72 hole on Sunday evening on Oakmont GC, in his National Championship, the 125th US Open.
It had already been a long tiring week on America's toughest test of a golf course, before Mother Nature brought the predicted rain, thunder and lightning in time for the leaders, to make matters worse.
The 90 minute weather delay, raised the possibility of an 8.51 sunset not being enough time, the clouds were black. USGA officials hustled around to advise players hiding in shelter that any playoff would in fact be staged on Monday.
The final out come was an evolving mystery, Sam Burns and Adam Scott seemed to be the odds on favorites for much of the day. Spaun had gone out in 40 strokes, his chances of winning were bleak.
Then as the Californian journeyman would say post round, the weather delay after 9 holes changed everything when he saw the leaders were just at E. He and his caddie thought, we still have a chance to win this thing.
Adam Scott's meticulous game, fairways and greens, had finally deserted him, his Saturday 67 turned to a Sunday 79, Sam Burns who cruelly lost the Canadian Open in a playoff the week before, was not much better, 69 Saturday, 78 Sunday. The game was on with nine holes to play, the Championship there for the survivor of the fittest.
Spaun got on a roll, and came to the driveable par 4, 310 yard 17th as one of the leaders. His 2nd best shot of the day, his drive cut into the wind almost went in the hole!.. Birdie ..
Another great drive split the 18th fairway, he and his caddie now realized at E par, with Scotland's Bob MacIntyre in the clubhouse watching with the lead at +1, and Scott with Burns behind them out of contention, they only needed a par 4 to win.
His approach in the rain, landed on the left side of the green, 65 feet from the pin.
Now to the reason we Canadian golf fans sat up a paid attention.
In 2023 Nick Taylor found himself in a playoff with Tommy Fleetwood for his national championship the RBC Canadian Open which had not been won by a Canadian in 53 years.
He was 75 feet from the hole, a long undulating lag putt ahead. In a historic moment, his putt began its journey, the country held it's breath, 10 feet out, it was on line, in it went !
Stunned at first, Nick jumped into his caddy's arms, an iconic picture now emblazoned as the symbol for Golf Canada.
Andy Lyons
Switch now to JJ and his caddie, exactly the same. His putt began up a hill with a long right hand bend on its way to the hole, both were caught bent over sideways, seeing it was on line, then in it went !! They jumped into each others arms, it was all over, it was historic, it was theirs.
"I never thought I would be here holding this trophy. It's a dream weekend scenario, on Father's Day. To have my two kids here is just awesome and it's a cherry on top of a wonderful week."
Spaun added: "It's definitely like a story book, fairy-tale ending, kind of underdog fighting back, not giving up, never quitting. With the rain and everything and then the putt, I mean, you couldn't write a better story. I'm just so fortunate to be on the receiving end of that."
He and Nick Taylor will share that moment in golf's history, both winning their National Championships with the putts of their lives.
Bryan Angus
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