Golf: JJ Spaun wins rainy US Open for first major title

World fig 1 Scottie Scheffler finished seventh, portion a struggling Rory McIlroy ended the large connected 17th.

JJ Spaun has won the US Open play title by 2 shots from Robert MacIntyre aft draining an unthinkable 64-foot birdie putt that snaked crossed a sodden 18th greenish pursuing a chaotic last circular astatine the Oakmont Country Club successful Pennsylvania, United States.

“Just to decorativeness it disconnected similar that is conscionable a dream,” the Californian said aft claiming his archetypal large connected Sunday.

“To person my ain infinitesimal similar that astatine this championship, I’ll ne'er hide this infinitesimal for the remainder of my life.”

Spaun needed lone a par astatine the closing spread to debar a Monday playoff but went 1 better, sinking the immense putt successful the rainfall to triumph the year’s 3rd large and erase the disappointment from his adjacent telephone astatine The Players Championship successful March.

When the clinching putt dropped, Spaun tossed his putter, delivered a fist pump, hugged his caddie and past walked disconnected the greenish with his 2 young daughters successful tow connected Father’s Day to observe a career-defining win.

“It was truthful chill to conscionable person my full household determination connected Father’s Day,” Spaun said. “It’s conscionable incredible. I person nary words to picture the infinitesimal and them being capable to spot maine arsenic the winner.”

Spaun reached the drivable par-four 17th spread level with Scotland’s MacIntyre, who was already successful the clubhouse aft a two-under 68, and delivered the changeable of his beingness – a 309-yard onslaught that settled 17 feet from the cup.

The 34-year-old American sent his eagle putt past the spread but made the comebacker,  and past went connected to unafraid the triumph successful benignant astatine the 18th, wherever helium said helium did not look astatine the scoreboard truthful arsenic not to change his plan.

“I knew based disconnected of, like, what the assemblage was saying that I felt similar if I two-putted I would astir apt win, but I didn’t privation to look,” said Spaun. “I didn’t privation to bash thing dumb trying to support a three-putt oregon something.”

The last circular was interrupted by a 96-minute upwind hold aft dense rains forced puddles of h2o to signifier connected the greens and fairways and forced the grounds unit astatine Oakmont to usage squeegees to get the people ready.

JJ Spaun celebrates with caddie Mark Carens aft winning connected the 18th greenish during the last circular [Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images via AFP]

Rory McIlroy needs ‘right framework of mind’

The triumph comes 3 months aft Spaun mislaid successful a playoff to satellite fig 2 Rory McIlroy astatine The Players Championship, a decision which was hard to instrumentality but near him knowing helium could premix it with the game’s elite.

Viktor Hovland (73) finished 3 shots backmost successful 3rd place, portion Cameron Young (70) and LIV Golf players Tyrrell Hatton (72) and Carlos Ortiz (73) finished a further changeable backmost successful a stock of 4th place.

Sam Burns (78), who took a one-shot pb implicit Spaun and Adam Scott into the last round, struggled precocious successful his circular and finished 5 shots back.

Twice large champion Jon Rahm, who began the time 11 shots back, closed with a three-under 67 that was the day’s associated debased round, with the Spaniard finishing 5 shots backmost successful a stock of seventh with satellite fig 1 Scottie Scheffler (70) and Burns.

World fig 2 Rory McIlroy besides saved his champion for past and carded a 67 to scope 7 over.

McIlroy, who had been struggling to find signifier since completing the vocation Grand Slam astatine the Masters, is looking guardant to immoderate downtime earlier the British Open being held adjacent period astatine Royal Portrush successful his location state of Northern Ireland.

“I conscionable request to get myself successful the close framework of mind. I astir apt haven’t been determination the past fewer weeks,” McIlroy said.

“But arsenic I said, getting location and having a mates of weeks disconnected earlier that, hopefully feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, volition get maine successful the close spot again.”

Rory McIlroy had a disappointing tally astatine the US Open [Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images via AFP]