JJ SPAUN’s place in Oakmont opened us more than you think

Oakmont Country Club’s The champions line is legendary. Walk down the history hall at the club and you will see one who is that of the Golf Kingdom that set up an open trophy in the US in the iconic course.

Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Tommy Armor, Johnny Miller, Dustin Johnson and Ernie Els are among those whose photos decorate the walls. Add to the PGA course championship and US amateur history, and you get names like Bobby Jones and Sam Snead. Outside Sam Parks Jr., who won the US Open of 1935, Oakmont has only seen the best of the best passage. Fluke does not exist in the vocabulary of the anchor page.

As the last round of 2025 US Open It unfolded, Oakmont’s past suggested some opportunities who would be the last man standing. Adam Scott adding a second great victory to his illustrative resume fits the mold. Victor Hovland ascending to the next level and also winning its first first. Scottie Scheffler or Jon Rahm making a Sunday charge while the rest of the field returned to them would be the perfect end of Oakmont.

Of course, JJ Spaun had other ideasFinishing Birdie-Birdie to become an impossible champion of Oakmont.

While Spaun threw his bed into the air after finding a 65-meter bird blow in the 72nd hole to decide a call point in his impossible victoryI thought about his country in Oakmont history. From now on, spa will have his issue in the History Hall. On the surface, the 34-year-old seemed to be an external oakmont. He is to some extent, but the connection is more than you think.

“Boys and ladies who have won here often fall into two categories,” said the historian and archivist of the Oakmont club David Moore. “It is their first major or advanced first or after years of war after their appearance on tour, such as Tommy Armor, Jack Nicklaus, Paul Creamer, Johnny Miller, Dustin Johnson and Ernie Els. They fit the mold like this was their first great championship, but it was part of it. And it was a kind of Swan song.

However, Moore sees parallel between Spaun and the past two Oakmont winners: John Maaffey, who won the 1978 PGA Championship in Oakmont, and Hogan, who won the US Open 1953.

“If I had to equalize with any of our champions, it would be John Maaffey,” Moore said. “The reason it was, Maaffey entered that kind of PGA in the desert. He had passed a bitter divorce and an injury. He was just a kind of start to catch something and find his base. He won that PGA in a play -off. No one was waiting for him to come inside and win. Championship.

“This changed everything for John. I can’t help, but think similar to JJ you hear stories. He almost lost his card several times. He almost lost his card last year. He started in the Canadian tournament and worked is the right way and had his wars. Not necessarily the personal wars that Mahaffey did. Mira were coming and now she pays.

But while the story and arch of the spaun career at this point placed it in the third box of Oakmont, its electric finish, where he led the green to par-4 17 And he made a light 65-legged bird that captured the stunning victory, connecting it with the legendary Hogan, who also ended with a flame.

“The only thing that is so cute is the parallel with Ben Hogan,” Moore said. “They both won Texas Open and the two won here. They both brought the 17th Sunday green and with two putted (for Birdie). The two hit the same shots at 18: Driver, 6 iron, make a bird’s bird to close an open SH.BA.

Despite how Spaun’s career unfolds at this point, and whether his career touches or not other Oakmont champions, the sustained image of his changing life victory will permanently connect with Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer’s duel and Johnny Miller’s Sunday 63.

“This stroke (in 18) is iconic,” Moore said. “I was right there and I saw him staying there with him. The putter is in the air, the caddy raised his arms in the background and this will be an iconic appearance and here moving forward.”

In Oakmont, where golf icons live forever, Spaun’s Putt made him a worthy club member with many stories that are still writing.