JJ Spaun was dancing in the rain after he holed a monster putt on the 72nd hole to win his maiden major title and deny Robert MacIntyre as Oakmont served up a classic US Open climax.
MacIntyre looked to have done enough at one-over to get at least a playoff with a superb final round of 68 in extremely wet and squelchy conditions, but Spaun produced two moments right out of the top drawer to rewrite this dramatic novel.
The American drove straight at the flag on the par-4 17th to set up an eagle chance which he two-putted for a birdie to leave him one clear of MacIntyre on level-par.
Spaun, who very nearly gave up the game as recently as last season, found the fairway and green on 18 leaving himself with two-putts for the win but he only needed one as he drained his birdie putt from 64-feet to seal a sensational victory.
The story of MacIntyre becoming the first Scottish major winner since Paul Lawrie in 1999 will have to wait but Spaun re-wrote his own script and defied the golfing Gods in biblical conditions.
Five-over after six holes, which included a cruel break on the second when his approach rattled the flagstick and ran off the front of the green turning a potential birdie into a bogey, it seemed like Spaun’s race was run, the unheralded battler set to exit stage left.
But the American rallied. Those around him were up and down, the lead changed countless times, five players shared the lead. Then a deluge of rain suspended play and Spaun was given a reprieve.
He emerged from the restart a different player, birdieing the 12th and 14th holes to reignite his hopes.
A bogey on 15 left him level with MacIntyre who was putting on a show a few groups ahead of him but he had the final act with those two closing birdies. Level par would have won this US Open but Spaun added icing to the cake as the only player to finish in red figures after the best 72 he will ever shoot.
Spaun becomes the first player since 2003 to win a major championship having carded a front nine of 40 in the final round.
Of course, US Open’s are rarely without controversy and overnight leader Sam Burns will be cursing himself and a shockingly bad break.
Standing in 15th fairway on one-over and in the lead, Burns wasn’t given relief for casual water despite water clearly coming up off the surface on his practice swings.
In the end, it cost him a double bogey and his chances at a maiden major of his own as he signed for a 78 and a plus four total.
“Yeah, that fairway slopes left to right,” said Burns who was beaten by Ryan Fox in a playoff at the RBC Canadian Open last week. “That’s kind of the low part of the fairway there. When I walked into it, clearly you could see water coming up. Took practice swings and it’s just water splashing every single time. Called a rules official over, they disagreed. I looked at it again. I thought maybe I should get a second opinion. That rules official also disagreed.
“At the end of the day, it’s not up to me, it’s up to the rules official. That’s kind of that.”
Viktor Hovland’s wait for a first major will go on after a 73 gave him a two-over total and solo third while Cameron Young was impressive in his 70 to share fourth place with Tyrrell Hatton and Carlos Ortiz on three-over.
Burns shared seventh with 2021 champion Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler. The world number one will wonder what could have been.
Rory McIlroy, despite being nowhere near his best yet again after his career grand slam win, managed to come away with a top-20 finish on seven-over after a joint low round of the day 67.
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