On a punishing Thursday at Oakmont Country Club, where par is typically a prized commodity, J.J. Spaun delivered a nearly flawless performance that carved his name atop the leaderboard at the 125th U.S. Open.
Spaun’s 4-under-par 66 not only gave him a one-shot lead over South African Thriston Lawrence, but also etched his round into Oakmont lore — becoming the first player since Dustin Johnson in 2016 to post a bogey-free round at the historic venue. That year, Johnson went on to win his maiden major title. Whether Spaun follows that script remains to be seen, but his opening statement was emphatic.
“I knew if I kept the ball in play and avoided the big number, I could hang in there,” said Spaun, who hit eight of 14 fairways and 12 of 18 greens in regulation. “But honestly, it was the putter. I just had one of those days.”
Indeed, his putter was incandescent. The 34-year-old rolled in 90 feet of putts and gained nearly four strokes on the field on the greens alone. Starting on the 10th hole, Spaun surged early with four birdies in his first eight holes, turning in a record-tying 31. While he didn’t add more birdies coming in, what stood out on his second nine was his grit — making several key par saves and never once three-putting on Oakmont’s lightning-fast, undulating greens.
“I was scrambling a bit, but I never felt rattled,” he said. “That’s probably the most locked in I’ve ever been for 18 holes.”
For a player ranked 25th in the world and coming off a missed cut at the Memorial, Thursday’s round was unexpected. Spaun’s last significant moment came at the Players Championship in March, where he battled Rory McIlroy in a dramatic three-hole playoff but came up just short.
Now, he’s back in the spotlight — this time at a major, and at perhaps the most demanding venue in championship golf. And he’s doing it alone at the top.
The course played true to its fearsome reputation. After more than 13 hours of golf, only 10 players broke par — one fewer than the opening round at Oakmont in 2016.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was among the many high-profile casualties of the rough and rugged layout. The usually consistent Texan made five bogeys on the day — more than he typically makes in an entire tournament — en route to a 3-over 73, his worst U.S. Open start.
Rory McIlroy fared even worse. After a wild sequence on the fourth hole where he had to hack out three times from the rough just to return to the fairway — and then miraculously holed a 30-foot putt to save bogey — the Masters champion finished with a 4-over 74. He declined to speak with media for the fifth straight competitive round at a major. But not everyone succumbed to Oakmont’s wrath.
Brooks Koepka, seeking his first major top-10 since capturing the 2023 PGA Championship, showed flashes of his dominant self. The five-time major champion played a smart, patient round and birdied two of his final four holes to shoot a 2-under 68. He was joined at that number by South Korea’s Si Woo Kim and Sungjae Im, both of whom quietly maneuvered through the minefield to stay in early contention.
History shows Oakmont only gets tougher with each passing day. The greens get slicker, the rough gnarlier, and the pressure of U.S. Open golf amplifies. For Spaun, Thursday’s round will be hard to replicate, but it has at least given him a foothold — and a bit of belief — heading into the weekend.
“Being in contention at the Players is one thing,” Spaun said. “But this… this is the U.S. Open. I know it’s going to be a grind. But I’m ready.”
Whether the unexpected leader can hold off the world’s best over 54 more grueling holes remains to be seen. But for now, on golf’s most unforgiving stage, J.J. Spaun is one step ahead of them all.
