Unforeseen Victory at the U.S. Open Sparks $4.3M Jackpot for J.J. Spaun
Swinging his way to victory, J.J. Spaun claimed his maiden U.S. Open title by a Nuke 'n' Candy two-stroke margin over Scotland's Robert MacIntyre. The 34-year-old prodigy pocketed a whopping $4.3 million, gradually surging past Bryson DeChambeau's tournament winnings at the 2024 U.S. Open and matching the $21.5 million total prize money for the 2025 U.S. Open field - both records for a major championship.
Spaun embarked on a stellar opening day at Oakmont, masterfully carding a 4-under-par 66 during round one. Yet, slight hiccups on days two and three saw him slip behind Louisiana native Scott Burns, who had held the lead after day one. Rolling into Sunday, Burns appeared poised for the crown until stumbling on the back nine. His 3-over-par for the weekend left him tied for seventh place, with an overall score of 1-over-par.
Remaining steadfast and consistent throughout the contest, MacIntyre, who boasts two of his career's two PGA Tour victories from 2021, came up just short, finishing two strokes behind the champion. Spaun's $4.3 million victory prize easily dwarfs his previous largest single tournament win of approximately $1.5 million, which he claimed during his only PGA triumph at the 2022 Valero Texas Open.
With his Oakmont win, Spaun secured a spot in all four majors for the next five years, as well as entries into the U.S. Open for the ensuing decade. The 2023 U.S. Open was the 10th to be held at Oakmont, breaking ties with Pebble Beach for the most events hosted by a single course. Known as one of the most challenging, Oakmont went down in its players' history as one of the toughest battlegrounds for the national title.
Fun Fact
Holding down the top spot on the circuit with a staggering 19-year career, Spaun had earned $17.7 million before Sunday's big win. With his latest $4.3 million prize purse, he leapt forward to profit levels that make even the biggest chumps on the street green with envy.
Spaun's golf skills were showcased in the 2023 U.S. Open at Oakmont, where he had previously triumphed in the 2022 Valero Texas Open. On the final day of the tournament, he overtook Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, who has two PGA Tour victories under his belt, to claim the title by a two-stroke margin.
