Spaun Shines at the US Open and Ryder Cup: Analysis and Favorites for The Open

J.J. Spaun Shocks at the U.S. Open: An Unexpected Triumph at Oakmont

The U.S. Open, the third major championship of the season, crowned an unlikely champion. J.J. Spaun, with an electrifying performance, took the victory at Oakmont Country Club, thanks to consecutive birdies on the last two holes on Sunday. Spaun was the only player to finish under par, with a total of 1-under par 279, standing out on a day where the wind and rain made Oakmont an even greater challenge. The last major of the season, the Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland, will be held in July. Spaun’s victory, will it propel him to more triumphs? What can we expect from him for the rest of the season?

Last season, Spaun missed the cut in 10 of his first 15 PGA Tour tournaments and was ranked 169th in the world. “Last year, in June, it looked like I was going to lose my job,” Spaun commented, “and that’s when I had that moment where I thought, ‘If this is how I’m going out, I might as well go down fighting'”.

Spaun turned the situation around at the end of the summer and has shown his best golf this year. He tied for second place at the Cognizant Classic in Palm Beaches in February and lost in a playoff against Rory McIlroy at the Players Championship. Finally, he achieved his second victory on the circuit, on one of the most difficult courses in the world.

“I think it’s perseverance,” Spaun said. “I’ve always fought to get to where I need to be and want to be. I’ve done it before. I’ve had bumps at every level. I always come back and say, ‘You’ve been through this. You’ve been down. You got out of it.'”.

J.J. Spaun

Spaun’s victory at the U.S. Open did not surprise his competitors. Although he may not be a well-known name, he is considered one of the best ball-strikers in the world. His “putter” was on fire during the four days at Oakmont, which was key to his triumph. For his coach Josh Gregory, Spaun could have settled for being an average player on the PGA Tour, but he wanted to be elite. This involved working on his putting and chipping, areas in which Gregory has helped him. This week he demonstrated the work done, preparing him for the rest of the year. Now, on courses that prioritize iron play, Spaun will be able to convert his opportunities on the green. Although competing in the last major of the year may be ambitious, given that Spaun has never played in the Open, he is expected to perform well in several PGA Tour events, including the upcoming Tour Championship. The United States Ryder Cup captain, Keegan Bradley, was greeted with cheers of “USA! USA!” on the 18th hole at Oakmont. Spaun practically secured his place in the Ryder Cup by winning the U.S. Open. He is currently in third place in points, only behind Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele. Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Thomas, and Collin Morikawa are also well-positioned. In addition to Spaun, Russell Henley and Ben Griffin performed well at Oakmont, tying for tenth place. They are now in seventh and eighth place in Ryder Cup points, respectively. The top six players in the points standings after the BMW Championship on August 17 will automatically qualify for the team; Bradley will also make six captain’s picks. The European captain, Luke Donald, surely enjoyed watching Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, and Jon Rahm, who finished in the top ten and will surely be at Bethpage. Robert MacIntyre, with his second place, had his best result in a major and rose to fourth place in the Ryder Cup standings. MacIntyre, who was the last to qualify two years ago in Rome, has had four top-10 finishes this season, which strengthens his position to return to the team in September.

The Open Championship on the Horizon

Scheffler, despite struggling with his swing and putter, managed to tie for seventh place at Oakmont. Even at his worst, he’s still better than most. For the Open Championship at Royal Portrush, Scheffler could be one of the favorites.

My main takeaway is that I fought with all my might this week,” Scheffler said. “I felt very proud mentally of how I was during the four days.”

Scottie Scheffler

Shane Lowry, winner of the Claret Jug at the 2019 Open Championship in Northern Ireland, could also be a contender. Rory McIlroy will seek redemption after failing to make the cut at Royal Portrush five years ago. McIlroy needs to prepare mentally for the tournament.

“If I can’t get motivated for an Open Championship at home, I don’t know what can motivate me,” McIlroy said. “I need to be in the right mindset.”

Rory McIlroy

Xander Schauffele, with a round under par at Oakmont, finished in the top 12. After a rib injury, his game is returning to its best level. Schauffele, winner of the Claret Jug last year at Troon, demonstrated his ability to excel on links courses with challenging conditions. Viktor Hovland, despite not feeling comfortable with his game, finished in third place. Adam Scott, although he didn’t have the best result, was in the fight until the conditions worsened. Robert MacIntyre, with a solid game, secured second place.

“I’m a guy who believes,” MacIntyre said. “Today I said to myself, ‘Why not? Why not be me today?'”

Robert MacIntyre

MacIntyre, with excellent putting, was close to a tie with Spaun. After finishing his round, he was caught applauding Spaun, a moment that generated praise and marked an unforgettable week for MacIntyre. “It feels great,” MacIntyre said about being in contention. “It’s what I dreamed of as a kid, sitting at home watching all the majors. Yeah, it feels incredible.”