Tearful JJ Spaun sinks monster putt on final hole as 120/1 underdog pips Robert MacIntyre to US Open crown at Oakmont
ROBERT MACINTYRE suffered the same Oakmont heartbreak as boyhood hero Colin Montgomerie as JJ Spaun pushed him into second place at the US open.
At the fearsome course where Montgomerie was edged out in a play-off by Ernie Els in 1994, MacIntyre looked like going one better after a brilliant closing round of 68 saw him take the clubhouse lead at one over par.
5
American JJ Spaun won the US Open at Oakmont after a thrilling final round
Credit: Getty
5
Spaun sparked wild scenes on 18 as he holed the longest putt of the whole week to win the US Open
Credit: Reuters
5
Spaun celebrated with his wife and kids after his incredible Major win
Credit: Reuters
5
Spaun shared a kiss with proud wife Melody
Credit: Getty
Spaun, who was also on one over with two holes to play, was the only man with a realistic chance of denying the young Scot.
And he produced a wonder shot at the driveable par four 17th, smashing a 309 yard drive to within 18 feet of the flag.
The eagle putt rolled past the hole, but Spaun showed nerves of steel to sink his three footer for birdie, and claim the outright lead.
The stocky American still needed to make at least a par at the ultra-tough 18th to avoid a play-off.
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And maybe the memories of what happened to him at The Players
Championship
a few months ago meant he was determined to avoid that outcome.
Spaun left a putt for victory at Sawgrass hanging in the jaws of the final hole - and he was blown away by Rory McIlroy when they returned for a three hole shoot out the
next
day.
He made absolutely sure that could not happen again by sinking a bomb from
65 FEET
at the last for a two shot victory.
At one under par he was the only man to finish in red figures.
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5
Robert MacIntyre's incredible 2-under-par final round had fired him into the running
Credit: Reuters
Spaun, who was 120/1 with the bookies at the start of the week, also had the distinction of firing the only bogey-free round of the week with his first round 66.
He hung tough after that, produced a fantastic finishing flourish, and the world No 25 is now a worthy Major champion.
Eagle-eyed fans spot Rory McIlroy's 'unrepeatable' magic trick in furious fit of rage at US Open
It was hard on MacIntyre, who was the only player in the final
SIXTEEN
groups on the course to break par on day four.
His weekend rounds of 69-68 would have made him a worthy winner, if world No 25 Spaun had not shown such grit after a
horror
start saw him drop five shots in the first six holes.
MacIntyre knew he could not have done any more.
He commented: 'All I can say is that I'm absolutely delighted with the way I played today.
'I got off to a rough start with a couple of early bogeys, but sinking a sixty footer for eagle on the fourth showed you can never tell what is going to happen next here
'I could see no-one was getting away from me among the guys who started out in front of me, so I had to dig in, dig in, and dig in some more. I did that. I did my best.'
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