US Open winner JJ Spaun makes £2.6m choice straight after amazing win at Oakmont
JJ Spaun will be back in action at the Travelers Championship, just days after winning his first major at the US Open, with the 34-year-old set to compete for the £2.6million top prize
JJ Spaun is not wasting any time after his US Open victory, as he's set to compete in the Travelers Championship. The 34-year-old golfer bagged his first major on Sunday at Oakmont Country Club, along with a hefty £3.1million prize money.
The notoriously challenging Pennsylvania course proved difficult for many, including Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau, who failed to challenge for the trophy. Spaun managed to distinguish himself from the rest, being the only golfer to finish the event under par.
Despite the magnitude of his recent win, Spaun isn't taking a break. Instead, he's jumping straight back into competition at the Travelers Championship, reports the Mirror US. He's lined up to compete for the £2.6m top prize at the last PGA Tour signature event of the season on Thursday.
With a line-up of 72 players, including every eligible player from the top 22 in the world, Spaun will start the event at TPC River Highlands ranked 8th in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR), having climbed from 25th prior to the US Open.
Last year's champion, Scheffler, will be hoping to defend his 2024 title after defeating Tom Kim in an exciting playoff. This will also be the first signature event where the world No. 1 will compete against Rory McIlroy since the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March.
The Northern Irishman is set to tee off this week after skipping the event last year. Since winning the Masters in April, the 36-year-old has been experiencing a turbulent period.
In contrast, an emotional Spaun reflected on his win and confessed: "I never thought I would be here holding this trophy. I mean, I've always had aspirations and dreams. But a few months ago, I never knew what my ceiling was.
"I never knew how good I could be, but I'm just proud that I've been resilient in my career and pushed through a lot of things and just trying to be the best golfer I can be. And, you know, I'm happy to display that today at Oakmont.
"I don't think I did keep my composure, honestly, with all the breaks I was getting. So this time I kind of leaned on that whole experience where I came back after the delay at The Players and I just kept pushing."
"I'm super fortunate to just have a good support system around me and encourage me and support me in ways that a lot of people don't notice," he added. "So I'm just proud of how I battled, and I'm super proud to be the U.S. Open champion."
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