Oakmont... Only One Player Finished Under Par

Spaun Claims First Major Title at US Open with 1-Under Par
Secures Second Career Win with 19-Meter Birdie on Final 18th Hole
MacIntyre Finishes Second, Hovland Third, Scheffler Tied for Seventh

Even the world's top golfers struggled. They were helpless at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania, USA, considered the toughest course in the world (par 70, 7,372 yards). At the 125th US Open, which concluded on June 15 (local time) with a total prize fund of $21.5 million, only one player finished with an under-par score. That player was J.J. Spaun of the United States, who won the championship with a 1-under-par 279.

Oakmont Country Club is notorious for its difficulty. It is regarded as the most challenging among all US Open venues. Even "golf emperor" Tiger Woods has expressed his awe at its difficulty. The course is a links-style design that maximizes the natural environment, featuring a long layout, uneven fairways, deep rough, 210 bunkers, and fast greens that put constant pressure on the players. Its nickname, "Oakmonster," is a combination of Oakmont and Monster, reflecting its fearsome reputation.

J.J. Spon cheers after making the winning birdie on the 18th hole of the 4th round at the US Open. Oakmont, USA - AP Yonhap News Photo by AP

In particular, the infamous bunker known as "The Church Pews" stretches 100 yards in length and 40 yards in width, striking fear into the hearts of competitors. While there are no water hazards such as ponds, reservoirs, or streams, drainage ditches run through 10 holes, presenting another formidable challenge. Around these ditches, thickly grown fescue grass, uneven ground, and abundant gravel make approach shots extremely difficult.

In the final round, only 7 out of 66 players managed to shoot under par. Most of these players started their rounds in the morning, when the weather was relatively favorable. Meanwhile, those contending for the title faced a dramatic interruption, as play was suspended for about 1 hour and 40 minutes due to severe weather before resuming. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) and LIV Golf representative Jon Rahm (Spain) both posted 3-under-par rounds, marking the day's best scores. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (USA) recorded 4 birdies, 2 bogeys, and 1 double bogey to finish at even par.

Champion Spaun is currently ranked 25th in the world, with his only previous PGA Tour victory coming at the 2022 Valero Texas Open. In the final round, he carded 4 birdies and 6 bogeys, losing 2 strokes, but ultimately conquered Oakmont. He secured a dramatic victory by sinking a long birdie putt from about 19 meters on the final 18th hole (par 4). The winner's prize was $4.3 million (approximately 5.9 billion won).

Robert MacIntyre (Scotland) finished second with a 1-over-par 281, while Viktor Hovland (Norway) took third with a 2-over-par 282. Scheffler and Rahm both tied for seventh at 4-over-par 284. McIlroy tied for 19th at 7-over-par 287, Kim Joo-hyung tied for 33rd at 9-over-par 289, Kim Si-woo tied for 42nd at 12-over-par 292, and Im Sung-jae tied for 57th at 16-over-par 296.