Walking on eggshells pays off for US Open leader Spaun

OAKMONT – J.J. Spaun could not escape the talk about how punishing a set-up Oakmont Country Club is, and while that left him plenty nervous, the unheralded American felt the threat of danger at every turn helped power him to the first-round US Open lead on June 12.

Spaun, whose lone win on the PGA Tour came in 2022, did not just outplay the game’s biggest stars in the opening round of the year’s third Major but also carded only the eighth bogey-free round in a US Open at Oakmont.

While big names like Scottie Scheffler (73), Bryson DeChambeau (73) and Rory McIlroy (74) all struggled, Spaun signed off for a four-under 66 that left him with a one-shot lead over South African Thriston Lawrence.

“I was actually pretty nervous,” said Spaun, who finished runner-up to McIlroy at the Players Championship in March.

“But I actually tried to harness that, the nerves, the anxiety, because it kind of heightens my focus, makes me swing better.

“I kind of get more in the zone, whereas if I don’t have any worry or if I’m not in it mentally, it’s kind of just a lazy round or whatever out there.”

Despite being nervous, Spaun was a picture of calm as he made his way around a course that has a reputation for being kick-your-teeth-in tough given the dense rough that lines the skinny fairways which lead to super-slick greens.

Spaun, who began his day on the back nine, left his approach at the par-four 10th in thick rough beside the green but calmly chipped in from 20 feet away and never looked back.

The 34-year-old American added three more birdies before the turn and then parred each hole on his inward nine.

South Korean Kim Si-woo, whose birdie attempt at his final hole just missed the cup, was two shots off the pace and in a share of third place with five-time Major champion Brooks Koepka and Im Sung-jae.

Koepka sank a 42-foot eagle putt at the fourth, made bogeys at the 10th and 14th holes then closed with back-to-back birdies.

Defending champion DeChambeau, one of 14 LIV Golf players in the field and looking to become the first repeat US Open winner since Koepka in 2018, spent too much time in Oakmont’s penal rough during his opening 73.

“It was a brutal test of golf. But one that I’m excited for tomorrow,” said DeChambeau.

Meanwhile, fellow LIV golfer Patrick Reed made history with the fourth albatross on record at a US Open, the first since Nick Watney had one in 2012.

Reed leapt into contention early in his first round, but that albatross on the par-five hole No. 4 was essentially erased when he closed the day with a triple-bogey seven.

Reed, prickly after his round ended with a thud, did not have much to share about his albatross.

“One hole doesn’t mean jack, to be honest with you,” said Reed, who finished tied-49th along with others such as DeChambeau and Scheffler on three over.

“It was a three-wood I hit from 287 (yards), and it went in.”
REUTERS