JJ Spaun Buries Oakmont and the Field: U.S. Open Ends with 64 Feet of Glory

We’d like to formally apologize to JJ Spaun. Because like most of the golf world, we had zero idea the guy was capable of this. A 64-foot nuclear missile on the 72nd hole of the U.S. Open? At Oakmont??

That wasn’t just a birdie. That was a mic drop. A flag-plant. A middle finger to the gods of chaos who’d spent four days ripping through the leaderboard like a tornado through a trailer park.

The Setup

Spaun started Sunday like he was trying to get cut retroactively. Five bogeys in his first six holes. The wheels weren’t just coming off — they were rolling down the hill into traffic.

But the dude hung around. Clawed back. Gutted out a gritty, filthy 72 while Oakmont was doing Oakmont things: turning stars into rubble and scorecards into confetti. He didn’t panic. He didn’t try to force it. He just kept punching back.

The 17th: The Sneaky Play of the Week

On the short par-4 17th, with a share of the lead and chaos all around, Spaun drove the green. Not laid up. Not cute. Full send.

Two-putt birdie. Solo lead. One hole to play.

Cue the heart palpitations.

The 18th: Holy. Bleeping. Putt.

Let’s paint this. Final hole. U.S. Open on the line. Oakmont's concrete greens. 64 feet between JJ Spaun and immortality. And this man doesn’t lag it. Doesn’t baby it.

He cans it.

Dead center. The longest putt anyone made at Oakmont all week. And Spaun gives the most chill reaction you’ve ever seen from a guy who just sucker-punched a major championship in the face.

Game. Set. U.S. Open freaking Champion.

The Vibe

JJ Spaun just won his first major (and only his second PGA Tour event ever), at OAKMONT, with a final-round 72, five bogeys in his first six holes, and a back-nine heater for the ages.

This wasn’t some pristine, ball-striking clinic. This was trench warfare. This was survive, adapt, and drop a 64-foot bomb when it matters most.

And let’s not forget: he beat Robert MacIntyre — who dropped a clean 68 — by two. Not in a playoff. Not with a lucky bounce. He won that thing outright.

What Just Happened?

Look, Spaun’s not flashy. He’s not a stat darling. He’s not moving the TikTok needle. But at Oakmont, none of that matters. You don’t finesse Oakmont. You endure it. And JJ Spaun just walked through the fire with a two-shot win and an exclamation-point putt that’s going on highlight reels for the next 50 years.

The Takeaway

This is what makes the U.S. Open the major. It chews up the superstars and hands the trophy to the guy who doesn’t blink.

JJ Spaun blinked early. Then he woke the hell up and dropped one of the coldest finishes we’ve ever seen in a major.

Oakmont brought the chaos. Spaun brought the calm. And with one swing of the putter, he brought the house down.

JJ Spaun, U.S. Open Champ.
Didn’t see it coming. Will never forget it.

🐦 Tee Talk Team
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Birdie Central Incoming: This Week’s Tournament Will Be a Flag-Hunting Festival

Alright folks, breathe. We’ve survived Oakmont. The chaos is behind us (for now). This week? We’re shifting gears from horror movie to highlight reel.

No more soul-sucking rough or PTSD-inducing greens. This week’s setup is a birdie buffet. Think wedges, red numbers, and guys trying to go full “scorecard blackout.”

Let’s get into the dudes you might want to throw some units on, add to your fantasy squad, or irrationally hate when they triple the first hole after you picked them.

💰 Tee Talk Locks of the Week (Betting & Fantasy, But With Some Swagger)

🔥 Sepp Straka (+3500)
Big boy season. Leads the galaxy in birdies and is nuking tee-to-green stats. Already has a W this year and is probably mad no one noticed. Hammer him while the books are sleeping.

🎯 Bud Cauley (+9000)
Cinderella alert. No wins (yet), but he’s been floating near leaderboards like your buddy lurking in DMs. One of these weeks, it pops — and 90/1 ain’t a bad time to believe.

📈 Justin Thomas Top 5 (+500)
JT got eaten alive by Oakmont, but who didn’t? The man leads in birdie average. Translation: he's about to go full PGA Tour 2K mode. Expect fireworks, and maybe even a club twirl or two.

🚀 Cameron Young Top 10 (+400)
He literally shot a 59 here last year. We’re not saying he’ll do it again, but if there’s one course where Cam Young could finally convert his absurd ball-striking into a trophy, this is it.

📉 The “Why Are These Odds Real?” Section

Brian Harman (+9000)
Six straight top-10s here if you exclude COVID weirdness. That's not a trend — it’s a blueprint. Somehow still 90/1. Might be the best “How is he still underrated?” bet of the week.

Denny McCarthy (+10000)
Putting contest? This is your guy. He once dropped a 60 here and has been vibing all season. Hasn’t won yet, but this is exactly the kind of track where Denny could sneak up and bag it.

🧠 Sharp Props for Smart Degenerates

Cantlay Top 10 (+210)
He’s boring. He’s robotic. But he absolutely owns this course. Past five finishes: T5, T4, T13, T7, T11. Like clockwork. Fade the personality, not the results.

Akshay Bhatia Top 10 (+500)
Wedge wizard + hot putter + a course where driving’s optional = a perfect storm. One of the most under-hyped names with top-5 talent. T3 at THE PLAYERS says this ain’t a fluke.

🏆 Fantasy Tip from Your Uncle Who Watches Way Too Much Golf

In the new PGA TOUR Fantasy format, pick guys with heaters — not household names. You only get three cracks per guy per segment. Captain JT, flex Sepp, and stash someone like Harman for late-round carnage control.

That's it for this week. Enjoy the birdie fest, fire off your lineups, and don’t blame us when your “lock” goes full Tin Cup. That’s golf, baby.

🍻 Stay hot,
TEE TALK

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