Adam Scott’s classy act to US Open champ, Aussie falls short in bid for golf history
Aussie Adam Scott has fallen apart as his bid for golf history crumbled and a maiden champion was crowned in a US Open thriller.
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Adam Scott’s bid for a second major win has ended in heartbreak as the Aussie endured an absolutely brutal final round of 8-over par to fall out of contention.
American J.J. Spaun bounced back from a cruel bounce off the flagstick early in his round to deliver a back nine for the ages and win the US Open by two shots.
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The 34-year-old shot birdies on the 17th and 18th holes to seal a stunnning victory and claim his maiden major victory with four birdies in the last seven holes.
Spaun’s drive on the 17th and a 60-foot putt on the 18th were as clutch as it gets as he clinched an unexpected, fairytale win. He will pick up a winner’s cheque of A$6.6 million for his troubles.
Spaun began the round one shot behind Sam Burns and tied with Adam Scott, but that final pairing collapsed in a brutal barrage of bogeys as the final round turned into a fight for survival.
Scott birdied the fourth hole but finished with nine bogies in final round of 8-over — the Aussie finished in a tie for 12th overall at 6-over.
In a rain-interrupted final round, Scott constantly battled to get out of the rough on Oakmont’s nightmare course that was sodden from heavy rain.
Adam Scott made sure to congratulate J.J. Spaun. 🤠pic.twitter.com/RhazSJzb7H
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) June 16, 2025
Spaun's win probability bottomed out today at 1.4% at 3:40pm. He was +2, 5-over on the day, and 4 back of both Burns and Adam Scott. At 6:33pm he was still 4 back (thru 11) and just 1.8% to win. And then... birdied 4 of his last 7 to win the U.S. Open: pic.twitter.com/YI1GKQLAuH
— data golf (@DataGolf) June 16, 2025
Four years ago, I found JJ Spaun working on his game at a Scottsdale muni, what can best be described as a goat track. I asked what he was doing there; he said practicing alongside everyday golfers kept him rooted. Really cool to see a guy like that get an opportunity like this
— Joel Beall (@JoelMBeall) June 15, 2025
In a classy act, Scott embraced Spaun after his round, further proof of why the Australian is so well liked on tour.
Spaun’s victory was a shock result — he was considered a 1.4 per cent chance to win after being 5-over for the day after 11 holes.
Spaun has two wins on the PGA Tour and his previous best result at a major was 23rd at the 2022 Masters.
The final round will be nightmare fuel for Scott, who let a four-shot lead slip at the 2012 Open Championship.
The 44-year-old had been aiming to claim a second major win, more than a decade after his win at the 2013 Masters.
Scott has been remarkably consistent across a stellar pro career — the US Open was his 96th consecutive major — but the Aussie would desperately love a second major win to bookend his career.
Had he won the US Open, Scott would have broken the record for the longest ever gap between golf major wins (4,445 days), which currently stands at 11 years (4,026 days).
But it wasn’t to be, as Spaun claimed a fairytale win of his own.
10.08am - J.J. Spaun wins the US Open
American J.J. Spaun has sunk a monster putt to seal his US Open victory in style.
He only needed to two-putt for par on the 18th, but he drained a 60-footer to move to 1-under for the tournament and 2-over for the day.
There were jubilant scenes as the crowd erupted when the putt went in, and Spaun was in tears as he celebrated with his caddie and family.
9.57am - Leader’s epic comeback
J.J. Spaun birdied the 17th to take a solo lead of the US Open at even par.
It’s a remarkable turnaround on the back nine with three birdies, after five bogeys on the front nine left the World No. 25 well off the pace.
His drive on the 314-yard par-4 17th that ended up past the hole might be the shot of his life.
The American would have been forgiven for tucking his pitching wedge under his arm and going home after his approach shot on the second hole hit the flagstick and flew miles away from the hole.
9.39am - Another bogey for Scott
This is getting heartbreaking for Adam Scott, who bogeyed the 15th hole, his seventh bogey of the round.
A bold birdie putt just missed over the hole, and Scott missed a seven-foot par putt.
Scott had remained calm throughout the round but grimaced as his putts missed and his hopes of winning slipped away.
He is 3-over and two shots behind leaders J.J. Spaun and Robert MacIntyre.
Scott’s second shot on the par-3 16th didn’t make it from the rough onto the green.
The commentator said: “This is just unravelling for Adam Scott. These guys are just getting kicked arounr right now.”
9.33am - ‘Ridiclous’: Star fumes at ruling
Sam Burns asked for a second opinion after a rules official deemed there wasn’t enough water near his ball for him to get relief from casual water.
Burns’ practice swing sprayed water, but he wasn’t allowed to take a drop away from the edge of the fairway next to the rough.
After sending his second shot left into the rough, he was heard telling his caddie: “It’s ridiculous.”
9.18am - Another bogey, Scott in trouble
Adam Scott’s hopes of victory are slipping away after a sixth bogey of the round on the par-4 14th.
A duffed second shot from the bunker put him in trouble in the rough, but a superb recovery approach shot gave Scott a par putt, but he couldn’t sink it.
Robert MacIntyre’s second birdie on the back nine moved him into second place at 1-over.
9.08am - Birdie! New US Open leader
J.J. Spaun has fought back to take the lead of the US Open with just a few holes remaining, sinking a birdie on the 14th.
Spaun is now at even par ahead of Sam Burns, Adam Scott, Tyrrell Hatton and Carlos Ortiz at 1-over.
It’s a remarkable recovery from Spaun, who copped a cruel break on second hole when his approach shot flew off the flagstick.
8.35am - Play resumes, Scott battling bogeys but still in hunt
Play is back underway but Adam Scott is under the pump, falling two shots behind leader Sam Burns, who is the only man under par.
Scott bogeyed the par-3 eighth before a wayward drive off the ninth tee landed him in Oakmont’s thick rough.
But the Aussie recovered with his second and third shot to make par and stay in touch with the lead.
Burns dropped a shot on the ninth, birdied the par-4 10th, and double bogeyed the 11th hole to drop to even par.
Scott sunk a long putt to make bogey on the 10th, his fifth bogey of the round.
But with the Oakmont course wreaking havoc in the rain, not a single player is under par for the tournament.
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre made birdie on the 14th to stay in the battle for the lead at 2-over.
There are now seven players within two shots of the lead.
8am - Unlucky shot sums up nightmare course
The course at Oakmont has caused Rory McIlroy to lose his cool and proved difficult for even the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka.
Spare a thought for J.J. Spaun, who started his final round with hopes of victory, only for cruel bad luck threatened to derail his round.
Spaun’s approach shot at the second hole bounced into the flag stick and flew way backwards down the green when it looked on target.
I’ve now seen enough of Oakmont Country Club …
— Phil Gould (@PhilGould15) June 14, 2025
It wouldn’t worry me if they never played a major tournament there again …
The way they set it up, it’s an unfair examination of golf …
Cheering for Adam Scott here though …
Hopefully he can outlast them … #Aussie
7.30am - Rain delay puts Scott’s run on hold
Heavy rain is falling at the Oakmont course Pennsylvania, forcing play to be suspended midway through the final round.
Oakmont ground staff were spotted doing their best to sweep large puddles of water off the fairways as grey clouds hovered above.
Play could well be called off for the day, forcing players to return on Monday local time to finish the tournament.
Adam Scott is in second at 1-under, one shot back from leader Sam Burns as play was suspended for the final pair after seven holes.
6.15am - Scott’s shaky start to final around
Adam Scott has teed off and has had a mixed start to his final round with two bogeys and a birdie.
He bogeyed the first and third holes, with his approach chip shot on the third leaving him a long way from the hole.
But Scott recovered on the par-5 fourth, nailing a massive putt from the edge of the green that nearly went in for eagle.
Scott moved to -2 and into a share of the lead after American Sam Burns bogeyed the fifth hole.
But Scott three-putted on the sixth hole to slip one shot back to -1.
5.45am - Golf world cheering for Aussie
Golf fans around the world are hoping Adam Scott can somehow claim a victory that would cap off a superb career.
Golfer Cameron Percy wrote on X: “If you’re not cheering for Adam Scott tomorrow you’re a bum…..there isn’t a better human.”
Journalist Dan Rapaport said: “Everyone on Tour is astounded that Adam Scott seems to gain 1-2 mph of ball speed every year as he moves deep into his 40s. A legendary figure in our sport who deserves a second major championship. What a massive day.”
Masters champion Trevor Immelman said: “I’m pulling for Adam Scott this weekend.”
Scott said this weekend: “Another major more would really go a long way in fulfilling my own self, when it’s all said and done.”
US Open leaderboard
Sam Burns: 2-under
Adam Scott: Even par
Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Carlos Ortiz, J.J. Spaun: 2-over
Originally published as Adam Scott’s classy act to US Open champ, Aussie falls short in bid for golf history
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