J.J. Spaun’s accurate ball-striking is the main reason he entered Sunday of the U.S. Open with a great chance of claiming his first major title. Unfortunately for the 34-year-old, he was a bit too accurate early in the final round.
Playing in the penultimate group, Spaun bogeyed the opening hole at Oakmont, but after finding the fairway on No. 2, it looked like he might get the shot back. The one-time PGA Tour winner fired a sand wedge right at the flagstick from 93 yards. The problem? It was right at the flagstick.
RELATED: Rory McIlroy leaves Oakmont with this U.S. Open record
Spuan’s approach caromed off the stick and shot backwards. And then it kept going. And going. And going. Spaun’s golf ball rolled all the way off the front of the fairway and back down the fairway, leaving him literally scratching his head. Have a look:
You gotta be kidding! 😩
J.J. Spaun gets a horrible break on 2, hitting the flagstick and coming way backwards. pic.twitter.com/Egs9hcz35l
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 15, 2025
Poor J.J. That’s tough to watch. Look at this graphic showing his ball went back 49 (!) yards in total.
Cruel game. pic.twitter.com/MxHUSWsHvO
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 15, 2025
Absolutely brutal. Spaun responded by hitting a nice third shot, but he missed the par putt for a second consecutive bogey. Minutes later, he added a third bogey as he continued to tumble down the leaderboard. “His head’s spinning right now,” NBC’s Kevin Kisner said.
RELATED: Bennett Scheffler on the range is the cutest golf video of the week
We don’t blame him. It’s been a dream week for the most part, but Spaun may have nightmares about this shot for a long time.
• • • MORE GOLF DIGEST U.S. OPEN COVERAGE
U.S. Open 101: Answering all your frequently asked questions
How to watch the 2025 U.S. Open
Power Rankings: Every player in the U.S. Open field, ranked
The 13 best bets to win at Oakmont
Tee times for the first and second round
Mythbusters: How much distance do you lose from thick rough?
The secret everybody misses about U.S. Open carnage
The local rule that could cause some chaos at Oakmont
The top 15 U.S. Opens, ranked
The 18-hole hazard: The U.S. Open rough is impossible and simple
30 fun facts on the 15 amateurs playing at Oakmont
The ball moved, rules chaos followed and game changed forever
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com