J.J. Spaun's drive off the 17th tee all but clinched the U.S. Open.
NBC
J.J. Spaun came out of nowhere to win the 125th U.S. Open. Entering the week, the 34-year-old had just one PGA Tour title to his name and was listed at 150-1 odds to win at Oakmont. To say he was an underdog would be an understatement.
As you all know by now, though, Spaun defied the odds on Sunday — and he did so in dramatic fashion. Not only did he overcome one of the worst start imaginable (along with some brutally bad breaks), but he also outlasted Mother Nature. And by day’s end, he stood on Oakmont’s 18th green hoisting the trophy.
“I never thought I would be here holding this trophy,” Spaun said. “I’ve always had aspirations and dreams, but like I said a few months ago, I never knew what my ceiling was.”
Spaun made waves with his long birdie putt on the final hole to clinch his two-shot victory, but arguably his most impressive shot of the day was his tee ball on the previous hole. Standing on the 17th tee of the drivable par-4 tied with Robert MacIntyre, Spaun threaded his driver through a slim opening in front of the green, setting up an easy two-putt birdie that all but clinched the championship.
Below, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Joe Plecker breaks down the shot — and what made it so impressive.
Watching J.J. Spaun attack Oakmont’s back nine yesterday, I couldn’t help but come away impressed. The grit he showed to chase down the leaders and take the title was so much fun to watch.
His tee shot on the 17th hole was particularly impressive. Not only was the pressure on, but that tee shot is not as easy as Spaun made it look. Below, I’ve put together a list of reasons why I found that shot so challenging, plus a breakdown of how he pulled it off.
Challenges
1. Playing a line that doesn’t match the teeing ground
One of the toughest challenges in golf is committing to a shot when your target isn’t aligned with the teeing ground. At Oakmont, the tee boxes are squared so sharply that any line deviating from their orientation can feel disorienting. When the target is straight ahead, even the narrow, fairway-height walk paths offer excellent visual guides for alignment. But on the 17th hole, the tee box points toward a fairway far to the right of the green. For J.J., that meant identifying a distant target on the horizon and fully committing to the starting direction of the swing — no easy task under pressure.
2. The deceptive look of the green
The narrow entrance to the green is framed dramatically by a yawning bunker in front. Compounding the challenge is the absence of trees or other depth cues around the green, making it extremely difficult to judge distance and depth.
3. Trusting a shot to a blind green
It’s tough to hit any green — let alone a sloped one — when the surface isn’t visible. J.J. had to execute a low-spinning, flat-trajectory drive that would land short and hop forward, all to an uphill, semi-blind target. That is not easy to do.
How he pulled it off
1. Full commitment to the starting line
J.J. is fully committed to his intended line, aimed roughly 45 degrees left of the teeing ground’s orientation. His entire body — feet, hips, and shoulders — is aligned with the narrow opening to the 17th green. This alignment is crucial: the arms and club naturally swing in the direction of the shoulders, so proper aim sets the foundation for the desired ball flight.
2. A neutral, level upper body
His upper body remains neutral and level at address, with minimal tilt away from the target. This helps create a shallow attack angle, ideal for producing a low-launch, low-spin fade. Excessive tilt away from the target is better suited for high, right-to-left draws, but it can also steepen the attack angle and promote a closed clubface — something J.J. clearly wanted to avoid here.
3. A big, confident backswing
J.J. makes a full, powerful turn — his commitment visible in the depth of his backswing. After the rain delay, he summed up his mindset perfectly: “I just still tried to commit to every shot.” That conviction shows in his motion, setting him up to swing freely and aggressively through the ball.
4. A low-left finish for a power fade
The finish of J.J.’s swing is low and to the left — classic characteristics of a well-executed power fade. This path helps control spin and trajectory, allowing the ball to start left and gently work back toward the target.
Committing to the shot of the moment, J.J. Spaun set up for a low launch power fade and executed perfectly. Moments later, he two-putted for birdie, all but cementing himself in history as the latest champion at Oakmont.
