J.J. Spaun made an impressive debut in the 2025 U.S. Open, shooting a remarkable 4-under 66 in the first round at Oakmont Country Club. His resilient performance shined even further through brutal conditions that played many of the world’s best out of contention. Spaun’s incredible round earned him notoriety. He was one of only ten players to make it under par on a day where more than 50 players went over on a single hole.
As usual, the U.S. Open was the most feared of all tournaments, notorious for punishing course setups, this year included. Spaun found success despite star players such as Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy failing to make the cut. Neither of them finished the day under par. His outstanding performance has inspired discussions about the changes the USGA should seriously contemplate if rain affects the weekend’s play.
Impressive Round Amidst Challenges
J.J. Spaun’s first round at Oakmont was the round of the year, and then some. He outsmarted the brutally-restrictive course design to play four strokes below par. Fittingly, pundits even considered this “oh, so close” accomplishment deserving of a medal. For comparison, his 4-under score was truly exceptional. To its credit, literally, it really highlighted just how much he fell short compared to most of the other superstars.
Spaun’s 66 was not only a career accomplishment. It was a true testament to his talent in finding a way through the unique challenges of one of golf’s greatest stages. He did it while all his would-be rivals were faltering on challenging, rocky pin positions. Yet they had to face the rigors of the Midwest’s unpredictable weather.
“You shoot four level-par rounds, you’re walking away with a medal and a trophy,” – Bob MacIntyre
This one sentence highlights just how tough the course is playing and how good Spaun’s game was on Thursday. Just ten players finished under par for the week, magnifying the impact of Spaun’s round even further. His performance was so important given the magnitude of the tournament.
A Tough Day for Top Golfers
With the first round featuring the world’s top-ranked female players on the Oakmont course, only eight players broke par on Thursday. Where Spaun succeeded, big names like Brooks Koepka and Rory McIlroy were struggling, missing the cut at 3-over and 4-over respectively. Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas had even more difficulties, both with a 6-over total. At the same time, Justin Rose was finishing his day at 7-over.
SEC Network and ESPN.com’s Mark Schlabach noticed the “plenty of carnage” at Oakmont Thursday. The demanding setup wasn’t even giving the world’s best on the PGA Tour a fighting chance. Spaun’s continued success in those extreme contexts is what truly distinguished him from standard peers who almost always rise to greatness.
Brooks Koepka remarked on the conditions, stating, “The easiest we’re going to play this golf course is today.” This comment obscures just how hard the upcoming rounds will be as the tournament goes on.
Potential Adjustments Ahead
With plenty of match play left anticipated rain in the area could cause some adjustments to course setup so keep checking back. Whether it’s changing pin positions or green speeds, the USGA has a responsibility to provide a fair playing experience through the weekend. The forecasted weather only adds to the challenges facing golfers who have to contend with brutal conditions on top of an extremely tough course.
Even world No. 1 Jon Rahm shared his discontent with the course conditions. He acknowledged that a few holes felt a touch shorter, but it was still more difficult than the typical U.S. Open courses. “Some of those bounces were maybe slightly firmer,” he added, indicating how careful players must be in their shots.
Just the lowest 60 scores and ties will advance to the 36-hole cut. This year, we hope the cut finds itself a few strokes over par. Challenging conditions and deep competition leave no doubt that defending a low score will prove necessary. As the tournament goes on, each point will be increasingly crucial.
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