J.J. Spaun and his US Open win captures why Golf is such a great game.

[MarathonMike]

At 5' 8" and 185 not so sculpted pounds J.J. more resembles the average muni golfer than a PGA pro. He has struggled mightily and lost his tour card a couple of times. He was actually playing on the Canadian tour recently, working his way back up to the PGA tour. Then came the Players Championship when he went toe to toe with Rory in a playoff. With that experience in his back pocket he was mentally ready for Oakmont and the US Open. He played himself into the lead going into Sunday but had a horrible start mostly due to really bad breaks, not bad shots. Then the rain started halfway through the final round which ended up his 'reset'. He and his caddie decided that after all the bad breaks on the front, it was going to go his way on the back. And it did. His putter went from good to miraculous canning 4 long putts the capper being the dream 65 footer on 18 with 4 feet of break. He was the only player to break par.

J.J. proved there is still a place in pro golf for the average Joe who doesn't bomb it 350 yards. And on top of it all, he is just a nice, soft spoken guy with beautiful young family. I hope he stays at the top of the game for awhile. The Tigers and the Schefflers are cool but sometimes it's great to an 'everyman' at the top of the sport. That's why golf is so great.

 

[bdtex]

At 5' 8" and 185 not so sculpted pounds J.J. more resembles the average muni golfer than a PGA pro. He has struggled mightily and lost his tour card a couple of times. He was actually playing on the Canadian tour recently, working his way back up to the PGA tour. Then came the Players Championship when he went toe to toe with Rory in a playoff. With that experience in his back pocket he was mentally ready for Oakmont and the US Open. He played himself into the lead going into Sunday but had a horrible start mostly due to really bad breaks, not bad shots. Then the rain started halfway through the final round which ended up his 'reset'. He and his caddie decided that after all the bad breaks on the front, it was going to go his way on the back. And it did. His putter went from good to miraculous canning 4 long putts the capper being the dream 65 footer on 18 with 4 feet of break. He was the only player to break par.

J.J. proved there is still a place in pro golf for the average Joe who doesn't bomb it 350 yards. And on top of it all, he is just a nice, soft spoken guy with beautiful young family. I hope he stays at the top of the game for awhile. The Tigers and the Schefflers are cool but sometimes it's great to an 'everyman' at the top of the sport. That's why golf is so great.

And that's why it's called an "Open" too. Under the USGA rules, there are multiple ways that a player like J.J. Spaun can qualify and play their way into the US Open.

 

[MarathonMike]

And that's why it's called an "Open" too. Under the USGA rules, there are multiple ways that a player like J.J. Spaun can qualify and play their way into the US Open.

Good point!