J.J. Spaun winning the U.S. Open was a miracle and a half. The Los Angeles, California resident had a disastrous start, registering five bogeys in the first six holes. Then the rain came, leaving everyone disoriented. Except for Spaun. “The best thing that happened was the reset,” his coach, Josh Gregory, said. He “dug very deep on the back nine” to outplay big names like Scottie Scheffler, Ben Griffin, and yes, even the red-hot Sam Burns. Sam Burns’ defeat stung the most.
Everything was going Sam Burns’s way; he led after Round 3, with Adam Scott trailing in second. He kept his top spot heading into the final day and looked set to win. But then came the 15th hole, and that’s where things went south.
Just as Burns lined up for a putt, water splashed onto the green, throwing off his focus. His swing was affected, and he ended up with a double bogey. While the USGA classified it as casual water, the soaked course told a different story. Burns, clearly frustrated, slammed his club and asked for relief, but after talking to two officials, his request was denied. Some insiders did check the field exact spot where Burns took the shot from, and allegedly it was damper than the other areas of the field, and it somehow felt a bit unfair for Burns. Even Adam scott named it as “borderline unplayable.” Even after a tragic loss, the message Burns sent out to people was nothing but heartwarming.
“What an incredible week! Certainly not the Sunday I had in mind, but proud to leave with my head held high, knowing I gave it my best. Thank you to all the fans for the support and for making it a great experience!” The USGA denied his request for relief. Still, he kept things respectful, no blame toward the officials or anyone else. His message showed clear disappointment, but he focused on the positives, thanked the fans, and handled the moment with class, both on and off the course. But there’s more to it. While the defeat was heartbreaking, losing to Spaun, he still congratulated the winner, “Congratulations to @jjspaun, who’s a well deserving champion!” he knew JJ Spaun earned that win.
Congratulating Spaun was his way of showing respect for how well he played all week. For him, it was about giving credit where it was due and keeping it classy, no matter how tough the loss felt. In the end, golf is an unpredictable game, especially on a course like Oakmont, and there is always one player; this time it is Spaun! How did he take this win?
The journey to beating the likes of Sam Burns wasn’t an easy one
When J.J. Spaun lined up for that final putt, the only thing on his face was pressure; you could see the tension in every move. But the moment it dropped, everything changed. He tossed his club aside, ran straight to his caddie Mark Carens, and hugged him tight. You could even spot a few tears; this one clearly meant the world to him. Then came the rest of it: he kissed the trophy twice, held it high like he couldn’t believe it was real, and just stood there soaking it all in. What made it even better was what happened next.
PGA, Golf Herren The Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide – First Round, May 30, 2019 Dublin, OH, USA JJ Spaun smiles on the 18th green during the first round of the 2019 Memorial golf tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports, 30.05.2019 12:13:55, 12796703, NPStrans, Memorial Tournament, First Round, Nationwide, PGA, 18th, JJ Spaun, Muirfield Village Golf Club PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJosephxMaioranax 12796703
His wife, Melody Spaun, was in the gallery holding their youngest daughter, beaming as he walked off the green. Spaun didn’t miss a beat. He went right over, hugged Melody and their eldest, and later carried his little one up the steps with him. And Spaun himself could be anything but proud of himself.
“I played local stuff. I did qualify for, actually, my first big USGA event, which was the U.S. Junior.” Spaun reflected on his humble beginnings in golf. He wasn’t part of the elite junior circuits early on and started with local tournaments. He never imagined this moment coming true, but now he could say it out loud: “Now here I am with the U.S. Open trophy.”
The post Sam Burns Sends 9-Word Message to J.J. Spaun as He Pens Heartbreaking Note After U.S. Open appeared first on EssentiallySports.