J.J. Spaun: 5 Must-Know Facts About the PGA Tour Standout Everyone’s Talking About Now

OAKMONT, Pa. — J.J. Spaun turned the opening morning of the 125th U.S. Open into a personal highlight reel, torching Oakmont Country Club’s notoriously brutal inward nine in a record-low 31 strokes to seize the early clubhouse lead at four-under-par. The 33-year-old Californian jump-started his round with birdies at Nos. 10, 12, 16 and 17, a stretch that vaulted him ahead of major champions Gary Woodland (-3) and Rory McIlroy (-2) as the morning wave made the turn. Spaun’s 31 is the lowest opening nine ever recorded in a U.S. Open at Oakmont, surpassing marks set during the club’s eight previous championships. Why Spaun’s surge matters • Career momentum: Since claiming his breakthrough PGA Tour victory at the 2022 Valero Texas Open, Spaun has struggled for consistency, but Thursday’s fireworks signal a timely return to form on one of golf’s grandest stages. • Course context: Oakmont is famed for greens that regularly roll 14 on the Stimpmeter and fairways narrower than eight yards in spots. Going four-under on any nine here is rare; doing it in the first round of a major is historic. • FedExCup & OWGR gains: A high finish would vault Spaun inside the FedExCup top 30 and significantly boost his Official World Golf Ranking, securing invites to next season’s elevated events. Leaderboard snapshot (mid-morning Thursday) 1. J.J. Spaun -4 through 9 2. Gary Woodland -3 through 8 3. Rory McIlroy -2 through 9 (Full live scoring at usopen.com) How Spaun built his lead Hole 10 — 4-iron into 18 feet, drained the putt. Hole 12 — 392-yard drive, wedge to 10 feet, birdie drop. Hole 16 — stiffed a 7-iron inside three feet. Hole 17 — rolled in a slippery right-to-left 15-footer to cap the 31. What’s next • Afternoon winds are forecast to gust past 20 mph, meaning Spaun’s number could hold up for the entire day. • He resumes Round 1 on Oakmont’s demanding front side at 12:45 p.m. ET. • Friday’s second-round tee time: 1:07 p.m. ET off No. 1 (weather permitting). How to watch & stream • NBC and USA Network share linear coverage from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. • Peacock and the USGA app carry featured-group streams—including Spaun’s trio with Tom Kim and Taylor Pendrith—from first tee to last putt. Course notes for SEO searchers Oakmont Country Club, par 70, 7,254 yards, “Church Pew” bunkers on No. 3, lightning-fast greens. Key keywords: U.S. Open leaderboard, Oakmont greens speed, J.J. Spaun stats, PGA Tour round 1 highlights. Bottom line If Spaun maintains his poise on Oakmont’s fierce front side, the one-time PGA Tour winner could sleep on the 18-hole lead of America’s national championship—and ignite one of 2025’s most compelling Cinderella stories in golf.