“PRO” FILE – US OPEN CHAMPIONS J.J. SPAUN AND MAJA STARK

Ed Furgol. Jack Fleck. Steve Jones. Michael Campbell. Wyndham Clark. You can now add the name J.J. Spaun to that list of unlikely U.S. Open winners when he outlasted a stellar field to win the 125th championship at Oakmont Country Club. Spaun finished in style, birdieing the final two holes to clinch a two-shot victory.

With Robert McIntyre in the clubhouse at +1 and everyone else at +1 or better still on the course, it was looking good for McIntyre, but Spaun closed in style to finish the deal. Spaun is the prototypical journeyman, having played on the PGA Tour since 2017 with one prior victory to his credit. But in 2025 he has played very well, including a playoff loss to Rory McIlroy at The Players. This almost certainly will turn out to be the biggest victory in his career and should be a mainstay on the professional scene for quite some time.

Like Spaun, Stark is somewhat of a journeywoman, although she is quite young and only turned professional in 2021, she is an accomplished professional. Maja Stark is the first Swedish woman to win the U.S. Women’s Open since Annika Sorenstam accomplished the feat in 2006. She had one previous LPGA Tour title, like Spaun did on the PGA Tour, before winning the Open Championship, having won six times on the Ladies European Tour. Her other close call with a major championship was in 2024 at the Chevron Championship when she finished second. She has also represented Europe in the Solheim Cup competition and will likely be a stalwart on that team in years to come.