Unheralded JJ Spaun outshined the game's top players and led the US Open by one shot after the first round on Thursday at steamy Oakmont Country Club where the big names like Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy all struggled.
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Much of the talk this week has been how the notoriously challenging course would keep scores in check, and while the layout did bare its teeth Spaun managed the day's only bogey-free round and eighth ever in a US Open at Oakmont.
Spaun, who lost to McIlroy in a playoff at The Players Championship in March, fired a four-under-par 66 that marked his lowest round in a major and left him one shot clear of South African Thriston Lawrence.
"I hit a lot of good shots and tried to capitalise on any birdie opportunities, which aren't very many out here," said Spaun. "But I scrambled really well, too, which is a huge component to playing well at a US Open, let alone shoot a bogey-free round."
J.J. Spaun's 4-under 66 has him at the top of the leader board after Round 1 of the 125th US Open.
— US Open (@usopengolf) June 13, 2025
Ten players finished the day in red figures. pic.twitter.com/f4Ac1AZzfq
South Korean Kim Si-woo, whose birdie attempt at his final hole just missed the cup, was two shots off the pace and in a three-way share of third place with five-time major champion Brooks Koepka and Im Sung-jae.
Spaun, who started on the back nine, made his move early and reached the turn with four birdies on his card to become the first player ever to play his first nine holes in the opening round of the US Open at Oakmont at 31 strokes or fewer.
From there, Spaun, whose previous best position after a major championship round was a share of 16th (2022 Masters), drained a number of big putts while stringing together nine consecutive pars to reach the clubhouse in control.
'BRUTAL TEST'
Defending champion DeChambeau, one of 14 LIV Golf players in the field and looking to become the first repeat US Open winner since Koepka in 2018, spent too much time in Oakmont's penal rough and opened with a 73.
"It was a brutal test of golf. But one that I'm excited for tomorrow," said DeChambeau.
Im, who went off with the late starters from the back nine, roared out of the turn with two consecutive birdies to grab the outright lead from Spaun but handed it back just as quickly after bogeying his next two holes.
Koepka, who counts two US Open titles among his majors, cancelled out an early eagle with two bogeys on the back nine but birdied his final two holes to move up the leaderboard.
For Koepka, who missed the cut at the year's first major, being back on the leaderboard at one of the game's biggest events was a welcome relief.
"I would say from the first weekend in April until about last week, you didn't want to be around me," said Koepka. "It drove me nuts. It ate at me. I haven't been happy. It's been very irritating ... I wouldn't have wanted to be around me."
'SILLY MISTAKES'
McIlroy, still looking to regain the form that helped him complete the career Grand Slam at the Masters in April, started on the back nine and made two early birdies to reach the turn just two shots back of Spaun before a wayward second nine.
World No 2 McIlroy made four bogeys over a seven-hole stretch out of the turn followed by a double-bogey at the par-three eighth where he left his tee shot in the thick rough and failed to get out on his first attempt. He signed for a 74.
World No 1 Scheffler, the pre-tournament favourite who counts the PGA Championship among his three wins in his last four starts, opened with a 73 that would have been higher had he not made up for errant drives with a decent putting game.
"I made some silly mistakes out there, but at the same time, I made some key putts and some good momentum saves in my round, but overall just need to be a little sharper," said Scheffler.
Twice major winner Jon Rahm, who started on the back nine, eagled the par-five fourth en route to a 69 that left him part of a five-way group sitting three shots back of leader Spaun.
Former Masters champion Patrick Reed made only the fourth albatross in recorded US Open history when his second shot at the 621-yard, par-five fourth hole trickled into the cup.