The US Open Championship leaves us with an extraordinary array of data that, in one way or another, now becomes part of the tournament’s history.
– The birdie putt by J.J. Spaun on the 18th to seal his victory in the US Open is the longest holed all week at Oakmont. It was 19 metres and 63 centimetres. Additionally, Spaun is the player who has holed the most metres of putts over the 72 holes. He accumulated a total of 122.38 metres. Want to know who was second? Here it is: Robert MacIntyre with 121.86. It might not explain everything, but it helps.
– Spaun finished the US Open with two birdies on the 17th and 18th holes. Only four other champions have done this before in history. Take note of the club because it couldn’t be more exclusive: Ben Hogan (1953), Jack Nicklaus (1980), Tom Watson (1982), and Jon Rahm (2021). It’s one of those things with which Spaun, certainly, can now rest easy.
– Spaun is the third golfer since the world ranking began to win the US Open starting the week in the 25th position of the world ranking. He follows in this very particular record after Raymond Floyd and Gary Woodland. Only the 9th, who won it four times, surpasses the 25th. And what is surely more important: Spaun enters the top 10 in the world for the first time in his career. He is now seventh. Additionally, he has moved up to third place in the Ryder Cup qualification list. Let’s see who can take him out of Bethpage now.
– Spaun started the final day of the US Open in second place. It is the eleventh consecutive Major where the winner started the last 18 holes in first or second place. You have to be well-positioned at the end. There’s no other way.
– Only one player in history has finished second in THE PLAYERS and won the US Open in the same year. That player, take note, is Tiger Woods. He did it in the year 2000. Additionally, there’s another, Martin Kaymer, who won THE PLAYERS and the US Open in the same year.
– Spaun is the first champion in US Open history to start the final round with three consecutive bogeys. Resilience at its best.
– Robert MacIntyre has equalled the best result of a left-handed player in US Open history. Because yes, believe it or not, no left-handed player has ever won this Major. Well, to be more precise, no golfer who plays left-handed, which is different. As you know, there are many left-handed players who play right-handed. Important distinction. The other left-handed golfers who finished second in the US Open were Phil Mickelson (six times) and Brian Harman.
– Carlos Ortiz has achieved the best result in history for a golfer from Mexico in a Major. Until now, that honour belonged to Abraham Ancer, who finished ninth in the PGA Championship at Kiawah. Ortiz finished tied for fourth place.
