News

Oakmont welcomes Spaun to the ‘Keys and Pews Society’

Published

12 months ago

Jun 16, 2025

I count eight piano keys and twelve church pews. Together, they total twenty. By my count, Oakmont had crowned two women’s open and nine men’s open champions, prior to this year’s 125th playing of the men’s open championship. Oak Hill in New York has its Hill of Fame, and other venues find their own ways of remembering champion golfers. With the addition of J.J. Spaun as the 10th USGA Open champion at Oakmont, it’s time for Oakmont to establish an honorary order of sorts for its open champions. We’ll get to that after we relive Spaun’s sloshy march to victory.

The 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont was a tale of two tournaments. The first two days embraced the firm and fast conditions that the membership treasures. Then came the rains, and the course began to hold water. The 1.5-hour delay on Sunday only added to the softness and, perhaps, the uncertainty. At least one Sam Burns lie was deemed not casual water, despite being the precise definition of casual water. And so it went.

40

5 over par. More bogeys than pars. Zero birdies. One flagstick. One rake. That was J.J. Spaun’s outward nine on Sunday at Oakmont. In any other U.S. Open, in any other tournament, his day was ended. Not today, as Arya Stark famously challenged. Somehow, Spaun had the fortitude to put the struggle behind him and grind out an inward 32, thanks to four birdies and one bogey.

136 Yards

Never you mind how J.J. Spaun righted the ship’s balance after that 40. Never you mind how he went from the middle of the fairway on 12 to the native area wide right with his second. What mattered was that the ball was in the gallery pathway, so the grass was trodden and the lie was manageable. Spaun did enough to get the ball on the green. His tap from 40 feet found gravity and rolled out until it came face to face with an abyss, and down it fell, for birdie. Perhaps here, Spaun felt that not all was lost.

22 Feet

After a standard par at 13, Spaun reached the 14th green in regulation. He faced a 22-foot putt from beneath the hole. As the putt began to move to the left, Spaun’s eyes started to widen. With perfect speed, the ball tumbled downward yet again, for another birdie. It was at this juncture when an entire zip code of contenders was tied at 1 over par, but Spaun had eyes on more heroics.

309 yards

There are moments that define the essence of one’s performance, of one’s self. The inspired plays made by Spaun on recent holes were but an appetizer for the main course. As Spaun stepped to the 17th tee, there was never a consideration to hit anything but driver. Everything about the swing, from the path to the pace to the contact, was flawless. The ball never left the flagstick as it soared, waving hello as it eased past, settling a bit past twenty feet beyond the hole. The eagle putt appeared poised to fall, until it broke a bit in the final feet. The second putt, this one for birdie, was true, and Spaun had the lead for the first time in many a hole. Could he preserve it?

64 feet

Thus struck Spaun, and his strike was again true. J.J. Spaun nutted his power fade 295 yards into the 18th hole’s Elysian Field. Next, he feathered a 6-iron from just beyond 200 yards to the green’s front-left quadrant. With 21 yards between his ball and the hole, what was needed was a nice pair of putts, a nice par, and a nice, one-shot advantage over fast-charging Robert MacIntyre. One of those putts wasn’t needed. Spaun’s cross-country effort was precise in every way, and the ball tumbled home with authority. In total, 131 feet of birdie putts over the final seven holes, a two-shot win over MacIntyre, and a second open championship to his name. This one might count for a bit more than the Texas Open that he won in 2022.

John Michael Spaun has joined Patty Sheehan, Juli Inkster, Tommy Armour, Sam Parks, Jr., Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Larry Nelson, Ernie Els, Angel Cabrera, and Dustin Johnson in what I wish to christen the Keys and Pews Society. It celebrates those infamous church pews and piano keys bunker complexes, nearly eponymous with Oakmont. Membership currently consists of an even dozen.

With the upcoming 2028 and 2038 women’s open tournaments, and the 2033, 2042, and 2049 men’s playings, the storied Pittsburgh club will add five new members, and still have three spots left for the second half of the 21st century. By then, we’ll have a name for the pits of forlorn destiny, alongside holes five and fourteen, which will offer a bit more breathing room. On that note, congratulations once more to J.J. Spaun on his victory in the 2025 U.S. Open championship.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open

Published

9 hours ago

Jun 3, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX Tour Photographer made the trip from the Memorial Tournament across the country to the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera. Check out links to all the photos below!

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.

In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.

Check out links to all our photos below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

3 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.

Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.

PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole

Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.

Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.

Henley’s Suitcase

Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype

LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!

Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.

Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.

Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.

Celine’s Suitcase

Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS

DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!

Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.

Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.

Kaneko’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping Max G440
Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7

Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro

Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.

The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.

Alvaro’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
Wedges
Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C

A party on the green!

Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026

LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.

Niemann’s Suitcase