J.J. Spaun Calls Oakmont 'Diabolical' After US Open Win, 'Toughest Course' I've Played

J.J. Spaun was the only player in the entire U.S. Open field to finish below par over the course of four rounds at Oakmont Country Club, and he only checked in at one-under because of an astounding birdie putt to clinch the title on the final hole.

To hear him tell it, it's not particularly surprising even the best players in the world struggled on that stage.

"It totally is the toughest course I've ever played," Spaun said during a Tuesday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. "… It's just so diabolical from tee to green. You can't miss fairways, the greens are so insanely sloped and fast."

Spaun wasn't just the only player to finish below par, he was the only player to avoid being over par for the tournament.

Robert MacIntyre finished in a solo second place at one-over, while Victor Hovland was in third place at two-over. Finishing at two-over at plenty of PGA Tour tournaments would put a player in danger of missing the cut, but it was enough to land Hovland an impressive third-place finish.

Oakmont is known as a daunting course that tests players even in the best of conditions, and Sunday featured a lengthy weather delay because of driving rain. Even when the players returned to the course, it was completely soaked through with water that made birdies and pars all the more difficult.

Yet nobody was more resilient in such conditions than Spaun.

He shot a five-over 40 on the front nine in the final round just to turn things around with birdies on Nos. 12, 14, 17 and 18 down the stretch while so many other contenders struggled in the last few holes.

That created enough separation that he needed just a par to clinch the U.S. Open title on the 18th hole, but he won it with style with a 64-foot birdie putt instead.