Golf fans are still talking about what happened at Oakmont. Honestly, if you blinked during the final round of the 125th U.S. Open, you probably missed one of the gutsiest performances in recent PGA history. Everyone expected Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy to just walk away with it, but the PGA US Open leaderboard had other plans.
It was J.J. Spaun. Seriously.
The guy started his final round like a total nightmare. Five bogeys in his first six holes. At Oakmont, that’s usually a death sentence. You don't just "recover" from that kind of collapse on a course that literally eats professional golfers for breakfast. But Spaun didn't quit. He clawed back, eventually sinking a ridiculous 64-foot birdie putt on the 18th to finish at 1 under.
One under won the U.S. Open. That tells you everything you need to know about how brutal the conditions were.
The Names That Defined the Leaderboard
Looking back at the final standings, the diversity of the pack was wild. You had the favorites, the "almosts," and the guys who just survived.
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- J.J. Spaun (-1): The champion. A maiden major title at age 34.
- Robert MacIntyre (+1): "Big Bob" almost did it for Scotland. He was the only one really pushing Spaun until the very end.
- Viktor Hovland (+2): Consistently there, but couldn't find the late-round magic.
- The T4 Logjam (+3): Cameron Young, Tyrrell Hatton, and Carlos Ortiz.
It’s kinda crazy to see world-class players like Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler finishing at +4 and still being inside the top ten. Usually, +4 is where you’re fighting to make the cut. Not in 2025. Oakmont was a different beast entirely.
What Happened to the Big Favorites?
Scottie Scheffler entered the week as the undisputed favorite. He had just come off a tear on the PGA Tour, winning everything in sight. But the U.S. Open is the "toughest test in golf" for a reason. Scheffler finished T7. He was five shots off the pace. It wasn't that he played poorly; he just couldn't get the putts to drop when the greens reached that terrifying "glass-like" speed on Sunday afternoon.
Rory McIlroy had a similar story. He started strong, but the weekend was a grind. He finished T19 at +7. For a guy with his talent, +7 sounds like a bad weekend at the local muni, but in the context of this leaderboard, it was a respectable finish.
Looking Toward the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills
If you’re checking the PGA US Open leaderboard to see what’s next, mark your calendars for June 18–21, 2026. The circus is moving to Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York.
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Shinnecock is legendary for being even more unpredictable than Oakmont. We’ve seen years where the USGA accidentally let the greens die, making it almost impossible to stop a ball. Players are already talking about it in early 2026 interviews. Rory McIlroy mentioned during his recent start in Dubai that he’s already thinking about the wind at Shinnecock.
Qualification and the LIV Factor
The leaderboard always looks a bit different these days because of the split in professional golf. In 2025, we saw LIV players like Carlos Ortiz and Brooks Koepka (T12) right in the thick of it.
For 2026, the eligibility rules remain a focal point. Thomas Detry, who recently joined LIV's 4Aces GC, is a prime example. He’s currently ranked 56th in the world. To get back on that U.S. Open leaderboard in June, he’s got to stay inside the top 60 of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) by mid-May. If he slips, he’ll have to go through the "longest day in golf"—the grueling 36-hole sectional qualifying.
Why We Can't Stop Checking the Scores
The U.S. Open isn't about birdies. It’s about who breaks last.
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Basically, we watch it because we want to see the best in the world struggle just a little bit like we do. When you see a pro four-putt from twelve feet, it makes the game feel human. The 2025 leaderboard was a testament to mental toughness. J.J. Spaun winning with a score of -1 is a throwback to the "Open Doctor" era where par was actually a good score.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you're following the road to Shinnecock, keep an eye on these specific metrics:
- Strokes Gained: Around the Green: Shinnecock’s runoff areas are notorious. Players who can't scramble won't even make the cut.
- Driving Accuracy: You cannot play this tournament from the fescue. Period.
- The Early Season Form: Look at guys like Russell Henley and Tommy Fleetwood. They are currently high in the OWGR (5th and 3rd respectively) and have the exact "plodder" game style that wins U.S. Opens.
The leaderboard for the next major will start taking shape long before the first tee time in New York. Watch the results from the early-season Signature Events. Those are the real indicators of who has the stomach for a USGA setup.
The 2026 U.S. Open is going to be a bloodbath. And we wouldn't want it any other way.
Next Steps for Golf Fans:
- Track the OWGR: Keep a close eye on the rankings through May 18th to see which LIV players and international stars secure their spots at Shinnecock Hills.
- Watch the Weather: Start checking Long Island wind patterns in early June. At Shinnecock, the weather is the 15th club in every player's bag.
- Monitor Amateur Results: Last year, Justin Hastings (a) finished T55. Keep an eye on the top-ranked amateurs in the spring; they are increasingly becoming factors on the weekend.