By Eddie Pells
Nobody backs their way into a U.S. Open title.
J.J. Spaun wasn’t about to be the first to say he did.
On a day built for umbrellas, ponchos and industrial-sized squeegees, Spaun reversed his own free fall, took advantage of several others’ and hit two shots that turned him into a major champion while finally, mercifully, creating a moment to remember at the rain-soaked brute called Oakmont.
“I just tried to dig deep,” said the 34-year-old Californian who can now call himself a major champion. “I’ve been doing it my whole life.”
The shots that will go down in history are the drive he hit on the reachable par-4 17th and the 65-foot putt he sank with the sun going down and the rain falling on 18.
The first set up a birdie that put him in the lead by himself for good. The second was for emphasis —
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