Latest news with #ValeroTexasOpen
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
2024 Rocket Classic runner-up Akshay Bhatia commits to 2025 classic
Akshay Bhatia came so close to winning last time he played in Detroit, and he'll now get an opportunity to make up for his disappointing final round. After finishing as the runner-up in the 2024 Rocket Classic, the world's No. 34-ranked Bhatia has committed to participating in the 2025 Classic, taking place at Detroit Golf Club from June 25-29. Advertisement Bhatia is a two-time PGA Tour winner, winning the 2024 Valero Texas Open in San Antonio and the 2023 Barracuda Championship in Truckee, California, just north of Lake Tahoe. He achieved his highest world ranking (No. 21) on March 16 and made the cut for the 2025 PGA Championship in May. The 23-year-old left-hander led throughout most of the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic, not recording a bogey through the first 54 holes of the tournament. He ran through a little adversity on the final day, but still found himself in position to win on the final hole. However, he three-putted the 72nd hole − his only three-put of the tournament − to give Cam Davis his second Rocket Classic win. Bhatia finished the 2024 tournament 17-under and tied for second place with David Thompson, Min Woo Lee and Aaron Rai. Advertisement Davis, who is the only two-time winner of the Rocket Classic (2021 and 2024), has committed to the 2025 event, along with former champions Rickie Fowler (2023) and Tony Finau (2022). The world's No. 4 ranked Collin Morikawa is also scheduled to participate. The Rocket Classic had its first tournament in 2019 and has become a fan-favorite event for Detroiters. The 2025 Classic will be held from June 26-29 at Detroit Golf Club, with tickets available at You can reach Christian at cromo@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2024 Rocket Classic runner-up Akshay Bhatia commits to 2025 classic
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Dressed for success! He sunk a 64-foot putt, now shop J.J. Spaun's U.S. Open winning polo
Dressed for success! He sunk a 64-foot putt, now shop J.J. Spaun's U.S. Open winning polo The 2025 U.S. Open ended in spectacular fashion, with J.J. Spaun winning his first major after a 64-foot and 5-inches long final putt on the rainy 18th green at Oakmont. It was a dramatic ending to one of the biggest weekend's in golf and we can't do drama without an outfit change. Pittsburgh welcomed rain on Sunday, forcing Spaun to change his outfit during a weather delay. Spaun was dressed for success either way, finishing the day in a patterned navy golf polo from Puma Golf. He also wore navy blue golf pants from Puma. The outfit was topped off by a Srixon Cleveland Golf hat also in navy blue, which is currently sold out. Here's how to shop J.J. Spaun's 2025 U.S. Open look: Shop J.J. Spaun's 2025 U.S. Open equipment and apparel Shop J.J. Spaun's 2025 U.S. Open polo SHOP GOLF GIFTS: It's never too late to celebrate dad: Shop Pins & Aces for belated Father's Day gifts on sale Who is J.J. Spaun? J.J. Spaun is a 34-year-old who turned pro in 2012. Spaun has one other PGA Tour victory at the 2022 Valero Texas Open. He has several other tours wins including the Korn Ferry Tour (formerly Tour) at the 2016 News Sentinel Open and on the PGA Tour Canada at the 2015 Staal Foundation Open. Spaun was born in Los Angeles, and he is a San Diego State Alum, where he was a walk-on to the golf team. Spaun is sponsored by Puma Golf, as well as Srixon Golf, which were included in his 2025 U.S. Open looks. What's in J.J. Spaun's golf bag? How much did Spaun win for the 2025 U.S. Open purse? J.J. Spaun just pocketed $4.3 million as the winner of the 2025 U.S. Open, taking home the biggest earnings from the $21.5 million total purse, which the U.S. Golf Association revealed ahead of the tournament. 2026 US OPEN TICKETS: Keep the U.S. Open magic going: Get your 2026 U.S. Open tickets for Shinnecock
New York Post
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
J.J. Spaun's US Open triumph began with unexpected CVS detour
Newly minted U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun was essentially running on fumes before capturing the first major victory of his career Sunday. When speaking to the media at Oakmont following a rollercoaster final round, where he bogeyed five times on the front nine and birdied the final two holes en route to a total score of 1-under par, the father of two revealed he took an early morning trip to CVS to tend to his sick daughter before teeing off around 2 p.m. 'Today I was running to CVS in downtown because my daughter had a stomach bug and was vomiting all night long,' said Spaun, who shares daughters Emerson and Violet with wife Melody. Advertisement 5 U.S. Open champ J.J. Spaun revealed he took an early morning trip to CVS on the eve of Sunday's final round to tend to his sick daughter. AP 5 The father of two celebrated his first major victory with wife Melody at Oakmont on June 15, 2025. AP 'I was just like, okay, my wife was up at 3:00 a.m., and she's like, Violet is vomiting all over. She can't keep anything down. It was kind of a rough start to the morning. I'm not blaming that on my start, but it kind of fit the mold of what was going on, the chaos.' Advertisement It was a chaotic start for Spaun, who shot a 5-over 40 through the first nine holes — including a horrendous break on the second hole with the ball hitting the flagstick and ending up 50 yards from the hole — before turning things around on the back nine with four birdies. 5 J.J. Spaun putts on the 18th hole of the final round of the U.S. Open on June 15, 2025. Getty Images 5 He finished the tournament at 1-under par. Getty Images Holding a one-shot lead over Robert MacIntyre on the par-4 18th, Spaun sank a 64-foot putt on the soggy green to win the 125th U.S. Open as Melody and their daughters watched nearby. Advertisement The family of four then embraced on the 18th to cap off a Father's Day for the books. 5 J.J. Spaun with wife Melody and their daughter after his first major championship. Getty Images 'It was a very touching moment to see my girls there,' Spaun said afterward. 'They've never — well, my oldest daughter, she was at the Valero when I won, and she was about the same age as my youngest daughter now. It was so cool to just have my whole family there on Father's Day. It's just incredible. I have no words to describe the moment and them being able to see me as the winner.' Advertisement Sunday's win marked Spaun's first since the Valero Texas Open in April 2022.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
JJ Spaun overcomes nightmare start on his final round to secure fairy-tale ending in US Open
On a day when play was suspended for 96 minutes due to torrential rain, Spaun (35) overcame a nightmare start and birdied the final two holes sensationally to win on a demolition derby final day. The unheralded Californian, who lost to Rory McIlroy in a Monday playoff for The Players and whose lone win came in the Valero Texas Open in 2022, started the day tied for second with Adam Scott on three-under, just a stroke behind leader Sam Burns. But he got off to a horror start, dropping five shots in his first six holes. Burns was a shot clear of Scott on two-under through seven holes when play was suspended with Spaun four behind as he turned in a nightmare 40. But the back nine turned into a comedy of errors, with the leaders making mistake after mistake in the rain-soaked conditions. Scottish left-hander MacIntyre set the clubhouse target at one-over when he recovered from two bogeys in his first three holes with an eagle at the fourth. Out in level par, he birdied the 14th to get back to two-over, then drove the 17th and two-putted for birdie to shoot 68 and set the clubhouse target at one-over 281. He was tied for the lead with Tyrrell Hatton and Sam Burns, but the Englishman bogeyed the last two holes to finish on three-over. Burns also imploded, dropping six shots in a six-hole stretch from the 11th as he crashed to a 78 to tie for fourth with Scottie Scheffler (70) and Jon Rahm (67). Spaun began his run for home by knocking in a 40-footer for birdie at the 12th to make it a five-way tie for the lead with Burns, Carlos Ortiz, Scott and Hatton. ADVERTISEMENT He then made a 22-footer at the 14th to take the solo lead on level par. But there was more magic to come. After a bogey at the 15th, he drove the 314-yard 17th and two-putted for birdie to edge ahead of MacIntyre and then made a 65-footer at the last as the Scot watched from the clubhouse and applauded his sensational finish. Viktor Hovland finished third on two-over after a 73 with Cam Young (70), Hatton (72) and Ortiz (73) tied for fourth. 'It's definitely like a storybook, fairytale ending, kind of underdog fighting back, not giving up, never quitting,' he said. 'With the rain and everything and then the putt, you couldn't write a better story. I'm just so fortunate to be on the receiving end of that. 'Just to finish it off like that is just a dream. You watch other people do it. You see the Tiger chip, you see Nick Taylor's putt, you see crazy moments. 'To have my own moment like that at this championship, I'll never forget this moment for the rest of my life.' Scott also suffered in the rain and faded to tie 12th after coming home in 41 for a 79, while Rory McIlroy's closing 67 left him joint 19th on seven-over.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
J.J. Spaun wins the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont
J.J. Spaun has won the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont. He took the solo lead with a birdie on hole 17. It was his third of the day. Spaun, 34, of Los Angeles. California finished under par. His only PGA Tour win was at the 2022 Valero Texas Open. Advertisement He has played in 235 events since joining in 2017 and was the runner-up in 3. This is his second U.S. Open and he's never had a Top 20 finish in a Major. The golfers faced the challenges of one of the toughest courses in the world and wet weather. PHOTOS: Rain at Oakmont Country Club during U.S. Open Channel 11 has LIVE Coverage from the course. Stay tuned for TEAM COVERAGE from Oakmont and watch in for our 'Victory at Oakmont Special' immediately after NBC's coverage. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
