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Travelers Championship notes: Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun to tee off together

Sports / Golf /

CROMWELL, Conn. — Fresh off his victory at the U.S. Open, J.J. Spaun is making his way to Connecticut and has a date with the No.1 player in the world, Scottie Scheffler.

“J.J. and I communicated and he’ll be here in full force on the course (Wednesday),” said Andy Bessette, executive VP and chief administrative officer at Travelers. �...Read more

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PGA Tour names its first-ever CEO as its commissioner plans his exit in 2026

Sports / Golf /

Longtime NFL executive Brian Rolapp has been introduced as the PGA Tour's first chief executive officer.

While news of that move had leaked last week, another tidbit emerged on Tuesday from the official announcement, as the tour revealed that Commissioner Jay Monahan will step down at the end of next year after transferring his day-to-day ...Read more

Aaron Flaum/Hartford Courant/TNS

As Travelers Championship arrives, so does an up-and-down weather forecast

Sports / Golf /

CROMWELL, Conn. — Volatility will be the word of the week for weather at the Travelers Championship, where hundreds of thousands usually come through the TPC River Highlands to watch the world’s best golfers.

The cold, rainier weather of the last few days, more typical of March than June, continued into Tuesday, but temperatures are ...Read more

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Tiger at the Travelers: Woods appears in Cromwell as new PGA Tour leadership announced

Sports / Golf /

CROMWELL, Conn. — Still one of the biggest names in golf, Tiger Woods appeared, albeit briefly, at the TPC River Highlands on Tuesday in his role as player director on the PGA Tour policy board. He was in Connecticut to support the naming of Brian Rolapp as the tour’s newly named CEO.

Woods has never played in Connecticut’s PGA event, and...Read more

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Gerry Dulac: Oakmont is steeped in history, but J.J. Spaun gave it a moment it's never had before

Sports / Golf /

PITTSBURGH — With one pulsating 64-foot birdie putt at the final hole, J.J. Spaun took what had been a lackluster U.S. Open devoid of star power and turned it into the most thrilling and captivating ending in Oakmont's storied championship history.

Make no mistake, this was different than what the U.S. Open authored just a year ago — a ...Read more

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Mirjam Swanson: J.J. Spaun's US Open win ripples in California from San Dimas to San Diego

Sports / Golf /

Quite likely you hadn’t heard of J.J. Spaun before his come-out-of-nowhere-and-behind heroics Sunday to win the U.S. Open.

But I’ll tell you this: Everyone who happened to be near a San Dimas High School golfer — past or present — on Sunday likely heard about what Spaun did.

Because the Saints have known about Spaun for years, and they...Read more

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Paul Zeise: Oakmont Country Club delivered as golf's ultimate test during this US Open

Sports / Golf /

PITTSBURGH — Oakmont Country Club is advertised as one of the toughest golf courses in the United States.

The U.S. Open is advertised as the ultimate test for professional golfers.

That’s what made this U.S. Open such an easy fit and a perfect match, as it brought some of the best golfers in the world to their knees. It was won by a ...Read more

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Marcus Hayes: Oakmont is again magnificent and so is J.J. Spaun as the US Open host and Pennsylvania courses keep flexing

Sports / Golf /

OAKMONT, Pa. — Through it all, looming large and nasty and insurmountable, there was the golf course.

Oakmont Country Club hosted its record 10th U.S. Open. As ever, it did not disappoint.

This is the place that, in 1962, gave the first of Jack Nicklaus’ record 18 major wins, and, 11 years later, Johnny Miller’s record 63 to win on ...Read more

Jason Mackey: Oakmont remains undefeated, but golf also needs more stories like J.J. Spaun

Sports / Golf /

PITTSBURGH — The precipitation Sunday wasn't limited to the skies.

After J.J. Spaun drained that 64 1/2-foot birdie putt to clinch a dramatic victory in the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, he fought back tears on the 18th green.

Actually, no. There wasn't much fighting.

Spaun let 'em flow — as he absolutely should.

While there's...Read more

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'Couldn't write a better story': J.J. Spaun's iconic 64-foot putt clinches 125th US Open title at Oakmont

Sports / Golf /

PITTSBURGH — There were some ghosts of collapses past going on during the final round at Oakmont Country Club, though it was difficult to distinguish who was being spooked the most.

Sam Burns, the 54-hole leader, got water-logged after a 96-minute weather delay. Adam Scott, trying to set a record for elapsed time between a first and second ...Read more

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Jim Souhan: Champion J.J. Spaun saves US Open from itself

Sports / Golf /

In addition to his well-earned winnings, the USGA should give J.J. Spaun a massive bonus.

Spaun’s green-mile winning putt to win the U.S. Open on the 18th green at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania on Sunday instantly became the only moment anyone will remember from this tournament.

Because it was the only moment worth remembering.

The ...Read more

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After horrid start, J.J. Spaun rallies to win the 125th US Open at Oakmont Country Club

Sports / Golf /

PITTSBURGH — J.J. Spaun bounced back from a horrid start and watched while others fell apart in the rain to win the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club for his first major title.

A one-time winner on the PGA Tour, Spaun emerged from a five-way tie on the back nine with birdies on the final two holes to finish at 1-under 279, good for a ...Read more

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How the US Open grounds crew got Oakmont in shape after torrential rain suspended play

Sports / Golf /

PITTSBURGH — Like Sisyphus with his boulder, Oakmont grounds crew members squeegeed water off the fairway on Hole 8 as the rain kept falling on Oakmont Country Club.

Only two more players needed to tackle the longest par 3 in U.S. Open history after a 96-minute weather delay in the final round Sunday afternoon — the last pairing of Sam ...Read more

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Marcus Hayes: Rory McIlroy sizzles in final round of US Open, admits exhaustion, and hopes to recharge for the British Open

Sports / Golf /

OAKMONT, Pa. — The daily drama of Rory McIlroy — Will he talk today? Will he not? — was energy wasted Sunday. McIlroy didn’t boycott the press as he’d done after six of his last seven rounds at major championships, the most prominent battle in the surreal press-vs.-player war being waged on the PGA Tour.

Of course, it probably didn’...Read more

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Jason Mackey: On quintessential Pittsburgh day, Oakmont becomes ideal proving ground at US Open

Sports / Golf /

PITTSBURGH — Somewhere around 4 o’clock Saturday, as the final groups teed off during the third round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, we officially reached peak Pittsburgh. Congratulations.

On the walkway between the ninth and 10th fairways, I heard someone scream for Bob Nutting to sell the Pirates. Meanwhile, we had two ...Read more

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Marcus Hayes: Rory McIlroy breaks his silence at the US Open as the player-vs.-media PGA Tour war rages on

Sports / Golf /

OAKMONT, Pa. — In February of 2021, Tiger Woods rolled an SUV over a median, down an embankment and into a gully. He nearly killed himself, and, at 46, with a history of other major injuries, he effectively killed his career.

In February of 2022, Phil Mickelson telegraphed his defection to the emerging LIV Tour when controversial comments ...Read more

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Paul Zeise: Rory McIlroy is supposed to be golf's greatest ambassador -- not this

Sports / Golf /

PITTSBURGH —Rory McIlroy is supposed to be the face of golf.

The unofficial spokesman of the PGA Tour.

The great ambassador to the sport’s fans.

He has taken on that role and embraced it for years.

Suddenly, though, he has forgotten all that and has become one of the most insufferable players on the tour.

And it isn’t just about him ...Read more

Rory McIlroy's post-Grand Slam free fall continues after rough US Open Round 3

Sports / Golf /

PITTSBURGH — Rory McIlroy was expecting a little more on Saturday after the way he rebounded from a poor start in the second round of the U.S. Open.

But it didn’t happen ... again.

After making three birdies and just one bogey over the final 15 holes on Friday — and making birdie at No. 18 to ensure getting inside the cut line — the ...Read more

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Jason Mackey: Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller talk US Open memories at Oakmont, Arnold Palmer's impact and much more

Sports / Golf /

PITTSBURGH — Jack Nicklaus and Johnny Miller — two guys who know a thing or two about what it takes to win a U.S. Open at Oakmont.

A bunch of golfers have said a bunch of words the past few days at Oakmont Country Club.

Few — if any — carry the same weight as those delivered by Jack Nicklaus and Johnny Miller on Saturday for Day 3 of ...Read more

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Oakmont's torturous greens are frustrating US Open golfers -- and inflating their scores

Sports / Golf /

PITTSBURGH — It’s hard enough to reach the greens at Oakmont Country Club.

Players must navigate narrow fairways surrounded by thick rough and punishing bunkers.

They then must land approach shots not just on the green, but in particular parts of it, to have any hope of their ball staying on the putting surface.

Players have described the...Read more