J.J. Spaun, the 2025 U.S. Open champion, turned down a request from the USGA to donate his victory putter to their archives. The putter was key to his dramatic winning birdie at Oakmont Country Club last June. Instead, Spaun provided his driver as a substitute.
J.J. Spaun's triumph at the 125th U.S. Open came down to a clutch 64-foot birdie putt on the final hole at Oakmont Country Club in June 2025, securing his first major title in walk-off style. Reflecting on the moment during the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, Spaun explained his decision to keep the L.A.B. Golf DF3 putter that delivered the victory. When asked by the USGA for a meaningful club from the win to preserve in their archives, he responded, “Unfortunately, I can’t. That thing is not ready to be retired, especially after that putt.”
Spaun credited Viktor Hovland for helping with the line and speed read on the putt. He noted the rain in the final 10 to 15 minutes had slowed the greens, so he focused on the stroke's firmness. “About 8 feet out, I kind of went up to the high side to see if it had a chance of going in, and it was like going right in,” Spaun said post-win. “I was just in shock, disbelief that it went in and it was over.”
Opting for an alternative, Spaun donated his driver, which he described as the second-most valuable club from the event. “It was probably getting close to its limit,” he said, adding that it had become unusable anyway, leaving the USGA satisfied with the gesture.
This echoes a similar story with Rory McIlroy, who unknowingly donated his 7-iron from the 2025 Masters victory—the club behind his memorable par-5 15th shot—via his business manager. McIlroy later remarked, “If there was one I was going to give the club, it was probably going to be that one.” Both players are competing in the Genesis Invitational, which started Thursday.
