J.J. Spaun and his Open Stance wins the U.S. Open at Oakmont C.C. showing, once again, that the greatest ball-strikers on planet earth set up open. Condolences to Tyrrell Hatton and Robert McIntyre, another open stancer. Ultimately, the best golfer won.
Tyrrell took a hosing on 17. Did you see that!? The ball landed on the steep downslope of a bunker and STAYED IN THE GRASS! OMG, I was beside myself. I felt sorry for the guy. He played beautifully to that point. However, his luck ended at 7pm EST.
Robert closed hard but missed it by that much. I very much liked his interview with Kyra what’s her face. He said he’s been too hard on himself and got a psych-sesh that tweaked his brain the right way. Consequently, he went full golf-G down the stretch. Good on him.
Adam Scott and Sam Burns were foiled by the rain/stoppage. That casual water ruling against relief was wrong. Providing relief to Sam would have in no way advantaged him. However, denying anyone relief in that situation is punitive and definitely disadvantaged Sam.
Then, J.J. Spaun and his Open Stance ran the gauntlet. Holy S***, the start full of bad breaks will be legendary now that his name is on the trophy. Hits the stick and ends up 50 yards away on Hole 2, bad bounce off a rake on Hole 3, mental torment, missed fairway, quicksand, and overcoming the demons… my God… the demons!
Then again, J.J. Spaun did have the bigger weapon on his side. His Open Stance set-up carried the day. Nicklaus did the same thing. Trevino – the same thang, and on and on. Even the Katman told me the fade is the easiest shot under pressure. Unfortunately, I was too busy hitting my rope-hook 1-iron 270 off the tee to care. However, I did eventually learn.
J.J. was just a ball-striking machine all week like he has been all year. How about the teach from Hovie on 18? I told the people watching with me J.J. was going to win as soon as Hovie’s 6-iron stopped rolling outside of J.J.’s ball. That kind of a break at that point in the proceedings is divine intervention and proof of God and luck.
Looking at the top twenty finishers, the Open Stance was employed by all of them. Maybe every shot did not come from an Open Stance. However, the great majority of shots did. Additionally, did you notice where the right-handlers square set up/closed set up drivers missed. RIGHT!🙄
There is no scenario where a player can block a ball across their stance into a fairway because of the “save” instinct. Likewise, nobody has ever released their club across the ball from a square or closed stance and predictably found a fairway. Players laying the club off at the top only slow down their lower half – necessitating the early release to stave off the pull/hook. In addition, players crossing the line at the top require time to re-route and steepen. Argh! What messy situations.
For example, Hovie needs to open his stance so he can hit a reliable, neutral, releasing, low trailing shoulder fade instead of an unreliable, smother block, high trailing shoulder squeezer. Kid’s swing looks too much like Arnold Palmer. Fortunately, he is still young.
By this time, everyone has caught on. The Open Stance rules the U.S. Open again. Our most exacting golfing test requires the sharpest golfing mind and man. Knowing where it’s going means repeatable motion. And, no set-up demands more repeatable motion than an Open Stance.
I think J.J. Spaun and his Open Stance is the best move in golf. It reminds me of Louis Oosthuizen at the 2010 Open.
John Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy
They Said “Open Stance”! It’s a Miracle!