He told me, ‘You got to give them a hug or you put the boot right up their butt and nothing in between. Sometimes it calls for tough love and it’s not always as obvious as you think.’ ” So,

J.J. Spaun drove the 314-yard, par-4 17th and two-putted for birdie to take a one-shot lead with one hole to play in the 125th U.S. Open. He then rolled in a 64-foot birdie putt at the 18th — the longest putt made by anyone all week at Oakmont — to secure his second PGA Tour win and first major title.