U.S. Open drama, big series for the Phillies, NBA Finals goes 7

JJ Spaun is one of the most unlikely U.S. Open champions in the past past 30 years. He had only won a single tournament in his career, and he got off to a terrible start Sunday, shooting a front nine five-over par 40. He then took advantage of the fact that nobody else on the leaderboard was playing well because of the difficult weather conditions, and he never gave up hope. JJ played a great last six holes to carry him to the championship. I think the USGA got incredibly lucky that JJ made a 65-foot putt to win by two to save them from legitimate criticism for making the players complete the round Sunday, basically playing golf in a swimming pool. I think it was unfair for Sam Burns and Adam Scott in particular. I know why the USGA felt the pressure to finish Sunday, because of TV ratings and fan attendance numbers. It will be interesting to see whether JJ can live up to the expectations he’s going to experience now that he has a major championship under his belt.

This weekend, the Phillies are hosting a big series against the New York Mets. The Mets and Phillies are tied for the lead in the division. This Phillies team has been frustrating to watch so far because they’ve been incredibly inconsistent on a week-to-week basis. Sometimes they look like they could win the World Series and then another week they look like a triple-A team. They have two obvious needs before the trade deadline in late July. They need two relief pitchers, including an experienced closer, and maybe a center fielder who can hit consistently.

The NBA Finals is going to a Game 7 this Sunday. I think Oklahoma City is going to win, but it will be a nailbiter. I was shocked how poorly OKC played on the road in Game 6. The NBA Draft is on Wednesday. I hope 76ers can move on from the disappointment of last season with a strong pick at No. 3 in the draft. The overall key to success for the team is the health of Joel Embiid after his knee surgery. The fans will most likely not know how much progress he has made from that until training camp starts in October. Let's hope for the best for him and the team.