J.J. Spaun in a new element after U.S. Open triumph

J.J. Spaun continues his season of new experiences and new expectations this week at the Genesis Scottish Open.

He enters the event as a first-time major winner after winning the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club last month. And he enters as a relative rookie on links courses, having played in this tournament just once, finishing T59 in 2022, and preparing for his first go-round in The Open Championship at age 34.

The Open will be played July 17-20 at Royal Portrush in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

“2022 was a great first experience playing, ever, in not just Scotland but the U.K. in general,” he said Wednesday at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland.

“Got a taste of what a different style of golf is here. More links style. More elements involved. So it was a lot of fun and I played OK. Kind of gave it my first run here. So I’m happy to be back.”

He said he has played links courses in the United States, calling them “probably not as proper as it is over here.” And it’s a big adjustment, figuring out how to tailor his game to the conditions.

“It’s a thicker wind,” he said. “… As far as that goes and getting your trajectories down, and I think the other thing is getting dialed in with your spin rates because obviously into the wind that plays a huge part and how far that’s going to carry into the wind.”

And the expectations as a major champion are new, too.

“Yeah, there’s some expectations, and I’m going to try to kind of dumb it down and just try to play golf, as simple and cliche as that sounds,” the California native said. “But I know there will be some expectation. I’m just going to go out there and stick to my game and try to execute. That’s all I can do.”

The U.S. Open win was the second for Spaun in his PGA Tour career. It was just the second time he’d played in the tournament, having missed the cut the first time around in 2021 at Torrey Pines.

And while he is a tour veteran, he said life on tour is different as a Grand Slam winner.

“It’s been a complete 180. I’ve been out here for eight, nine years now, and you see the same guys but you kind of notice a little bit of change in tone or I guess more of like respect,” he said. “You know, you kind of earn some respect out here, especially from the top guys. They engage a little bit more with you. Not that they are different with other players but you kind of feel you’re at a different level now, winning a major.

“It feels good to kind of earn that respect from my peers, and obviously the greatest players that are out here kind of acknowledging me and making me feel like I belong, which is huge for confidence and huge for self-belief. And it’s nice to be out here, and that confidence goes a long way, whether it’s off the course and on the course. The reception and the fans and spectators, it’s been incredible. I still kind of can’t fathom every time someone congratulates me for winning the U.S. Open.”

Spaun has played in 18 tournament this season with five top-10 finishes, including runner-up at The Players. Sometimes when he is in a reflective mood, he’ll think about his unprecedented success this season, a year in which his $10 million in winnings are almost half of his career PGA Tour earnings.

“It’s just so cool to think about how far I’ve come, and how much I’ve achieved just this season alone,” he said. “It’s just kind of like this ascent to a more elite level that I never really thought I would maybe get there; eventually, hopefully, one of these days I would, but to finally do it, it’s pretty crazy.”

–Field Level Media