J.J. Spaun

Seven top 10s, a near miss at the Players, fiery play at Bethpage and a U.S. Open win. At 35, the gritty late bloomer had some- thing to prove. And he did it in 2025.

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AT HOME IN SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA

Dylan Dethier: Where'd your relationship with golf begin?

J.J. Spaun: I was an only child and my parents were recreational golfers. They really enjoyed playing, and I'd always tag along. I was probably three, just cruising around, when I started whacking balls. And that passion grew as I got older. There were a few kids on my street who played, and we would go to the course nearby. So it ended up being a fun childhood activity.

DD: Golf can be such a solitary sport for kids. Do you think friends made it stick?

JS: On the one hand, yeah, totally. Those buddies are still buddies, and it was nice to have a group of guys to go out with. But I’d go out and play by myself too. That’s how much I enjoyed it. We lived on this very blue-collar country club, Via Verde, in East San Gabriel Valley [Calif.], and I would sneak on in the afternoons and go chip and putt around one of the holes we lived on. It wasn’t a chore. I wasn’t forced to go practice and play. It was just something I enjoyed doing.

DD: What do you think has made you so good? And did that start early?

JS: I enjoy the challenge. I remember playing team sports growing up—baseball, basketball, hockey—and I didn’t like waiting to be in the action. Golf isn’t the fastest sport, but you’re in it all the time. It’s so individual, it’s all on you. And, as I developed, I got this chip on my shoulder too, having to prove myself, having to earn my way. Whether it’s junior golf, college coaches—I wanted to show I was a good enough player to compete, and I still carry myself that way. I think that grit has gone a long way for my career.