J. J. Spaun facts for kids
Quick facts for kids J. J. Spaun |
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Spaun in May 2015
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | John Michael Spaun Jr. |
| Born | August 21, 1990 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) |
| Residence | Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S. |
| Spouse | Melody Means |
| Children | 2 |
| Career | |
| College | San Diego State University |
| Turned professional | 2012 |
| Current tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Former tour(s) |
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| Professional wins | 5 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 2 |
| European Tour | 1 |
| Web.com Tour | 1 |
| Other | 2 |
| Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 1) |
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| The Masters Tournament | T23: 2022 |
| U.S. Open | Won: 2025 |
| The Open Championship | DNP |
| PGA Championship | T35: 2018 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| PGA Tour Canada Order of Merit winner |
2015 |
John Michael "J. J." Spaun Jr. (born August 21, 1990) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour, the top level of men's professional golf in North America. His biggest victory was winning the 2025 U.S. Open, which is one of the four most important tournaments in golf, known as major championships.
Contents
Early Life and College Golf
J. J. Spaun was born in Los Angeles, California. His mother, Dollie, was a big golf fan and even played while she was pregnant with him. When J. J. was just three years old, he got his first set of plastic golf clubs. His dad set up a net in the garage, and J. J. spent hours practicing his swing without ever taking formal lessons.
After graduating from San Dimas High School in 2008, Spaun went to San Diego State University. He wasn't heavily recruited by colleges, so he had to join the golf team as a walk-on, meaning he had to prove his skills to earn a spot. He quickly showed how talented he was.
Spaun became one of the best players in his college conference, winning Player of the Year in 2012. He was also named an All-American, an honor given to the top college athletes in the country. He won five tournaments in college, tying the school record. After graduating in 2012, he decided to become a professional golfer.
Professional Career
Starting on Development Tours
Like many new golfers, Spaun didn't start on the PGA Tour right away. He first played on PGA Tour Canada, a tour where players develop their skills. After a tough season in 2014 where he barely earned any money, he had to go back to qualifying school to earn back his spot.
The next year, 2015, was a huge success. Spaun won his first professional tournament, the Staal Foundation Open. He played so well that he broke the record for the most money earned in a single season on that tour. This performance earned him a spot on the Korn Ferry Tour for 2016, which is the final step before the PGA Tour.
On his 26th birthday in August 2016, Spaun won the News Sentinel Open on the Korn Ferry Tour. This amazing win guaranteed him a promotion to the PGA Tour for the next season.
Joining the PGA Tour
In his first few years on the PGA Tour, Spaun had some solid seasons with several top-10 finishes. However, he also faced challenges. During the 2019-20 season, he struggled with his game and said, "I was just playing bad, like I was lost."
He eventually lost his full-time PGA Tour card but didn't give up. He went back to the Korn Ferry Tour Finals and played well enough to immediately earn his spot back on the PGA Tour.
In April 2022, after 147 starts, Spaun finally won his first PGA Tour event at the Valero Texas Open. This important victory qualified him for the 2022 Masters Tournament, one of golf's major championships, for the first time.
Becoming a Major Champion
The 2025 season was a breakthrough year for Spaun. He started strong and nearly won The Players Championship, another huge tournament. He ended up in a playoff with superstar Rory McIlroy and finished in second place, which moved him into the top 25 of the Official World Golf Ranking.
Just a few months later, at the 2025 U.S. Open, Spaun achieved his dream. In the final round, he had a very difficult start and fell behind the leader. But after a weather delay, he came back strong, making four birdies on the back nine, including a 64-foot putt on the final hole.
He won the championship by two strokes, becoming the only player to finish the tournament with a score under par. It was his first major championship victory and a life-changing moment in his career.
Personal Life
When Spaun was five years old, he was hit by a car while skateboarding but was not seriously hurt. He also loves music and learned to play the guitar as a kid.
In 2018, Spaun was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after feeling tired for a long time. However, the treatment didn't work. In 2021, doctors realized he had been misdiagnosed and actually had type 1 diabetes. With the correct diagnosis, he was able to manage his health properly.
Spaun married his wife, Melody, in 2019. They have two daughters, Emerson and Violet. The family lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Professional wins (5)
PGA Tour wins (2)
| Legend |
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| Major championships (1) |
| Other PGA Tour (1) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apr 3, 2022 | Valero Texas Open | −13 (67-70-69-69=275) | 2 strokes |  Matt Jones,  Matt Kuchar |
| 2 | Jun 15, 2025 | U.S. Open | −1 (66-72-69-72=279) | 2 strokes |  Robert MacIntyre |
PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2025 | The Players Championship |  Rory McIlroy |
Lost three-hole aggregate playoff; McIlroy: +1 (4-4-5=13), Spaun: x (5-6-x=x) |
Web.com Tour wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 21, 2016 | News Sentinel Open | −26 (66-62-64-66=258) | 1 stroke | Sam Ryder |
Web.com Tour playoff record (0–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponents | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016 | Air Capital Classic | Collin Morikawa (a), Ollie Schniederjans |
Schniederjans won with birdie on second extra hole |
PGA Tour Canada wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 19, 2015 | Staal Foundation Open | −18 (67-67-69-67=270) | 1 stroke | Nicholas Reach |
Gateway Tour wins (1)
- 2013 National Series 7
Major championships
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | U.S. Open | 1 shot deficit | −1 (66-72-69-72=279) | 2 strokes | Robert MacIntyre |
Results timeline
Results not in chronological order before 2019 and in 2020.
| Tournament | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T23 | 50 | ||||||
| PGA Championship | T35 | T54 | CUT | CUT | T37 | |||
| U.S. Open | CUT | 1 | ||||||
| The Open Championship | NT |
Win Did not play CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
NT = no tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic
Summary
| Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| PGA Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| U.S. Open | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| The Open Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 6 |
- Most consecutive cuts made – 3 (2025 Masters – 2025 U.S. Open, current)
- Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (once, current)
Results in The Players Championship
| Tournament | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Players Championship | CUT | WD | C | CUT | CUT | T64 | 2 |
Top 10 Did not play CUT = missed the halfway cut
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
C = canceled after the first-round due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Results in World Golf Championships
| Tournament | 2023 |
|---|---|
| Match Play | R16 |
Top 10 QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
See also
- 2016 Web.com Tour Finals graduates
- 2021 Korn Ferry Tour Finals graduates
