J.J. Spaun

J.J. Spaun's first career win came at the perfect time. The 31-year-old will now get to head to Augusta National for the first time.

The Californian fought back from a double bogey on the first hole to shoot 69 at TPC San Antonio, winning by two shots over Matt Kuchar and Matt Jones.

Frittelli pulled the ball away from the spines and took an unplayable and managed bogey to fall two shots back. Jones’ birdie at the 17th cut it to one, but Spaun answered with a birdie at the par-5 14th after getting almost pin high in the greenside bunker. Kuchar needed a birdie on the final hole and Spaun to make bogey to force a playoff. He also double-bogeyed the 9th on Saturday. Yet he birdied the tough 9th on Sunday, one of five on the day. Spaun took the lead with a birdie after nailing his approach into the 11th to three feet away. Spaun reached the green of the par-5 finishing hole in three and his final putt was less than two feet.

J.J. Spaun took home his first PGA TOUR title with a win at the Valero Texas Open.

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But Spaun's biggest fairytale moment came in Texas on Sunday when he emerged from a jam-packed leaderboard to capture his first PGA Title.

Making his 500th start on Tour this week, he finished second for the 14th time in his illustrious career to go with nine victories. He made things interesting on the final hole, pulling his drive left down a hill on a par-5, but Spaun played safely out of the rough and avoided any major mishaps. That followed a number of brilliant hole-outs throughout the week that put him in contention. In his 147th Tour start, Spaun followed a double-bogey on the opening hole with solid, if unspectacular play, holding steady in a stiff Texas breeze while others faded. “It was a good weekend,” Jones said. If I put myself in contention with nine holes away, that’s all I could ask for.”

JJ Spaun's wife Melody Spaun has been by his side in his career as he's about to win the 2022 Valero Texas Open. Pictures, bio.

JJ Spaun claimed his maiden PGA Tour victory and secured an invite to The Masters for the first time as he held his nerve over the closing stages to win the ...

After securing the win, Spaun said: "I think a year ago to even be on tour I would have been telling you I'd have to do a lot of work to get there, but to be here and to overcome a lot of things and finally get a win, that's everything you dream of. What extra feeds are available? If anything it kind of calmed me down. And on his opening double-bogey, he added: "It didn't bother me as much as you would think. Hossler fared the best of the trio and led on 12 under after a birdie at the eighth but slipped back with a bogey at 10 and double-bogey at 14 where he thinned a bunker shot through the green into an unplayable lie. He also became the first player to win on the PGA Tour after starting his final round with a double-bogey since Tiger Woods at the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines.

J. J. Spaun won his first title on the PGA Tour at TPC San Antonio after sealing a two-shot victory from Matt Kuchar and Matt Jones. Looking for his first.

Hossler dropped out of contention after a double-bogey on the par-5 14th hole. Unfortunately for Jones, Spaun went two shots in front on 13-under-par after a calm birdie on the 14th hole. Merritt also birdied the 11th and 14th holes to get within one shot at this stage alongside Hossler on 11-under-par.

Double bogey on the opening hole wasn't going to derail his quest for his first career...

He posted an even par round to finish the event as one of four players at 10-under. That’s it,” Spieth said. That group expanded as large as a six-way tie for the lead through parts of the round. After bogeys on 7 and 8, Kuchar started clean on the back nine, converting three birdies to climb into second place, two strokes back. Spaun threatened to add some intrigue on Sunday’s 18th hole, smashing his tee shot well right of the fairway and into a native area. “It's a tricky golf course and when the wind blows. “Obviously, today was an incredible finish,” Hadwin said. He honed his perseverance through a difficult 2020-21 season, missing the cut in 14 of 26 events with just a pair of top-25 finishes. It just was a switch that needed to be flipped and some confidence that I needed to find once again.” “You've only dreamed of playing there, for most of us,” Spaun said. “And I did.” Dylan Frittelli hits a shot a shot during Sunday's final round of the Valero Texas Open at the TPC San Antonio Oaks Course.

Before the golf world's attention turned toward the Masters, J.J. Spaun had to win the first PGA Tour title of his career. Spaun won the 2022 Valero Texas ...

Even though he dropped shots with bogeys on Nos. 11 and 16, he still birdied the 14th, 15th and 17th while finishing at 11 under. To Kuchar's credit, he applied some late pressure with a birdie on the 17th after also posting birdies on the 12th and 14th. Yet it was nothing but consistency from there before he caught fire around the turn with birdies on Nos. 6, 8, 9 and 11. Spaun won the 2022 Valero Texas Open in San Antonio with a three-under 69 in Sunday's final round. Adam Hadwin was also left wondering what could have been if his late charge started earlier. Final-round struggles weren't the story for everyone, though, as Jones wasted no time becoming a factor in the race for the title with five birdies and no bogeys on the front nine.