“Jack Nicklaus wrote a very nice letter to me” How has changed the life of the US Open Winner

JJ Spaun Press Conference before the start of the Genesis Scottish Open

Okay, I’m delighted to welcome the reigning US Open champion JJ Sworn to the Genesis Scottish Open. JJ, you were last here in 2022. Um, give us a sense of what you remember about playing here in Scotland and you’ve just come off from the prom and what the course is like for this week. Um, yeah, 2022 was a great first experience playing uh ever in not just Scotland but the UK in general. So, I got a taste of, you know, what a different style of golf is here. Um, more link style, more more elements involved. So, um, it was a lot of fun and, you know, I played okay, kind of gave it my first run here, so I’m I’m happy to be back. Great. Well, we’ll start with some questions from the floor. We go, David. Yeah. And JJ, I just wonder, I mean, obviously you’re looking forward to your open debut next week, but just apart from the Scottish Open, do you have any Lynx experience at all? Uh, not proper links, I would say. I think the closest I ever got to links was Bandon Dunes over in Oregon. I played there for the US Amateur Pub, Lynx, back in college, probably 2011, I believe, was when I did that. And, uh, you know, definitely Lynx style for what I’m used to. Uh but probably not as proper as it is over here. But yeah, it was fun. I enjoyed it. And how much of an adjustment is it for you? Quite a bit. Um I think you’re just trying to figure out how how your numbers carry out here as far as the wind goes. I mean, it’s a thicker wind. You know, it might feel 10 to 15, but it plays a lot longer than that if it’s into you. Um, so as far as that goes and just getting your trajectories down and uh I think the other thing is getting dialed in with your spin rates because obviously into the wind that that plays a huge part and how far that’s going to carry into the wind. So um that along with the travel and acclimating your your sleeping and all that stuff. So I think I’ve been here I’ve been here since Saturday. So uh I’m kind of I’m finally sleeping through the night. Go to Craig. Hi JJ. I’m guessing that you as a person hasn’t changed since what happened at the US Open, but how is your demeanor change when you come into an event like this? How do you feel better within yourself? And in terms of how you’re received by people, have you found that a lot different as well? Totally. It’s been a complete 180. Um, I mean, I’ve been out here for 8 nine years now and you see the same guys, but you kind of notice like a little bit change in tone or or I guess more of like respect, you know, you kind of earn some respect out here, especially from the top guys. And, you know, they they engage a little bit more with you. I mean, not that they’re, you know, different with other players, but it’s you kind of feel, you know, you’re at a different level now, um, winning a major. And you know, it feels good to to kind of earn that respect from my peers and obviously the greatest players that are out here kind of, you know, acknowledging me and making me feel like, you know, I belong, which is huge for confidence and huge for self-belief. And it’s nice to be, you know, out here. And that that confidence goes a long way, whether it’s off the course and on the course. And the reception from the fans and spectators, it’s been incredible. And you know, I still kind of can’t fathom, you know, every time someone congratulates me for winning the US Open, it’s still kind of, you know, a pinch me moment that it’s it’s something I did do. So, uh, it’s very cool and I’m I’m completely honored to kind of, yeah, earn the respect from the other players and and the the fans and audience as well. MJ, just a sort of follow up to Craig’s question. How difficult is it to get your feet back on the ground? Obviously a big week this week and then going into the open where expectation levels are going to be higher probably. Yeah, totally. Um I’ve I played okay at the Travelers. It took me a couple days to kind of get the rhythm and uh it was a whirlwind of a weekend and early start to the weekend in Connecticut. So, uh I just got to go back to knowing that my game’s in a good in a good spot. It’s in good shape. Uh yeah, it’s different kind of golf golf that we’re not used to. Uh playing much or very often in the states. So uh I mean then again the US Open, that was my second US Open. Uh the first time I missed the cut, you know, four years ago. So um that’s that’s been sort of the theme all year where the successful weeks that I’ve had have been on courses that I’ve never really done well on. And I think that’s just a testament to how well-rounded my game is. um where my my mental game is at too. Uh so yeah, there’s some expectations. Uh and yeah, I’m going to try to kind of dumb it down and just try to play golf as as simple and cliche as that sounds, but I know there will be some expectation, but I’m just going to go out there and and stick to my game and and try to execute. That’s all I can do. What’s been the highlight for you so far as a a major winner? the highlight. Uh, I’ve just had a lot of cool people reach out to me, you know, congratulating me, people I don’t expect, like Jack Nicholas wrote a very nice letter to me. Um, it was funny. I saw him in passing at the Memorial Tournament, the last time I played before the the US Open and uh, he just, you know, stopped me. I never really engaged with him before that. And he just said I was playing really well. And I said, “Yeah, it would have been nice to, you know, win.” and he’s like, “You keep knocking on that door, you’re going to knock one down.” And literally the next week that happened. So, he remembered that and sent me a nice note, which was really cool. Uh Ian JJ, when you when you are jetlagged and you can’t sleep, um how did did your mind sort of go into reflecting on this extraordinary year, not just the US Open, but the players championship and and all of that? And if so, what kind of reflections did you have? I was jetlagged and I didn’t I had some restless nights and my two girls, my two daughters and my wife were here and the couple last couple nights we’ve had them in in our bed too trying to get them to go to sleep. So other than the the kicking in the back while while they’re trying to get back to sleep. Um, I did, yeah, some reflecting and it’s just so cool to to think about how far I’ve come and how much I’ve achieved, you know, just this season alone. And it’s just kind of like this this ascent to, you know, a more elite level that, um, I never really thought I would maybe get there. Uh, eventually, hopefully one of these days I would, but to finally do it, it’s pretty crazy. And also um being over here and just you know how how much of like a worldwide effect I think it had you know my finish at the US Open just children here and and fans here obviously this is golf country you know everyone’s aware of what happened but it was just I’m just trying to soak it all in still and it’s I’m trying not to let it be like a victory lap sort of mentality but it still feels that way. Thank you. Okay, any further questions Doug? When’s the last time someone congratulated you? And when do you think it’ll stop? 2 seconds ago before I walked in the tent. Was it Bry? That doesn’t count. Well, I mean, literally in passing. Like, it’s crazy. Um, and it doesn’t get old, obviously. It’s It’s really cool. And uh I think the one thing that I’ve noticed, not like this is a an issue, but it’s just like it takes a lot of away from like a t of time like takes a lot of your time to like people want to talk to you about it and it’s you got now I have to give myself more time to get stuff done. Like whether I’m on the range, everyone wants to come up to you and you which is cool, but it’s man I mean how does Scotty do it? I mean I guess people just get sick and tired of telling him congrats. They just don’t tell him after a while you know. Uh, so it’s awesome. I’ll I’ll never get sick of it. When you if you go back to to 13 or the when you first got a tour card, what was your what did your progression of goals look like and where do you go now? Honestly, yeah. Honestly, I’m not a huge goal setter. I think I think objective one or goal one is to like keep your card, especially as a rookie. And that’s always, you know, in the back of my mind every season you peg it up considering, you know, I was kind of a middle tier player, you know, fighting for my job every year. And yeah, exactly. Last year, um, I just now that I have five years guaranteed on tour, five years guaranteed into the other three majors, and 10 to the US Open, I got to figure out some new goals and and objectives. But I that’s kind of how my career has been. I’ve never been, you know, I need to play the AJ and win so I can get a scholarship to play in college and then went out there so I can gain some sort of traction professionally and get starts there. It was just always like I just played and progressed and one foot in front of the other and you know next thing you know I am playing division one and the next thing you know I am turning pro and getting help to chase the dream and then next thing you know I’m on cornfairy. Next thing you know, I’m on tour. It was just I don’t know. I’ve never really Yeah. You had the ultimate goal of getting to the tour. And I think then I kind of had to adjust what I wanted to accomplish, but I never really had a bigger picture goal. That’s right. Yeah. When you left San Diego State, did you get any any support? Any help? I did. Nike Golf. I was a Nike guy throughout college and they had like a developmental sort of tour support deal where they uh Cricut Mush who was the college you know and and sports managing or the sports development player development head cheer chairman guy I don’t know something like that cricket Marlin don’t call him Marlin I call him Marlin but uh yeah he saw my potential obviously being a Nike player was huge to kind of, you know, invest in in those kind of guys. And yeah, they gave me money to to literally not have to have a job and, you know, was able to afford Q school and playing Canadian Tour Monday qualifiers. Like they were they were investing in me to let golf be my number one priority. And uh fortunately like they you know I still see cricket every year at the Charles Schwab in Fort Worth. And you know, we we have a fun little story that we like to talk about, but you know, I always tell him, you’re the guy that like, you know, invested in me and helped me get to where I am. So, I I definitely give him a lot of credit and to the whole Nike family. Yeah. Great. So, J, I was just thinking when you said you’re being congratulated by a lot of people here in golf country. Sounds like you’re being forgiven for beating Scotland’s player to death. And what did what did you make of the images? There was obviously a lot of people got excited about Bob clapping you and and in the clubhouse and that. What did you make all of that? Yeah, Bob’s such a great guy um and a great sport, great ambassador for Scottish golf in general. So, um I’ve I actually ran into his manager the morning after um the US Open on Monday morning and he was happy. He was really delighted for me and happy and he said, “You know what? That’s okay because what you did to Bob, that’s okay. Uh because Rory did that to Bob here at the Scottish Open the year before and then Bob comes back and wins the next year. So So he said, “Well, now we’re winning it the following year.” So we’re we’re all we’re all good. It’s all good. We have any further questions from the floor? If not, JJ, all the best for this week and thank you for your time. Thank you guys.