An American golfer who won the BMW PGA Championship said his luck came from Jeremy Clarkson.
J.J. Spaun beat Rory McIlroy and Aaron Rai by two shots to claim the title in September.Â
A cardboard cut-out of Jeremy Clarkson’s face was carried by his wife at the major golf tournament at Wentworth.
It was a nod to the couple’s love of the Cotswolds and the presenter’s hit series Clarkson’s Farm.
JJ. Spaun said Jeremy Clarkson brought him ‘good fortune’ to win him the BMW PGA Championship title at Wentworth (Image: Getty Images)
Mr Spaun said: “Jeremy was there in spirit and I think he brought me good fortune.”
The couple are said to visit the Cotswolds regularly during the winter and had travelled to the area before Clarkson’s Farm first aired.
Mr Spaun has credited those early trips with helping them better understand the local culture and community of the show.
The Farmer’s Dog pub in Oxfordshire. (Image: The Farmer’s Dog)
He revealed that he once visited Mr Clarkson’s pub, The Farmer’s Dog, in hopes of meeting the presenter, but Mr Clarkson was not there at the time.
The couple also share a long-running joke about buying a cottage in the Cotswolds.
The story began in 2025 when Mrs Spaun suggested that a tournament win should earn her a cottage.
Mr Spaun held out for a bigger prize, promising that only a major championship victory would seal the deal.
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That promise came true when he won the U.S. Open at Oakmont in June 2025, and the couple have joked that their cottage search is now firmly under way.
Tracy Archer, owner director at StayCotswold, the region’s largest independent holiday let company, welcomed the story.
Ms Archer said: “It’s a lovely story that they’re both big fans of the Cotswolds and that Jeremy helped JJ on his way to victory.”
Ms Archer said the show and Mr Clarkson’s other ventures have boosted tourism in the area.
She said: “Clarkson’s Farm, the Farmer’s Dog and Hawkstone Brewery help to draw huge numbers of people to the area and through our VIP portal there’s a special offer where guests can have a free drink after a tour of the brewery.
“We’ll definitely be raising a glass to JJ Spaun and Melody for being such big fans of the Cotswolds.”