J.J. Spaun secures victory at the Texas Open, marking his first triumph since the U.S. Open.
SAN ANTONIO — J.J. Spaun delivered two crucial shots at the conclusion of a lengthy, rainy Sunday, one resulting in a birdie and the other for an eagle, propelling him to a 5-under 67 and a one-shot victory in the Valero Texas Open, marking his first title since last summer’s U.S. Open.
Spaun secured his second victory at TPC San Antonio, with a notable distinction. His triumph four years prior earned him a spot in the Masters. Now, as the reigning U.S. Open champion, he already has his place at Augusta National confirmed. However, this win holds significant value.
Prior to this event, he had not finished in the top 20 in seven tournaments this year, with his best result being a tie for 24th at The Players Championship. Now, the 35-year-old Californian has achieved a validating victory under challenging conditions as he approaches the first major of the year.
“This game is just so unpredictable,” Spaun remarked. “I haven’t been performing at the level I aimed for based on last season, and I’m just trying to take each day as it comes, accepting my current situation.”
“Winning major events like the U.S. Open carries a lot of weight,” he noted. “I placed significant pressure on myself at the start of the year, with high expectations. In the past few weeks, starting at The Players, I aimed to free myself from that pressure, and it has been a challenge. However, adhering to that mindset has truly benefited me.”
Robert MacIntyre, who had been in the lead for much of the tournament, completed 12 holes Sunday morning in the storm-delayed event, finishing with an even-par 72 to maintain a one-shot lead heading into the final round. The groups remained unchanged for the last round in an effort to finish amidst additional rain, though no lightning caused further delays.
Spaun was among a group of players when he hit his tee shot to 3 feet on the par-3 16th for a birdie, then drove the green on the 306-yard 17th hole to 10 feet for an eagle.
He concluded with a par, setting the target at 17-under 271, finishing approximately an hour before MacIntyre and the final group. He was practicing on the range when MacIntyre, three shots behind with two holes to play, drove the 17th and made an eagle putt from just outside 15 feet to close the gap to one shot.
However, the Scot hooked his second shot from a wet fairway on the 609-yard closing hole—a par 5 that yielded only 10 birdies in the final round—and even after receiving relief from temporary immovable obstructions, MacIntyre could only manage a wedge to 30 feet.
His birdie attempt to force a playoff fell short. MacIntyre finished with a 70, tying for second place with Matt Wallace (68) and Michael Kim (69).
This victory marks Spaun’s third win on the PGA Tour, with two of those titles coming at the Texas Open.
Ludvig Åberg achieved his third consecutive top 10 finish—including The Players Championship, where he relinquished the lead on the back nine—heading into the Masters. He closed with a 70, tying for fifth with Andrew Putnam, who needed a birdie on the 18th to force a playoff but hit a wedge into a back bunker, making bogey for a 70.
