GOLF: J.J. Spaun ends dry spell with Texas Open victory

J.J. Spaun returned to the winner’s circle at the Valero Texas Open on Sunday, using a clutch eagle from the tee box to secure his second title at the tournament.

Spaun carded a 5-under-par 67 in the final round, highlighted by a late eagle on the par-4, 306-yard 17th hole, finishing at 17-under 271 for a one-shot victory at TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course.

“I haven’t been feeling at the form that I wanted to be based off of last season,” Spaun said. “Just trying to take each day as it comes and accepting what I have. Just got such a great team behind me that’s been supporting me. It just means a lot to come back and win here at a place that’s been so good to me.”

Spaun’s triumph wasn’t confirmed until Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, playing in the final group, missed his second shot on the final hole and settled for par, ending at 16 under. Michael Kim (69) and England’s Matt Wallace (68) shared second place, while Andrew Putnam (70) and Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg (70) tied for fifth at 15 under.

This marks Spaun’s second Texas Open win, following his first title in 2022. He also captured his first major victory at last year’s U.S. Open, a moment capped by a 64-foot birdie putt.

“The attention that came after winning the major definitely added pressure this year,” Spaun admitted. “I put a lot of pressure on myself at the start, and it was the opposite of the mantra that helped me last year. In the last few weeks, I tried to be freed up and put less pressure on myself. It’s been tough, but sticking to that approach really helped.”

Spaun’s eagle on the 17th proved decisive. His ball landed 9 1/2 feet from the hole, and the successful putt gave him the edge even after a par on the par-5 18th. Birdies on holes 14 and 16, along with a bogey on 15, framed his late-round charge.

MacIntyre also made an eagle on the 17th, sinking a 16 1/2-foot putt to keep his hopes alive. “I was proud of the way I played,” MacIntyre said. “Disappointed with some of the bogeys.”

The final day was extended for many players, with some completing as many as 30 holes due to weather delays on Saturday. “I thought the course drained a lot better than I would have expected,” Kim said. “Playing lift, clean and place, so it wasn’t too bad.”

Wallace briefly held the lead at 16 under but needed a victory to secure the final Masters invitation. He finished strong with birdies on holes 15-17 but settled for second. Putnam, meanwhile, struggled with a bogey-birdie-bogey finish, describing the conditions as “raining all day, windy, and cold.”

The tournament saw continuous play on Sunday, with players staying in their third-round groups to keep the schedule moving. Kevin Yu of Taiwan shot 69 to finish seventh at 14 under, while Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune tied for eighth at 13 under after a challenging five-hole stretch.

Despite weather delays during the first three days, Spaun’s clutch performance on Sunday ensured a memorable return to the winner’s circle at the Valero Texas Open.

—Field Level Media/Reuters