A Grip on Sports: J.J. Spaun showed again Sunday the lessons adversity teach are as tough as they come but they often leave tougher athletes in their wake
A GRIP ON SPORTS • You want to know what one of the most undervalued lessons anyone can acquire from sports? How to deal with adversity. You want to be a champion? Learn how to deal with misfortune. Losing. Hard times. They will come. Deal with it.
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• When losing is not an option, learning what it really takes to win becomes a tougher task. And yet way too often athletes run from adversity toward what they believe are guaranteed results. Ironically, it is a path that leads to failure down the road. When it really matters. Just ask J.J. Spaun, Sunday’s winner of golf’s toughest test, the U.S. Open Championship.
His career was built through adversity, from its beginning as a youth golfer to yesterday’s 18th hole. But when his 54-foot, 6-inch title-clinching putt finished its roll at Oakmont Country Club, every ounce of difficulty became worth it.
Not because Spaun’s future changed – though it did. But because his past came into stark relief. A past of pounding golf balls in the dirt. Of being told no too many times to count. Of allowing the slow progression from success to failure and back again to run its course.
When Spaun graduated high school in San Dimas, Calif. – a Los Angeles suburb – in 2008, he wasn’t offered a scholarship by any of the West Coast’s top golf schools. The best he could do is accept a walk-on spot at San Diego State.
It was a perfect choice. With nothing guaranteed, he worked. Improved. By his senior year in 2012, he was the Mountain West Conference’s best player. And that guaranteed what exactly? Nothing.
His pro career began on the developmental tours. The Gateway Tour. PGA Tour Canada. Web.com Tour. And, in 2016, a chance to play regularly on the PGA Tour. That guaranteed him what exactly? Again, nothing. He lost his PGA Tour card in 2021 (he was ranked outside the world top 500), returned to the Korn Ferry Tour and regained it. At age 31, adversity had become his playing partner.
A year later, making his 147th PGA Tour start, Spaun left it behind for a week, winning the Valero Texas Open. He earned a spot in the 2023 Masters, his second major following a 35th-place finish in the 2018 PGA.
For the second time Spaun was tough enough to make the cut. He finished tied for 23rd. Had dealt with the adversity of Augusta for the first time and survived.
His next major? Not this year’s Players Championship, as it’s just outside that pantheon. But it also is a test of the world’s best and Spaun almost aced it.
He led after 54 holes. He finished Sunday 12-under, tied with one of the game’s great’s Rory McIlroy. During three-hole playoff the next day, Spaun came to TPC Sawgrass’ famed 17th hole and dunked his tee shot. McIlroy won.
The adversity of losing? It taught lessons. Again.
Spaun led the U.S. Open after the first day. He was tied for second (behind Sam Burns) after Friday and Saturday. Was in the second-to-last pairing Sunday.
And adversity hit again. A series of tough breaks – one shot hit a rake and bounced into a near-impossible lie and another dart bounced doinked the flagstick and caromed off the green – led to a 5-over start in the first six holes. A soul-crushing 40 on the opening nine.
Except the adversity Spaun has gone through – did we mention he deals with Type 1 diabetes and was up much of Saturday night with a sick child? – didn’t allow his soul to give up. The late-afternoon 95-minute rain delay helped Spaun, who had just finished the eighth hole, more than anyone. What did he do, besides taking a shower and changing clothes? He decided to come out firing.
“I tried to just continue to dig deep,” he said. “I’ve been doing it my whole life.”
His back nine included birdies on 12 and 14 and a bogey on 15. When he came to the drivable par-4 17th, he was tied for the lead at 1-over. One near-perfect swing, one masterful 18-foot putt, one tap-in followed. He led.
All he needed on 18 was a par to take that lead into the clubhouse. His drive found the fairway. His approach? It missed by more than 21 yards left. But he finally got a break. Playing partner Viktor Hovland followed by pulling his approach a hair further left. His putt would come first, on the same line.
Hovland showed Spaun the way. And the 34-year-old did the rest.
Spaun has been found over the years hitting golf balls at muni ranges, unnoticed far from the madding crowd of country clubs and computer bays. He says he does it because it keeps him connected with where his game developed.
That may not be possible anymore. After all, after years of wandering in adversity’s desert, on Sunday J.J. Spaun faced down one more of its flash-floods and reached the promised land.
And taught us all a lesson.
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WSU: What a day for those of us who love to point out recruiting never stops. Heck, in June, football recruiting doesn’t even slow down. Greg Woods brings us this story that covers four high school players who announced their intent to head to Pullman in the fall of 2026. … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, it’s not only Washington State that is in the midst of a big recruiting push. So is Oregon. And Colorado State. … Is Utah a Big 12 title contender? … There is still some question about how USC will allocate the $20.5 million for its athletes. … In baseball news, Oregon State gave Coastal Carolina three unearned runs in the first inning Sunday and went on to lose the College World Series game 6-2. Coastal has won 25 consecutive games. … Arizona struggled at the plate and Louisville finally took advantage, eliminating the Wildcats 8-3. … In basketball news, a Colorado men’s player is back from an injury scare. … Utah’s roster may still have some holes to fill. … We mentioned yesterday Georgia won the women’s NCAA track and field title. And linked stories to the results for other West Coast schools. But we missed USC finishing second, not a bad bookend to the Trojan men winning the team title as well.
Indians: For the first time since the Northwest League changed to six-game series in 2021, Spokane lost all six. The Indians ran into the NWL’s hottest team, Vancouver, this week and were swept. Dave Nichols has the story of Sunday’s 3-2 road defeat.
Mariners: J.P. Crawford stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in Sunday’s second inning. It was his first Father’s Day game as one of the folks the day is meant to celebrate. And, with one swing, gave the M’s something to celebrate. His grand slam, the fifth of his career, combined with seven scoreless innings from rejuvenated right-hander Emerson Hancock for a 6-0 win – and a three-game sweep – over the visiting Guardians. … Logan Gilbert is ready to return. … The Red Sox are in town. They no longer feature Rafael Devers. He’s been traded to the Giants.
Storm: Their backup center wanted a trade. The Storm granted her wish.
Sounders: Seattle began its Club World Cup adventure Sunday against Botafogo from Brazil. And failed, partly because Nouhou once again lost his cool and committed an egregious foul that led to a goal in a 2-1 defeat. Next up is Atlético Madrid at home Thursday in what seems to be a must-win match. … The tournament isn’t without its blowouts and criticism of the playing surfaces. … There is another tournament going on in the U.S., the Gold Cup. The U.S. Men’s National Team, saddled with a four-match losing streak, played its opener against Trinidad and Tobago before a disappointing crowd in San Jose. But it won, 5-0.
Kraken: Edmonton is on the verge of a second-consecutive NHL finals loss to Florida. After a 5-2 home ice loss Saturday, the Oilers, trailing 3-2, must win Tuesday in South Florida to earn a trip back to Canada.
Sonics: With the final series tied at two-games apiece, tonight’s game in Oklahoma City looms large not only for the host Thunder but for the Pacers as well. Especially after they gave away game four at home.
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• We were sort of rooting for Adam Scott. After all, he was the designated old guy in the U.S. Open. Thought Sam Burns was ready to win. But neither handled the adversity as well as Spaun. Heck, Burns let a bad ruling – yes he should have been given relief – ruin the rest of his round. Until later …