J.J. Spaun delivered a command performance at TPC San Antonio, securing victory at the Valero Texas Open with a 17-under par total after surging through a packed leaderboard on Sunday afternoon.
The reigning US Open champion, who also won the tournament in 2022, fired a final round 67 to overhaul a brace of British hopefuls in the shape of Matt Wallace and Bob McIntyre.
Spaun seperated himself from a tightly packed leaderboard with birdies on 10, 14 and 16, followed by an eagle at the 306-yard, par-4 17th, where he drove the ball to 10 feet, which saw him leapfrog past a host of players to take the title by one shot after parring the last.
Spaun, who is a Srixon staff player, arrived at the event on the back for four missed cuts and no top-20 finishes in seven events on the PGA Tour this season, but he drew on his experience on the tough set up at TPC San Antonio, blending accuracy off the tee and with elite iron play to secure his sixth career victory. He converted 21 birdies across the week and ranked among the leaders in greens in regulation, a key factor on a demanding setup.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself this year to start the year,” Spaun said. “And a lot of expectations. “It’s been trying, but sometimes you don’t have to have your ‘A game’ to win out here and sticking to that mantra really helped me.
“I just accepted what I was able to use this week. Went out there and just tried to get the ball in the hole. And whatever outcome I had, whether it was a shot or a hole, I just accepted it and moved on.”
With Spaun setting the clubhouse lead, MacIntyre, three shots behind with two to play, drove the 17th and holed an eagle putt just outside 15 feet to get within one shot. But the Scot hooked his second shot from on the 609-yard closing hole, and even after getting relief from temporary immovable obstructions, he could only hit wedge to 30 feet. His birdie putt to force a playoff was short and left him with a 70 to share second place with Matt Wallace and Michael Kim.
Ludvig Åberg, who had his third straight top-10 going into the Masters, closed with a 70 and tied for fifth with Andrew Putnam, who needed a birdie on the 18th to force a playoff and hit wedge into a back bunker, making bogey for a 70.
J.J. Spaun’s WITB
Driver: Titleist GT3 (9°)
Fairway Woods: TaylorMade Qi10 (15°, 21°)
Irons: Srixon ZXi5 (4), Srixon ZXi7 (5-PW)
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore, (50°) Cleveland RTZ (54°), Cleveland RTX 6 ZipCore (60°)
Putter: L.A.B. Golf DF3
Ball: Srixon Z-Star Diamond
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