JJ SPAUN INTERVIEW: WHY THE JEREMY CLARKSON MASK?

JJ Spaun capped a memorable BMW PGA Championship debut by claiming his maiden Rolex Series title at Wentworth, sealing victory with a stunning finish. But alongside the celebrations came one of the week’s most unusual sights, a Jeremy Clarkson mask in the gallery. In his winning interview, Spaun explains the story behind it, his love of the Cotswolds and what the biggest win of his career means to him.

Q. Many, many congratulations on winning the 2026 BMW PGA Championship. Iconic event. World-class field. Fantastic golf course, brilliant crowds and your debut performance. What does this victory mean to you?

JJ SPAUN: It means so much. You know, I’ve kind of blossomed into this player I never thought I could be, and to take my game across the world, and more specifically here in England, a place that’s dear to my family’s heart, we vacation here quite a bit.

The stars kind of aligned this week for me to come out on top, and I’m just grateful to have the opportunity and play and play well and give myself a chance and came out with a W.

Q. There are always key shots in a final round and you birdied four of the last five. Which were the key shots for you today?

JJ SPAUN: I think when I hit it really tight on 14, the par 3, I missed a short one on 13. I didn’t birdie 12. And last I saw of the leaderboard was that Aaron was at 16 with still a couple to play. Just started free-wheeling it and hit it as close as I can.

I made some really nice putts on 15 and 16, as well. Had a close one on 17. Just didn’t make the putt.

18 has been good to me all week, even in the practice round. Had a good feeling going into that hole, and took 4 there and took my chances.

Q. So much can happen in the closing stretch, especially here at Wentworth, what were your emotions knowing the whole championship was on the line?

JJ SPAUN: I knew the whole day I had to stay patient because of the closing stretch at Wentworth because you could go eagle, eagle and you could also go bogey, bogey.

I just kept telling myself to stay patient, be as close as you can without forcing too many errors early on, after bogeying the first hole, I kind of rebounded with a couple nice birdies. The back nine has been good to me. I played better on the back nine. I knew once I could get through the front I could makeup some ground.

Q. You said you were playing with a chip on your shoulder because you had not been selected for the Presidents Cup. Did you send Brandt Snedeker a message today?

JJ SPAUN: No, I have not. We haven’t spoken.

But yeah, I played with a huge chip on my shoulder. I definitely had something to prove this week. But everything happens for a reason. I’m so delighted to be here and just to even play this event.

I’ve always wanted to play for the longest of time. The extra motivation, I think that is the willpower that you kind of have. And being left off the Presidents Cup team a couple weeks ago was very disappointing, and you know, I wanted to prove that I deserve to be on that team. I took care of my business this week. So all the best to the team next week at Medinah and I’ll be watching.

Q. Your wife told you you would be playing in front of a special guest today. She was walking around with a mask of Jeremy Clarkson. What’s that about?

JJ SPAUN: We’ve grown fond of him, along with the English culture, we actually take holidays in December in the Cotswolds, and we really enjoy his show. I went to his pub, The Farmer’s Dog, with the hopes to catch a glimpse of him but he wasn’t around.

Yeah, she said we would have a surprise guest following this week if I competed in the tournament and sure enough it was Friday morning, Thursday morning, I see the face of Jeremy Clarkson and her holding it. Jeremy was there in spirit and I think he brought me good fortune.

Q. When you first watched the Clarkson Farm, did you think it would end up with his face to celebrate a win —

JJ SPAUN: My wife said something weird to me before I left. I came out Saturday night, and she stayed home and came Tuesday. She said, “I have a surprise for you.”

And sure enough, Thursday morning, here she is and it’s Jeremy Clarkson in the gallery, a cut-out face of his.

It’s awesome. We are huge fans of Clarkson’s Farm, and I think we really enjoyed it because we went to the Cotswolds before watching his show, and it gravitated to more how we understood the culture there, the community, and then obviously looking like an idiot trying to farm. It’s a good laugh. We enjoy the show and we love the Cotswolds.

Q. I think there’s a direct correlation to your love of the Cotswolds that kicked on to this week. Is that correct?

JJ SPAUN: Oh, totally. My wife has been the main contributing factor for always coming across here to holiday. Coming and encouraging me to play this event and The Scottish Open, The Open, and kind of turning it into like a family trip or holiday every time I play these weeks.

It was a fun way to end the year in a positive way, and I couldn’t have drawn it up any better.

Q. How did you first hear about Clarkson Farm?

JJ SPAUN: My wife, I think she found it on Amazon. I think the first season might have been 2020 or something like that. But our first trip to the Cotswolds was 2023, and so we had no idea about it.

I think it was, you know, we wanted to visit and be familiar with the Cotswolds and after we came back and enjoyed so much, we started seeking out more Cotswolds things. And then Clarkson Farm popped up and we watched the season and multiple seasons quickly. We loved it and it’s hilarious.

Q. Do either of you have a farming background, anything like that in your history?

JJ SPAUN: No.

But you want to know a funny story?

Q. Of course.

JJ SPAUN: So it was 2025, and after I lost THE PLAYERS, my wife, she wanted to make a bet with me. She goes, “If you win a tournament, like you’re playing great, you finished second at the Honda, third, just lost in a playoff, I think you’re going to win. If you win a tournament this year, you’ll buy me a cottage in the Cotswolds.”

“No. That’s not a big enough accomplishment to buy a cottage in England.”

“Okay. What about if you won a major?”

“Of course if I won a major, I’ll do whatever you want.” And fast forward, she’s sending me listings on Zillow the following day. It’s hilarious. We’ve come to a compromise. We don’t own a cottage yet.

CLARE BODEL: Sometime soon, I’m sure.

Q. There’s a lot of talk about potentially creating a schedule at this time of the year. The last three editions have been won by an American. Do you feel that other Americans can be encouraged by your success to embrace that new schedule?

JJ SPAUN: I would think. So I think there was a few Americans for the PGA TOUR this week. I think just with the schedule, how it’s going to pan out, it gives guys the opportunity to come over here, and if you don’t want to play anything because you’re tired or whatever the case is, because you’ve had a long grind or long season on PGA TOUR, you don’t have to play it.

But for me, like Ryan has played a lot, he played Crans and he played this week. I think he might be playing some more. With the fall schedule being opened up for guys that are kind of in my position, fully exempt for a while, don’t have to play in these fall schedule events, it’s a nice perk to come travel and play events and venture out.

I’m very glad I did that. A couple things needed to happen for me to be here but it did, and I ended up making the most of it.

Q. You’re not going to be involved in The Presidents Cup. How determined are you to be playing in the Ryder Cup in Ireland in a year’s time?

JJ SPAUN: Yeah, I was pretty determined this week to kind of prove for something. My whole career, I’ve kind of had to do that. I wasn’t given scholarships. I had a walk-on. I had to earn my PGA TOUR card the hard way. I was never given a sponsor invite opportunities. I just had to do everything the hard way.

You know, being left off was obviously for a reason. I don’t know what that reason was, but I’m here now and there was a reason why we’re here. My caddie kept telling me that, and it’s crazy how this has happened. You know, everything does happen for a reason. I’m just super happy.

Q. And the Ryder Cup?

JJ SPAUN: Qualifying criteria is a little bit now, starting in January. Not that it’s a Ryder Cup atmosphere out here, but to come out and win on foreign soil is pretty good. I think what it does for me internally is giving me confidence, knowing that I can play and compete outside of America. That’s one thing that I can take.

Q. How important do you think it is to be a global player?

JJ SPAUN: There’s arguments for being a global player and not being a global player, I guess. For me, it’s just another adventure, I guess. I think it’s fun. My job is pretty secure on the PGA TOUR for a few years now and I wanted to just see what else is out there. I wanted to try different things. I wanted to experience different cultures. Because it’s more than just golf, right. Like we are hanging out in England. We are hanging out in Japan, and we are hanging out in Dubai, whatever it is. My family and I, we enjoy traveling, and my season ended two weeks ago, 2 1/2 weeks ago. We just wanted to come out and play.

I think playing globally is just another kind, of I guess, treat that you can develop. Oh, this guy has won across the world. I think that’s a cool thing to say.

Q. How did you find out that you weren’t on the Presidents Cup team?

JJ SPAUN: Sneds called me Monday morning, and just landed to Phoenix. It was like a 45-second phone call. Just said I wasn’t on the team, and said I was the odd man out and I wished him luck and that was it.

Q. Sneds, that’s what —

JJ SPAUN: Yeah, he did. You can quote me on that.

Q. Did you think going into the process that you felt pretty good about being on the team?

JJ SPAUN: I’m not at liberty to say what was — what my impression was or whatever. But I thought I was pretty good. I thought I was pretty good.

Q. Had you had conversations during the year with Snedeker?

JJ SPAUN: Yeah. Good ones.

Q. Did it lead you to believe one way or the other?

JJ SPAUN: It led me to believe that I would make the team, yeah.

Q. Getting back to the golf tournament for a second, you’re on 18 and there’s a guy behind you that just is still on your heels. Everybody is thinking Rory is done now, Scott’s done now and it’s yours to win but it really wasn’t. So you can’t be defensive, and yet you can’t be too offensive either, right?

JJ SPAUN: Yes, totally.

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