J.J. Spaun’s US Open ‘confidence’ has him riding high into British Open

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — A month removed from the greatest moment of his golfing life at Oakmont, J.J. Spaun still cannot believe he’s the reigning U.S. Open champion.

“It was really surreal when I won,’’ he said Wednesday on the eve of the British Open first round at Portrush. “I still wake up every morning trying to pinch myself, looking at the trophy and just think it’s actually mine.’’

When Spaun speaks so honestly and humbly about his confidence, it’s easy to wonder if he believes he can drive up the road from Portrush to Portstewart, the other world-class links course in the area, and beat a bunch of 10-handicappers in a match.

“I feel like I’ve had to prove to myself that I’m worthy of just playing on the PGA Tour and winning on the PGA Tour,’’ Spaun said. “It’s hard enough to win in general on the PGA Tour, and you kind of get in your head thinking, ‘Well, if I can’t win a normal event on the PGA Tour, what makes you think you can win a major?’

“I never thought I would win a major. A few years ago, I was just trying to get in them. That’s kind of how my career has developed. I don’t really know what’s in store for myself. I don’t know what I’m capable of now. I know what I can do, and that’s all I can really rely on.’’

What he did in June was seize the moment when the moment was biggest, burying a birdie bomb of a putt on the 72nd hole for a walk-off victory at Oakmont.

Spaun said he “took away a lot of confidence’’ from his U.S. Open triumph.

Now he finds himself grouped with defending champion Xander Schauffele and Jon Rahm in one of the marquee groups for the first two rounds of the 153rd British Open.

U.S. Open champ J.J. Spaun talks to the media on July 16, 2025 in preparation for this year’s British Open. Reuters

“Self-belief is a huge key to pulling off a big event like a major, let alone a U.S. Open,’’ Spaun said. “I hadn’t been in that territory really very often, just once earlier this year at The Players [where he lost in a playoff to Rory McIlroy]. Learning experiences like that have helped me come through on the other side at the U.S. Open.’’

Now Spaun, ranked No. 10 in the world, is a lock to play for the U.S. Ryder Cup team, which seemed unfathomable to him not long ago.

“I don’t think I’ve ever thought of myself in the Ryder Cup,’’ Spaun said. “But I’ve been hearing that a lot throughout the last few years, from my caddie [Mark Carens] and my coach, like they’ve been kind of putting that out there and almost in a way manifesting it, which is kind of weird.

J.J. Spaun celebrates after winning the U.S. Open at Oakmont this past June. AP

“My caddie always believed in me. Even when I was ranked outside the top 100, he’s like, ‘I think you’re a top 10 player in the world.’ He thinks I could be No. 1, but honestly, let’s be real. But here we are top 10 in the world.”“He always believed I could be on the Ryder Cup, and here we are looking pretty good for the Ryder Cup. It’s just weird how you kind of hear [and] you soak in those things that people tell you, and then it just sort of ends up happening. I think that has to do a lot with developing and believing it yourself.