April was a whirlwind month for longtime Tour player J.J. Spaun.
The 31-year-old won his first PGA Tour event at the Valero Texas Open in early April, the last tournament before the Masters. With the win, Spaun earned the key to the gates of Magnolia Lane to play in the Masters for the first time in his career.
Spaun has never set foot on Augusta National before he arrived as a Masters competitor, and on this weekâs episode of Subpar, he told hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz about the hole that surprised him the most.
âBest thing for meâ: How losing his PGA Tour card fueled J.J. Spaun
âI think [No.] 2,â Spaun said. âYou know that hole, that tee shot, that second shot, downhill. Even [No.] 1. I think it was actually 1. Itâs so hilly. Itâs like straight down, and then straight uphill.
âItâs a long hole. I played into the wind every day,â Spaun continued. âI hit, like, 5-iron the first round, âcause it was raining. Well, it wasnât raining, it was like a very heavy mist. So I hit 5-iron the first round, I think I hit 7-iron on Sunday, âcause it wasnât as windy, and it was warmer. Itâs a pretty demanding first hole.â
Despite his inexperience at Augusta, Spaun had an excellent showing at his first Masters, posting rounds of 74-70-75-72 to finish three over overall, and T23.
For more from Spaun, including what the rest of his first Masters experience was like, and how losing his Tour card motivated him, check out the full interview below.
