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 week’s episode of Subpar, he told hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz about the hole that surprised him the most.
‘Best thing for me’: How losing his PGA Tour card fueled J.J. Spaun
“I think [No.] 2,” Spaun said. “You know that hole, that tee shot, that second shot, downhill. Even [No.] 1. I think it was actually 1. It’s so hilly. It’s like straight down, and then straight uphill.
“It’s a long hole. I played into the wind every day,” Spaun continued. “I hit, like, 5-iron the first round, ’cause it was raining. Well, it wasn’t raining, it was like a very heavy mist. So I hit 5-iron the first round, I think I hit 7-iron on Sunday, ’cause it wasn’t as windy, and it was warmer. It’s a pretty demanding first hole.”
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.