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“Conversations with Champions, presented by Sentry” is a new weekly series Golfweek that is a collaboration with the Caddie Network. Each week, we’ll take you behind the scenes in a chat with the winning caddie from the most recent PGA Tour event. This week: J.J. Spaun and caddie Mark Carens at the 2022 Valero Texas Open.
J.J. Spaun is a first-time winner on the PGA Tour, and he couldn’t have picked a better time to find the winner’s circle.
With his win at the Valero Texas Open, Spaun earned the final spot into the 2022 Masters Tournament. He also can circle the first weekend in January 2023 on his calendar and he’s also headed to the Sentry Tournament of Champions.
“Two of the best events. And two of the hardest walks that you don’t even feel so it’s pretty crazy,” Spaun’s caddie Mark Carens told John Rathouz of the Caddie Network the day after the victory.
Carens called in from his courtesy car at Augusta National Golf Club, donning a Masters hat and a Masters T-shirt.
“We’re both super excited to be there. I can’t wait to just enjoy it with him. We’re going to have smiles on our faces the whole time. We’re looking forward to it.”
Spaun and Carens played the first eight holes before darkness Monday after spending time on the range and practice green.
Spaun, 31, turned pro in 2012 and reached the PGA Tour in 2017. He and his wife Melody and their young daughter Emerson making the trip to Augusta Monday morning in style, thanks to a jet provided by Valero.
“I think I’m still going through so much excitement and emotion that like even when I was registering, I was like, is this really happening? Is this a dream?” Spaun said. “I know it’s so cliche for people to say that, but it really was. It was like, am I here? It’s great. It’s a very special experience for anyone, and for me, for my first time, and I’m very excited to be here.”
Spaun’s victory in Texas was spurred on by his chipping. He holed out for eagle in the opening round on No. 8 from 87 yards, which gave him a boost of momentum.
“He told me, he’s like ‘Going from 1 over to 1 under is like the greatest thing ever,'” Carens said. “And then Saturday he chipped in on the par 3, dicey shot.”
Sunday, Spaun hit a microphone, but that didn’t deter him.
“He could see it and he’s like ‘It kicked to the left!’ and I was like ‘Hey this is perfect, let’s go to hoop town’,” Carens said. “And he made it.”
That blind shot on the 9th hole from 50 feet set the table for Spaun to close it out down the stretch at TPC San Antonio.
“It still hasn’t sunk in yet. I think I’m going to need an off week to let it all sink in,” he said. “It’s a dream come true, and I’m so happy to be here.”
Dennis Knight from the Augusta Chronicle contributed to this article.
The equipment
A complete list of the golf equipment Spaun used to win the PGA Tour’s 2022 Valero Texas Open:
DRIVER: Ping G425 LST (9 degrees), with Fujikura Ventus Black 6X shaft
FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade SIM (15 degrees), with Mitsubishi Tensei CK Orange 70 TX shaft, Callaway Mavrik (18 degrees), with Mitsubishi Diamana BF 80TX shaft
IRONS: Srixon ZX7 (4-PW), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts
WEDGES: Cleveland RTX ZipCore (50, 54, 60 degrees), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts
PUTTER: Scotty Cameron for Titleist Newport 2 GSS prototype
BALL: Srixon Z-Star Diamond
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