He had no idea what would lie ahead, but whatever it was, J.J. Spaun was ready to embrace it.

Spaun first emerged from PGA Tour obscurity as one of its many rank-and-file members who’d rarely reached anywhere near fame’s doorstep when he vaulted himself into contention at the 2025 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

The 35-year-old Californian, who played the tournament of his life that week last March, lost to Rory McIlroy in a Monday playoff.

Then, three months later, damned if he didn’t go out and win the U.S. Open at Oakmont, one of the beasts in golf, putting a memorable exclamation point on the biggest victory of his life by holing a curling, twisting 64-foot walk-off birdie putt on the 72nd hole.