JJ Spaun rediscovers best form on eve of Masters with Texas Open victory

JJ Spaun came up with two big shots at the end of a long, wet Sunday, one leading to birdie and the other for eagle that carried him to a 5-under 67 and a one-shot victory in the Valero Texas Open for his first title since the US Open last summer. Spaun won for the second time at the TPC San Antonio, with one big difference. His victory four years ago got him into the Masters .

Now he is the US Open champion who already had his spot at Augusta National secured. But this was an important win. He had yet to finish in the top 20 in seven starts this year — his best was a tie for 24th in The Players Championship — and now the 35-year-old Californian has a validating win in tough conditions as he heads into the first major of the year.

"It's just, this game is so crazy," Spaun said. "I haven't been feeling at the form I wanted to be based on last season, and just trying to take each day as it comes, and accepting what I have. ” "There's just so much that comes with winning big events like that, a US Open or any other major," he added.

"I put a lot of pressure on me to start the year, a lot of expectations. I went into the last few weeks starting at the Players trying to be freed up, and put less pressure on myself, and it's been trying. But sticking to that mantra has really helped me.