JJ Spaun said he played with a “huge chip on his shoulder” during his BMW PGA Championship win and used being snubbed by Team USA’s Presidents Cup side as motivation for his Wentworth victory.
Spaun became the first player since Byeong Hun An in 2015 to win the DP World Tour’s flagship event on debut, posting a final-round 67 to claim a two-shot success over Rory McIlroy, Aaron Rai, Adam Scott and Manuel Elvira.
Last year’s US Open champion also won on the PGA Tour earlier this season at the Valero Texas Open and finished 10th in the Presidents Cup qualification standings, having also made his Team USA debut in the Ryder Cup last September.
Spaun was controversially overlooked for a captain’s pick by Brandt Snedeker in his line-up to face the International Team in the biennial contest, live from Thursday on Sky Sports, with the 36-year-old pleased to respond by claiming a statement victory.
“The stars aligned this week for me to come out on top,” Spaun said. “I’m just grateful to have the opportunity and play well and give myself a chance and came out with a W.
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Manuel Elvira handed Spaun victory after a nightmare double-bogey on the final hole at Wentworth
“We [him and Snedeker] haven’t spoken. I played with a huge chip on my shoulder. I definitely had something to prove this week, but everything happens for a reason. I’m so delighted to be here and just to even play this event.
“The extra motivation, I think that is the willpower that you have. Being left off the Presidents Cup team a couple weeks ago was very disappointing and I wanted to prove that I deserve to be on that team.
“I took care of my business this week, so all the best to the team next week at Medinah – I’ll be watching from my couch!”
Spaun said he had good conversations with Snedeker during the qualification campaign and believed he would feature at Medinah, but was handed the unwanted news in a short phone call after the season-ending Tour Championship.
“It was like a 45-second phone call,” Spaun revealed in his press conference. “Just said I wasn’t on the team and said I was the odd man out. I wished him luck and that was it.
“It [past conversations] led me to believe that I would make the team.”
Spaun is projected to move to world No 13 after his BMW PGA Championship win
Spaun added: “I was pretty determined this week to kind of prove something. My whole career, I’ve kind of had to do that. I wasn’t given scholarships. I had to earn my PGA Tour card the hard way. I was never given sponsor invite opportunities – I just had to do everything the hard way.
“Being left off was obviously for a reason. I don’t know what that reason was, but I’m here now and there was a reason why we’re here. My caddie kept telling me that and it’s crazy how this has happened.”
Why did Spaun celebrate win with a Jeremy Clarkson mask?
Spaun celebrated victory with his wife, Melody, who brought a mask of broadcaster Jeremy Clarkson around the course during various points of the week.
“We’ve grown fond of him [Jeremy Clarkson], along with the English culture,” Spaun explained. “We actually take holidays in December in the Cotswolds and we really enjoy his show [Clarkson’s Farm]. I went to his pub The Farmer’s Dog, with the hopes to catch a glimpse of him, but he wasn’t around.
“Yeah, she [his wife Melody] said we would have a surprise guest following this week if I competed in the tournament and sure enough it was Thursday morning – I see the face of Jeremy Clarkson and her holding it.
“Jeremy was there in spirit and I think he brought me good fortune!”
Who will win the Presidents Cup? Watch the United States take on the International Team exclusively live on Sky Sports, with all three days live from Thursday on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream golf and more with no contract.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: skynews.com
