JJ Spaun’s rise from mini-tour anonymity to 2025 US Open champion was a remarkable transformation. Born on August 21, 1990, in Los Angeles, Spaun had a standout collegiate career at San Diego State University and turned professional in 2012, competing on the West Coast mini-tours. He survived on tight budgets, often just scraping by while chasing his PGA Tour dream.
He earned Web.com status for the 2016 season, which he parlayed into a PGA Tour card the following year. Even with occasional brilliant rounds on Tour, his inconsistency fueled long slumps and testing stretches of frustration. After a serious health concern in 2023, Spaun sought the help of Adam Schriber, a Michigan-based coach at LochenHeath Golf Club. Schriber’s holistic approach rebuilt Spa from the ground up. They focused on core stability, efficient rotation and mental resilience, allowing him to minimize strain while increasing power.
“Adam rebuilt my swing and my mindset,” Spaun said.
At the start of the week of the 2025 US Open, Spaun added short game coach Josh Gregory to the team and it immediately paid off with a putt on the first hole. At Oakmont, his refined technique and composed attitude kept him in the hunt after a shaky start, culminating in a 64-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a two-shot victory.
“This is ours,” Spaun told Schriber, trophy in hand.
Known for his calm demeanor under pressure and ultra-strong ball-striking, Spaun built his game around discipline rather than flash. Friends describe him as relentlessly curious, always looking for incremental gains. His journey reflects perseverance, humility and faith – proof that patience, persistence and dedication can outlast early career obscurity.
See below for a breakdown of six positions from Spaun’s swing that every golfer should copy.
;)
Mark Newcombe / Visionsingolf.com
1. Configuration
Many shorter amateur players bend too much, causing them to stand too far off the ball and limiting their pivot. The JJ adopts enough forward tilt to allow for comfortable arm movement and easier wind and relaxation.
2. Takeaway
Spaun rotates his torso away from the ball without undue right leg lead, allowing minimal right arm flexion while keeping his arms forward and limiting clubface rotation.
3. Ball
JJ’s arms form a regular, equilateral triangle at the top with perfect positioning of the wrist and face of the left arm. You can’t get to this position with a “tray hold” right forearm. Furthermore, it is turned enough to reach this hand position without tipping over.
4. Discount
Spaun doesn’t close the club face too much by not overdoing the Internet-famous left wrist arch. His wrist remains fairly neutral as the club lands and retracts in a great position to unload without fear of a quick shot.
5. Impact
A professional hitting position at the highest levels requires body twists that most amateurs have never experienced but can learn: hips forward, tucked and open, lower torso turned, but upper torso tilted to the right and less open. Do these things and that famous arm and hand position is possible. Like Spaun’s.
6. Release
Note here the bent right arm and the open face of the stick in no. 4 and fully released clubhead toe and straight right arm. All while keeping the right arm under the left. This brilliantly keeps his fade away from being a weak sweep and an impossible draw anyway.
