GENESIS SCOTTISH OPEN

July 11, 2026

JJ Spaun

The Renaissance Club

Quick Quotes

Q. How tough was the first few holes?

JJ SPAUN: It was tough. The first four holes is no cupcake, I feel like, with the north wind. So it played very long, very wet. It was just hard to see even. To get through the first four holes even par was a win for me, I thought.

Q. Did you think it could have been delayed before it was?

JJ SPAUN: Yeah, I think the first tee shot was borderline. You could barely see that bunker down the left about 300 yards. It's just hard to picture the hole when you can't even see 300 yards out. But the first four holes, it was okay. But then once we got to 5, there was no chance.

Q. How much is it keeping your focus at that point, easily to get distracted with how tough it is?

JJ SPAUN: Yeah, when you have a delay like that, you try to stay loose. You mentally want to stay focused. Being at the bottom of the leaderboard is different, too. You're not feeling those leaderboard nerves.

So you can kind of get almost too relaxed, and I did a good job of staying sharp during the delay and still came out after the delay and played well.

Q. I know you want to have a good week this week but a lot of the guys talk about the preparation for next week. What have you found in the last three days?

JJ SPAUN: I think the last three days have been very productive for me. Looking forward to next week. I've struggled over here in the past. I played good at Portrush last year, but specifically this course, I think the turf is something I've always struggled with. I'm a pretty shallow angle-of-attack golfer. I've been learning to trap it more. You have to. You get these firm, tight lies and in order to compress the ball, you have to be a little steeper on it. I had that mindset coming into this week and it's done well for me throughout practice and obviously on the course, it's been working.

Q. Do you feel as though you've got something, not to prove, but more to yourself?

JJ SPAUN: Totally, I played really well last year in the majors. Obviously I won one, but I played solid in every other major as well.

But I think, yeah, just having a little bit of higher expectation going into the majors has put a little bit of unnecessary pressure.

Q. From you or outside?

JJ SPAUN: Probably just from me. You know you can win one because I've done it, and now it's like every time one comes up, you feel like you should be intending, or at least making the cut, and I haven't played well. But you know, it's still a learning experience. This is only my second time or second season playing all four majors. Last year was obviously a breakout year, and I was playing really good golf.

Q. Too good too soon?

JJ SPAUN: Yeah, too good too soon. I didn't get to tiptoe into it. I'm not saying I need more experience because I've got all the experience in the world. I'm just taking everything as it comes, and hopefully next week will be an even better week.

Q. What did you do in the gap between going back out and coming back on again?

JJ SPAUN: I went to lunch. I had some nice tomato and pepper soup. That was really good. Just hung out. I dried my clothes a little bit. They were really damp. I didn't want to change my kid or anything. Used the blow dryer. Warmed myself up.

Some guys kept hitting balls. I didn't feel like I wanted to do that. I didn't want to tire myself out because it could be a long day. Obviously it's four o'clock now. It's been a long day for us. I stayed loose. Saw my physio, and when they said we are going out in 30 minutes, I started hitting balls and went back out.

Q. How difficult is it to refocus straightaway into something?

JJ SPAUN: It is different and it is difficult. I think it just it is what it is. I like delays. I had won at the U.S. Open. It worked out for me, too. I like delays. In a sense, it's a way to reset. It not like I was playing poorly or anything. But you know, it's something I'm comfortable with.

Q. Back nine was okay?

JJ SPAUN: Yeah, I played solid. A few birdies, a few bogeys, overall, under par is good.