THUNDER BAY – J.J. Spaun says the biggest difference between playing on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada and the PGA Tour is the scale of things.
Well, and one other thing, said the 2015 Staal Foundation Open champion, who sits 88th on the money list with three top-10 finishes and more than $962,000 in earnings in his rookie on the PGA Tour.
“You’re changing shoes beside Phil Mickelson,” the 26-year-old said on Wednesday, taking part in a conference call, while working on his putting a day before the start of this week’s PGA Tour stop at the Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia.
Looking back at his 2015 triumph at Whitewater Golf Club, the first of his professional career, the California native said it was really the springboard that got his golf career rolling and has him in the hunt for a spot in the Fed Ex Cup playoffs.
“I definitely think it was a turning point for my career,” Spaun said.
“I was playing good golf that week, but professionally wise I didn’t really do anything or accomplish anything great. I think that kind of took me to the next level, learning how to win and also putting me in a good position in The 5 to get a Web.com card,” Spaun.
Making the most of the opportunity, Spaun captured the News Sentinel Open last year on the Web.com, finished third on the money list and earned promotion to the big leagues.
It wouldn’t have happened without the weekly classroom that is the Mackenzie-Tour PGA Tour Canada, Spaun said.
“The Mackenize Tour is basically the PGA Tour, just on a different scale. It’s a little bit smaller, but you still have the ropes, you still have the signage, you’ve got the fans, you’ve got the hype,” Spaun said. “It’s always the biggest thing that’s going on in that town.
“You get a lot of support from the community, you get a lot of support from the spectators. It’s kind of a learning curve.”
Spaun, whose rookie-season highlights include meeting his childhood idol Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines earlier this year, said it’s been a bit of whirlwind since he raised the trophy above his head on Whitewater’s 18th green two summers ago.
He said at the time he had no idea that in two short years he’d be where he is today.
“Looking back though, I think that win at the Staal Foundation Open, is what propelled me to getting here so fast and having a pretty successful rookie year.”
Spaun, who has all but wrapped up his playing privileges for 2018, despite missing five weeks with a rib injury, still has a couple of things to cross off his bucket list in 2017.
First and foremost would be his first tournament win. He’s got a top 3 to his credit already. A good finish this week could land him a spot at next week’s British Open and next month’s PGA Championship is also in reach, the top 70 on the money list the week prior to the tournament earning an exemption.
“I’m excited,” he said. “I think with a couple good tournaments it will put me right there and hopefully get me into my first major.”
The 2017 Staal Foundation Open begin next Thursday.