Q. Can you talk about that incredible front nine with the four consecutive birdies and what were you thinking when that was going on?
J.J. SPAUN: Wasn't really thinking much. Was kind of in a nice flow mentally and technically with my game. Yeah, I kind of did something similar yesterday. I made like three birdies in a row. So yeah I was hitting more quality shots and having more opportunities and then the putter's been cooperating really well these first two rounds, so birdies were flying early.
Q. Is it too simple to just say changed putters and stuff like this can happen?
J.J. SPAUN: No, I think that does happen. At least for me quite a bit. Like when I left this putter that I'm using now during Travelers, that was my first week with a different putter and I finished top 6 or 7. I gained probably three or four strokes on the greens. Some people call it honeymoon phase and stuff, but this one's been around for a while and has seen some really cool things. So it's nice to get back into it and feel like the work that I've been doing with my stroke is paying its dividends with this new putter or with my, you know, old new putter. Yeah, it's been -- I feel comfortable with it because I've had so much success with it.
Q. Is Presidents Cup on your mind?
J.J. SPAUN: Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I know I got to take care of business, play well, and I would love to just earn my way and not have to be on the chopping block for a pick. But all I can do is just continue to play as best as I can and hopefully earn it the hard way.
Q. Are you in a mindset of you need to play well one of these next two weeks to validate?
J.J. SPAUN: Yeah, I think so. I think so. I mean, it's hard to think that like, you know, locking up TOUR Championship, making it there and winning earlier this year, like, you know, is still not enough, but I mean that's over a course of a whole season they want guys that are peaking at the right time and I want to show them that I am playing well and I'm still in good form and can be an asset to the team in September.
Q. (No Microphone.)
J.J. SPAUN: I don't know. I've always thought really tough courses fit my game. When I'm playing my best I hit lots of fairways, lots of greens. And usually the putter isn't always my strong suit, so then when I do putt well, like this week, like I'm in contention, I guess. When fairways and greens in reg are a premium, that's kind of where I do well. Like a U.S. Open, I guess, Torrey Pines, I mean, even here. Like, yes, I'm double digits under par, but I mean, you have to hit fairways, you have to hit greens and you have to make putts. Definitely bombers' courses aren't great for me.
Q. Can you talk about the birdie on 18 getting some momentum back heading into the weekend after the back-to-back bogeys?
J.J. SPAUN: Yeah, no, that was a nice way to end the day. Kind of hit a little rough patch on 14, 15 with a poor 3-putt and a poor second shot on 14. But that's golf, it happens. It was good to -- I hit a really good drive I didn't think I could reach that bunkers the wind has just been everywhere bouncing north and south and from the west. But, yeah, to hit a nice little iron shot out of the bunker to about five, six feet and pour it in was a good way to stop the bleeding and end a good round.
Q. 66 on your birthday is a pretty nice gift, you earned it. But is there any other gifts that happened this morning before you came to the golf course at all?
J.J. SPAUN: No, my girls got up early and they were so happy to tell me happy birthday. They blew up a bunch of balloons. And I had a Toy Story-themed birthday set up in my house. I think I jokingly told my daughter I wanted a Toy Story-themed birthday, so they brought some stuff, and it's been fun.
Q. So you're saying birthdays are much more fun with kids?
J.J. SPAUN: They are. Yeah. Both my kids, my girls, they're very giving, very loving, and they actually enjoy celebrating other people's birthdays and not just the ones receiving birthday gifts and stuff like that.
Q. Do you have a favorite character in toy story?
J.J. SPAUN: No. I mean, we saw Toy Story 5 a couple weeks ago, so I think that's fresh in their minds. But, I don't know, I think maybe like a Woody guy, very loyal, the OG cowboy.
Q. Back on the Presidents Cup for a moment. Last year for the Ryder Cup you had auto qualified through U.S. Open. Does the pressure to try to, the pressure you're feeling for that, does that differ or feel similar to a pressure you've had at other points?
J.J. SPAUN: To, like, qualify?
Q. Yeah.
J.J. SPAUN: Yeah, I mean there's pressure. The only thing I can do is play my best, and if my best isn't good enough to automatically qualify, hopefully I'll play well enough to prove that I deserve a pick. But I do think, you know, my game's in a good spot and it's kind of been an inconsistent year but maybe my experience with the Ryder Cup and winning a major last year will kind of help me in that sense of getting picked. But I'm totally not going to rely on that. I got to do what I got at that do and take care of my business on the course.
Q. What did you want to accomplish this year back in January and how much of that have you ticked off?
J.J. SPAUN: Yeah, it's crazy. I think I said if I could win, just to kind of validate what I did last year, that it wasn't no fluke, and it wasn't, you know, kind of lightning in a bottle that crazy year that I had, that, like, I can prove that I'm a worthy champion, major champion. I won in San Antonio after kind of a rough start to the year, just because of having those expectations of wanting to win. Like, I've never been a goal setter, I just kind of went about my process and however I played was what I got. Like, I wasn't like, I got to tick these boxes of goals. And I won, and then it was like I still wasn't satisfied or happy. Even though I told myself at the start of the season like, Hey, let's have another strong year. Let's try to get a W. Let's get in contention. And then I do like three, four months into the season, and it wasn't -- like, I just didn't feel like it was enough to validate or solidify that mindset that I started with to begin the year. I think that kind of goes back to the things Scottie was saying at the Open Championship, like it's never like -- it's like it is what it is. Like, you win and then you start all over. And then you win again. And it becomes, like it's just really, it's never enough. You think it is, but, like, I am totally grateful for what has happened in my career. But, yeah, the whole goal setting thing, that's why I just try not to make goals because it's just too much. Can't handle it.
Q. Waste of time?
J.J. SPAUN: Yeah, waste of time. Yeah, because I was like, I just want to win and I'll feel like my career is complete, to prove everyone wrong that I still can do it. And then it still wasn't enough.
Q. What do you do statistically? How much do you gauge your numbers?
J.J. SPAUN: Yeah, I pay attention to certain things, certain parts of my game. Approach to the green is probably my strongest suit so my iron play is always pretty good. Driving's pretty solid. This year was a really poor year putting. Like, I think I'm around 140th in strokes gained putting, and I'm sitting 21st on the FedExCup. So I've struck the ball really well. I know there's, like it's relative to where you hit it and how many 15-footers you miss. So I guess if I hit it to 15 feet all day and I don't make 'em all, I'm going to lose strokes. But it gets frustrating. The weeks that I do putt well, like San Antonio and this week, like I'm giving myself a chance.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports