J.J. Spaun had the most memorable moment of his golf career at the 2025 U.S. Open, but the euphoric aftermath was just as overwhelming for his wife and two daughters.
Spaun, 34, sank an incredible 64-foot putt on the 18th hole at Oakmont Country Club on Sunday, June 15, to win the tournament and take home his first major.
The golfer’s wife, Melody Spaun, and the couple’s two daughters — Emerson, 4, and Violet, 23 months — were on hand to celebrate with J.J., which he recalled in an exclusive interview with Us Weekly on Tuesday, June 17.
“You go from this huge, euphoric moment to now you gotta count your scorecard, and you’re whisked off to the putting green and now you have to make this huge speech on national television and you’re trying to thank everyone you want to thank,” J.J. said. “You’re trying to speak off the cuff. It’s wild. Especially for me, I’m not always in these situations. Let alone a major championship. It was wild for all of us.”
The occasion was made even more chaotic given the fact that J.J. and Melody’s younger daughter, Violet, was violently sick the night before the final round of the tournament — which saw J.J. make a heroic 3 a.m. trip to CVS.
“My wife had to deal with all of the stress of getting the girls there and making sure they looked cute for TV,” J.J. said. “Having to run out at the right time and be presentable. I know it was stressful for her.”
He added, “She didn’t hit a shot, but she’s feeling drained just being the backbone of our whole family.”
OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 15: J. J. Spaun celebrates with his wife and family after his winning putt on the 18th green during the final round of the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 15, 2025 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. Warren Little/Getty Images
When J.J. and Melody started dating in 2013, he admitted she “knew nothing but golf.”
“She didn’t know what she was getting into,” J.J. said with a laugh. “It would be one thing if she was a golfer, a competitive one at least, to know the career that I was about to embark on. She would have kind of had an idea about what to expect.”
J.J. and Melody got married in July 2019 and, since then, have figured out a way to make it all work on the fly.
“My hat’s off to her for being such a huge support and understanding all these steps of my journey, learning as she goes” J.J. gushed about Melody. “And then also raising two children where at times I’m gone for a month, you know? Basically single parenting.”
J.J. continued, “There are so many times when we miss each other, we can’t be together, because I’m on the road and she’s trying to raise these two girls by herself while I’m trying to make a living and provide for them. There’s tons of sacrifice. But that’s kind of what leads to moments like this where you get to celebrate all that sacrifice and hard work. It’s all paid off.”
