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NORTHERN TRUST OPEN

February 17, 2016

J.J. Spaun

Pacific Palisades, California

MARK WILLIAMS: We'd like to welcome J.J. Spaun, the Northern Trust Open exemption this year for the tournament.

J.J., welcome. We'd just like to talk to you about the experience that you are having so far this week, and obviously you got stuck in traffic a little bit this morning, but just give us an idea of what you're feeling and looking forward to this event this week.

J.J. SPAUN: So far, it's been a dream come true to get out here, and to step on that first tee and hit that first shot, and be in the locker room, and this being an event that I've been coming to as a kid since I was like about 12 with my family, it's kind of surreal at this point to be here as a competitor.

I'm just looking forward to a great week, and hopefully make something happen.

MARK WILLIAMS: When you first got word that you were the nominee, the player that was getting the exemption, how did you react and how did that come about? Can you tell us how you found out and where you were?

J.J. SPAUN: I was practicing, and the CEO, Rick Waddell, he was phoning me, and it was a number from Illinois and I'm like, hmmm, I don't know who this is, I might as well answer it. It was him and he's like, "We'd like to extend the invitation for you to come compete."

I was speechless. Like I couldn't practice the rest of the day because I was so excited and so antsy, and I wanted to tell everyone. But I was just in disbelief and didn't think it would happen, but it did.

MARK WILLIAMS: Can you just give us an idea of where you've been playing and what you've been doing? I know you had some success on the Mackenzie Tour, but what you've been doing the last few months and where you've been playing.

J.J. SPAUN: So I was in South America the last couple weeks playing the Web.com Tour. Last year, all summer, I was on the Mackenzie Tour where I played about 11 events and had a pretty successful year up there and got promoted to the Web.

During the holiday, it was kind of just practice and kind of keep sharp for the start of the Webb, and now it's just kind of getting into the swing of things. And looking forward to getting rest of the season going.

MARK WILLIAMS: Looking to play a full schedule on the Web.com Tour for the rest of the season? Will you try and Monday qualify for PGA TOUR events?

J.J. SPAUN: Sure, there are some events I think between the schedules that allow for sort of a Monday qualifying week. My main focus is to kind of be out on the Webb full-time and focus on getting one of the Top-25 spots to be out here every week next year.

MARK WILLIAMS: Great. Just before we take questions, can you give us an assessment of how your game is at the moment and what you're looking forward to the most?

J.J. SPAUN: Game is really good. It's getting to the point where I feel like I can compete out here. Fortunately I've played this course under competitive, you know, conditions; the 2012 National Championship is when we played here, and I played pretty well. So I've got some good vibes and memories of having some success out here, and just taking it all in and trying to enjoy every shot and every round that I play out here. Just looking forward to it.

Q. Obviously you have some experience playing on the Mackenzie Tour and then the Web.com Tour, through a few days this week, talk about how those two tours prepared you for this experience.
J.J. SPAUN: It's honestly not a whole lot of a difference playing on the Mackenzie Tour than the Web.com Tour. Even out here I've played in the RBC Canadian Open, and it's just a larger scale, but everything is run the same way: You've got all the great officials; you've got all the ropes; you've got the stands; you've got the fans. It's just a little larger of a scale.

But it's a great preparation. It's a great steppingstone to play on the Mackenzie Tour and then the Web, and then to eventually get out here.

Q. Between skateboarding and playing golf, which one's harder for you?
J.J. SPAUN: As of late, skateboarding. I grew up skating a lot with all my buddies because that's kind of like a Southern California thing, being born and raised in this area. You know, I didn't have the guts to really take on, you know, the big tricks and all that, so I knew I wouldn't be so successful at that. So I went the golf route.

Q. And I know you've been doing a lot of traveling, you've been in Central America, do you have any memorable travel experience?
J.J. SPAUN: I would say, yeah, going to South America, it was my first time down there. BogotÃ¡ and Panama, they are great cities. It's different to experience new cultures and the ways of life down there, and also experience different types of golf.

So far, I mean, that's like the second country or second and third country I've ever been to other than Canada. I haven't been out much. But those were pretty cool experiences.

Q. Do you have a big contingent of friends and family out here following you this week?
J.J. SPAUN: Yeah, tons. I've got my parents. They live in southern Oregon now. They flew in today. I'm going to have all my family. I'm going to have tons of friends. I mean, everyone is asking me for tickets. Unfortunately I can't get everyone tickets, but they are still going to be out here supporting and hopefully I get a decent crowd following my group.

Q. You said you've played the course under competitive conditions. How does the way that it played then compare to how it's set up now?
J.J. SPAUN: Pretty similar. I mean, I'm not sure if it's my mental aspect of my approach to my game now or the way I see courses, but not to like, you know, downplay it, but it doesn't seem as difficult as it was in the past. Maybe it's just because of me maturing and my game and not being so intimidated by holes and shots and greens.

I don't know, I just feel pretty comfortable out there. It's pretty similar to how it was in 2012, considering the conditions.

MARK WILLIAMS: Thank you, J.J. for joining us, and good luck this week.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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