J.J. Spaun has been awarded the Northern Trust Open Exemption for this year’s PGA Tour event at Riviera Country Club. A native of Los Angeles and a product of San Diego State, Spaun’s performance on the Mackenzie Tour in 2015 earned him fully exempt Web.com Tour status this season.
Spaun, the 2015 Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada Player of the Year and Order of Merit winner, was chosen from a pool of applicants to receive the exemption that provides an opportunity for a top golfer who represents the advancement of diversity in golf and wouldn’t otherwise be eligible to compete in the event, set for Feb. 18-21 in Pacific Palisades.
“J.J. sets an example of giving back, including to his home town of Los Angeles, as well as being a terrific golfer with great promise on the PGA Tour,” said Northern Trust chairman and CEO Frederick H. Waddell. “We look forward to seeing J.J. play at Riviera.”
Spaun, 25, will make his second PGA Tour start, teeing it up alongside a strong field that will include Jordan Spieth and, for the first time, Rory McIlroy, who will make his 2016 PGA Tour debut at Riviera.
“I know as my notoriety grows, I can do so much more to grow the game of golf, and that is one of the main reasons why I work as hard as I do,” said Spaun, who volunteers with The First Tee of Los Angeles and The First Tee of San Diego. “As a product of The First Tee program in the Los Angeles area, I have seen and experienced firsthand the impact that golf can have on not just minorities but on the disadvantaged. The game has so much to give everyone, but especially to kids who need to be introduced to it to learn the values of the game. It is my mission to give back more than I have been given.”
Spaun, who is of Filipino descent from his mother’s side, finished tied for 41st at the RBC Canadian Open in 2015, his only previous PGA Tour start.
“Receiving the Northern Trust Open Exemption is a true honor that will not only assist me in making progress toward my goal of being a world-class PGA Tour player,” he said, “but will also show kids that dreams really can come true and the hard work is worth it.”
Previous Northern Trust Open Exemption recipients are Vincent Johnson (2009), Joshua Wooding (2010), Joseph Bramlett (2011), Andy Walker (2012), Jeremiah Wooding (2013), Harold Varner III (2014) and Carlos Sainz, Jr. (2015).
Spieth, a winner this year at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, is no stranger to the Northern Trust Open or Riviera. In 2012, Spieth won the NCAA Championships at Riviera while playing for Texas. He had received a sponsor’s exemption to compete in the Northern Trust Open earlier that year as an amateur and finished tied for 12th in 2014 and tied for fourth last year.
“I think this is one of the greatest golf courses in the world,” Spieth said. “This event is one that I owe a lot back to. It was a great experience getting that PGA Tour start that then helped our team win the NCAA Championship. It’s dear to my heart.”