Melody Spaun: The Heart Behind JJ Spaun’s Golf Journey

Scottsdale, Arizona – JJ Spaun, the 2025 US Open champion, credits his wife, Melody Spaun (née Means), for being a key part of his journey both on and off the golf course. The couple first met in 2015 through mutual friends, but Spaun recalls that his status as a professional golfer did little to impress Melody.

“I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m a pro golfer’, because I thought I was cool,” Spaun said. “But she’s like, ‘I don’t even know. What does that mean? Like, does that mean you’re like rich or something?’ I was like, ‘No’. And she’s like, ‘I don’t really care.’”

Their relationship blossomed when they went mini-golfing, but Melody was not impressed at first. “This is lame,” she told him. Despite her initial feelings, she began supporting him at tournaments starting with the 2015 Northern Trust Open.

<p“Melody was kind of intimidated by everything,” Spaun said. “And I’m like, ‘This is the life you’re going to live, get used to it.’ But she does good now.”

The couple married in July 2019 on the beach surrounded by family and friends. They now have two daughters: Emerson Lili, born in 2020, and Violet Windsor, born in 2023, and continue to build a life in Scottsdale, balancing the demands of the PGA Tour with family responsibilities.

Like many spouses of professional athletes, Melody has had to adapt to the pressures of life on tour. She initially found the travel and intensity overwhelming, but over time, she embraced the lifestyle and established a grounding presence in Spaun’s career.

One of her important contributions is the “five-hour rule,” which she introduced after their first child was born. Melody urged Spaun to limit his practice sessions to five hours to allow him more time with family. “You gotta be back by this time. Because sometimes I can get stuck out here for a long time,” Spaun explained.

There is flexibility in this plan. “She said, ‘Well, yeah, if you start missing some cuts, we can adjust; we can add a couple hours there,’” he added with a laugh. “Happy wife, happy life.”

Melody and the children have become a visible presence during Spaun’s biggest moments on tour, including his first win at the 2022 Valero Texas Open and his recent triumph at the US Open. These family celebrations add an emotional depth to his victories.

“When I go back home after the round, my kids are there, and it’s such a big distraction where I’m not having to dwell on anything or think too much,” Spaun said. “It’s nice to be able to have the kids around and be a dad. That kind of keeps your mind off golf.”