JJ Spaun

JJ Spaun's Open debut comes four months after he battled Rory McIlroy for the prestigious Players Championship in Florida, losing after a three-hole play-off.

It took him to a personal best 25th in the world rankings, with the top 50 all earning exemptions for Royal Portrush at the end of May.

Two weeks earlier Spaun had also been a runner-up in the Cognizant Classic, shooting a closing 66 but losing by two to Joe Highsmith’s 64.

He was ranked 242nd when his only PGA Tour success came at the 2022 Valero Texas Open, his 147th start on the circuit. It qualified him for a Masters debut the following week and he finished joint 23rd.

Spaun turned professional in 2012 and had success on both the PGA Tour Canada and Web.com Tour – on his 26th birthday - before graduating to the main circuit.

He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2018, but three years later the diagnosis was changed to type 1.

His full name is actually John Michael Spaun, but has long been known simply as JJ.