And an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talk. Well, we're joined right now by a champion, No, not a Dodger World champion, but a champion of the US Open, a proud man from San Demos and everybody was so happy for him from San Demos and raging waters all the way to Dodger Stadium in Alvera Street because he is a huge Dodger fan and he had his Dodgers scorebook out as he was on his way to winning the US Open. And that is the one and only JJ spawn JJ. Thanks a lot for calling in.
Appreciate it, hey, David, Yeah, no problem, Thanks for having me on last to be on the phone with you.
Hey, it's meant to be the Dodgers winning the World Series in twenty four and a Dodger fan named JJ Spahn winning the US Open this year.
I know, right, Yeah, It's been an incredible year for me. And you know, to backup World Series win for the city of La with the twenty twenty five US Open, I'm, you know, super humbled and proud to be the US Open and you know, keep that trophy in Southern California. JJ.
I spotted your score book with the leather Dodger cover on it, and that kind of tipped us all off that you're a big Dodger fan. Have you had that score book a long time or was that special for the US Open.
I've actually had it for a really long time. My father in law does an annual Christmas gift for me where he gives me a new yardage book cover, so we carry yardage book covers that has all the course notes in it, and you know, with community and rain and stuff, it gets wet, so you usually have a leather cover and people like to personalize there. So my father in law has always put a Dodger's theme on it.
I have a World Series one, but the authentic Dodgers one has been my favorite for the last few years. So yeah, it's been in my back pocket, you know, for the last four or five years, and it's definitely part of, you know, my my lucky routine, my lucky charm for for me on the course.
That's really special. And you know, we we saw your Instagram page where a couple of years ago you actually showed up at Chase Field to take a photo with Mookie Bets and Freddie Freeman. Do you have a favorite Dodger. How long have you been a Dodger fan.
Yeah, I mean I've I've been a Dodger fan since I can remember, you know, really young. My grandfather used to hold season tickets and would treat us to games, you know, weekly or monthly whenever we could get out of school and stuff during the week. But yeah, I've always been, you know, a huge Dodger fan. It really kind of escalated and you know my high school and college years during the you know, Manny Ramirez Andres You're
Matt Camp, you know, Era and Kersh. So that's kind of when it really grew into a passion for me. But yeah, you know, like it's it's such a great organization and the there's so many great players that come through it's hard to just pick one. But yeah, it was fun to see Mooki and Freddie. Actually Mooky was my pro am partner at the Pebble Beach pro am three years ago, so that was that was a great treat to, you know, get to play fifty four holes with him and get to know him a little bit.
So we've kept in touch a little bit here and there throughout the years in between, and it's been fun. So it's nice to have, you know, a connection with with some players that are on the Dodgers.
Did Mookie Betts send you a text after you won the US Open?
Yes, he sure did. Yeah, and his his wife texted my wife and they were super very nice and co graduating and you know, we we've got some plans up, you know, up our sleeves in the future to come out to Dodge Stadium make some things happen. So, uh yeah, it's a very exciting time to uh, you know, be a Dodger fan and and also get to share it with all my friends. That's awesome.
JJ Spahn, the US Open champion, and a kid from San Dimas is joining us just ahead a first pitch between the Dodgers and Rockies. All right, JJ, So if I had to tell you you could wear one player's jersey while playing a championship tournament, would it be Ethier, would it be Kemp, would it be Mookie Betts? Who would it be?
I would have to go with I think I just have to go with Kersh just because he's like the franchise, you know, I like, I like to nickname him the franchise. He's the face you had just been through it all. He's been a champion, he's you know, been such a key role player for this team. I'd kind of you know, I have a soft spot for curse, so i'd be wearing twenty two.
So tomorrow he'll take the mound here at Coors Field, only eight strikeouts away from three thousand. Will you be able to watch tomorrow start?
Yes, of course gotta watch that. I gotta you know, obviously Dad route teens with putting the kids to sleep and stuff. Well, I guess it's an early game, right midday, so.
Yeah, yeah, one o'clock game tomorrow.
Yeah. I'm resting, relaxing, so you know, I got all the time to kill after the last two weeks of golf, and it's kind of nice to veg out on the couch and watch some baseball. So I'll definitely be watching.
Love it JJ. I got to ask you this, since you're such a big Dodger fan, where were you when Freddie Freeman hit his walk off Grand Slam against the Yankees last year?
That's actually a really cool question. I was. I was in Tokyo, actually Tokyo, Japan, playing the Zozo. Yeah, I was playing the Zozo Championship over in Marita, Tokyo, and I'll never forget. I was walking, so it was at the time, it was probably ten eleven am in Japan time, so you know, back home in the evening, and I was in the middle of my round. So I was pulling out my phone during that game and seeing happened, and you know, I saw it was bomb of the ninth.
You know, a couple strikeouts are a couple outs and faces loaded, and so I had to put my phone away. I went to hit my shot and then pulled the phone back out like five minutes later on the green and it's a game over, and you know, to see that, you know, update on my phone, but not the actual play was created kind of like freaked out in the middle of my round. But I was able to see the highlights afterwards, which was super cool.
Yeah, that's a unique story from a very unique lifestyle. US Open champion JJ's spawn is our guest. All right, since you are a big Dodger fan, would you mind answering a question for the all time LA Dodger home run leader Eric Carross. Are you good with that?
Yeah, of course, not a problem.
He sent me a text he wants to know what your go to calm yourself before a huge shot or putt. Is Is there a song? Is there a verse? Is there a saying how do you calm yourself down in that big moment like you did in the US Open?
Yeah? Great question. I think the best thing for me to for me to you know, approach big pressure shots or putts, is I like to tell myself that I've done this a million times, Like whether it's a tea shot, you know, I've hit a million of these tea shots. I've hit a million of these three footers. I can't say I've hit a million sixty four footers and made them, but but I have, you know, done everything in between.
And I think kind of putting that mindset you know, before you hit your shot and kind of helps you get into your routine and kind of, you know, dumbs down the moment of how how big of a moment it is, and takes a lot of the pressure off by just saying You've done this millions of times, because you know, whether it's practice or other tournaments beforehand, the best thing to do is just think of it as as another swing and another shot kind of like you know, Freddy.
You know he had to hit it, he hit that Grand Slam, But I'm sure he's up there thinking, yeah, this is a huge moment, but it's just another at bat.
No doubt. That's how you got to keep yourself in the moment, be where your feed are, and JJ spawn certainly did that a couple of weeks ago winning the US Open. Can't wait to see you at Dodgers Stadium.
JJ.
All the best to you between then and now, and who knows, you may see JJ spawn somewhere in San Dimas between then as well. Thanks a lot for the time, JJ appreciate it, of
Course, David, Yeah, thanks for having me on and go Dodgers.