Most people watching the 2026 Valero Texas Open did not know Mark Carens’ name going into Sunday. But then JJ Spaun birdied 16, eagled 17, and flipped the leaderboard by one shot to claim $1.7 million. Then came a special hug for the caddie, marking it as an unforgettable moment for fans.
The moment came right after JJ Spaun closed out a 5-under 67 on a long, wet Sunday at TPC San Antonio, edging Robert MacIntyre to claim his third PGA Tour title. As the tournament ended, the golfer turned to his caddie, Mark Carens, embraced him, and wished him a happy birthday. The PGA Tour posted the video on Instagram, and the response was immediate.
That reaction made perfect sense given what Spaun had been going through this week. Even though he was the reigning U.S. Open champion, he hadn’t finished in the top 20 in any of his seven starts this season. His best finish was a tie for 24th at THE PLAYERS Championship.
“I haven’t been feeling at the form I wanted to be based on last season,” the 35-year-old admitted after his win.
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The finishing stretch that sealed the win was decisive. JJ Spaun hit his tee shot to 3 feet on the par-3 16th for birdie, then drove the green on the 306-yard 17th to set up a 10-foot eagle putt. MacIntyre, who had led for much of the tournament, hooked his second shot on the par-5 18th and could only watch as his 30-foot birdie putt to force a playoff came up short. He finished at 70, tied for second with Matt Wallace and Michael Kim.
The win at TPC San Antonio, a course where he already had a title in 2022, gave him the momentum he needed heading into Augusta.
The partnership between JJ Spaun and Carens has been building since April 2021, when Carens took over the bag. Their first win together came a year later at this same event in 2022, which earned Spaun his first Masters invitation. Carens, a Massachusetts native who won the Boston Open in 1993 and 1995 before transitioning to caddying, has also worked with Aaron Baddeley, Bubba Watson, and Si Woo Kim.
“I have so much fun working for him, it’s a joke,” Carens has said. “It’s like it’s not even work.”
On Sunday, that bond was evident to everyone, and fans flooded the comment section with excitement.
Fans could not get enough of the caddie moment
When the PGA Tour posted the video on Instagram, fans flooded the comments with warmth, and the reactions told their own story about why the moment connected so deeply.
“Congrats JJ and Mark! Heck of a team,” one fan wrote. It was a small but telling sign of how visible the caddie had become alongside Spaun through their wins in 2022 and now 2026 at the same course.
“That’s actually awesome, caddie gets big pay day on his birthday,” another fan noted.
Standard caddie earnings on a PGA Tour win typically run between 8 and 10 percent of the prize. It means Carens likely walked away with somewhere between $136,000 and $170,000 on his birthday, a figure that gave the moment an extra layer of significance.
“Happy Birthday to your caddie! Congratulations Spaun! Happy Easter!” read another comment.
The fan captured the layered celebration that Sunday had become, with a tournament win, a birthday, and Easter weekend all landing at once.
“Big Win for a great guy,” another fan added.
The sentiment reflected how JJ Spaun had handled a difficult stretch in 2026, publicly and openly talking about the pressure of following up a U.S. Open title while failing to break the top 20 in seven consecutive starts.
“Congratulations JJ,” came another reaction. Indeed, it was a great one after a difficult stretch.
The response across social media made one thing clear: this was not just a tournament win. It was the kind of moment that reminds fans why they follow the sport in the first place.
