Who is JJ Spaun's caddie, Mark Carens, and how much prize money does he get? Salary and earnings details

Mark Carens, who has been JJ Spaun’s caddie since April 2021, played a key role in the 34-year-old’s historic win at the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont.

Updated on: Jun 16, 2025, 07:07:28 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Mark Carens, JJ Spaun’s caddie since April 2021, played a pivotal role in the 34-year-old's historic victory at the 125th US Open at Oakmont Country Club. With the win, Spaun is set to take home a whopping $4.3 million.

J.J. Spaun seeks shelter from the rain under an umbrella with his caddie, Mark Carens (AP)

Who Is Mark Carens?

Born in Wellesley, Massachusetts, Mark Carens began playing golf in his teens. His passion grew during trips with his father to Ireland and Scotland’s top courses. He competed professionally, winning the Boston Open in 1993 and 1995, but ended his playing career around 2000 at age 30 after mini-tour action.

Carens started caddying in 2002 on the Korn Ferry Tour, transitioning to the PGA Tour. He has worked with players like Aaron Baddeley, Bubba Watson (including the 2010 PGA Championship), Si Woo Kim (2017 Players Championship winner), Brendon Todd, Morgan Hoffmann, and Jonathan Byrd.

Also Read: US Open prize money: How much did JJ Spaun, Robert MacIntyre earn at Oakmont? Purse details revealed

Partnership with Spaun

Mark Carens joined JJ Spaun in April 2021, leading to the golfer's 2022 Valero Texas Open win. Their chemistry was evident at the 2025 Players Championship, where Carens’ advice—“Let’s stay in the moment”—helped Spaun force a playoff with Rory McIlroy.

Also Read: JJ Spaun family: Who is wife Melody Means Spaun, children and parents? All on US Open winner

Prize Money Share from 2025 US Open

Spaun’s Earnings: JJ Spaun won $4,300,000 for his 1-under par victory, sealed by a 65-foot birdie putt on the 18th.

Caddie Share: Standard caddie payouts are 10% for a win, 7% for top-10 finishes, and 5% for other cuts made. As Spaun’s caddie for the win, Carens earned $430,000 (10% of $4.3 million).

Additional Context: Mark Carens’ 2023 reported earnings included $154,800 from Spaun’s on-course work and a $120,000 base salary, totaling over $274,800 annually.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

Golf

Catch all the latest Sports News, scores, and highlights in one place. Stay updated with real-time coverage of your favorite games and athletes along with Lionel Messi latest updates.