Brandt Snedeker said he wants JJ Spaun to “make me look like an idiot” after leaving the former US Open champion out of his Presidents Cup team.
Spaun became only the third American to win the BMW PGA Championshipjoining Arnold Palmer and Billy Horschel, and the first player to claim the title on their debut since Byeong-hun An in 2015.
The 36-year-old was controversially overlooked by Snedeker for a spot in the side to face the International Team in the biennial match event, which pits the best players from the United States against the best international players at Medinah Country Club and is broadcast live from Thursday onwards. Sky Sports.
Spaun admitted he played with a “big chip on his shoulder” at Wentworth, saying he had a point to prove and that the Presidents Cup loss had added fuel to the fire.
“Being a captain, you have to make tough decisions, unfortunately, and we had 15 or 16 guys that we were really looking at,” said Snedeker, who also named Ryan Gerard, Akshay Bhatia and Gary Woodland — a vice-captain of the U.S. team at this year’s Presidents Cup — as close calls during his captaincy discussions.
“You’re going to have to make these tough decisions, and the best advice I’ve gotten from all the guys I’ve talked to, even the coaches, is to trust your gut,” Snedeker added. “My gut was telling me one thing.”
Was Spaun overlooked for selection?
The 12-man US squad includes 21-year-old PGA Tour rookie Jackson Koivu and Ryder Cup veteran Patrick Cantlay, despite both finishing outside the top 12 in the Presidents Cup points standings. Last year’s US Open champion Spaun, 36, was overlooked despite finishing 10th.
The American also won on the PGA Tour earlier this season at the Valero Texas Open after making his Team USA debut at last September’s Ryder Cup.
Spaun said he had good conversations with Snedeker during the qualifying campaign and believed he would show up at Medinah, but was given the unwelcome news in a brief phone call after the tour championship at the end of the season.
“It was like a 45-second phone call,” Spaun revealed at his press conference. I just said I wasn’t on the team and said I was the odd man out. I wished him luck and that was it.
“That (past conversations) made me believe I was going to make the team.”
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JJ Spaun won the BMW PGA Championship after Manuel Elvira carded a nightmare seven on the final hole of the tournament.
Spaun added: “I was pretty determined this week to prove something. My whole career, I’ve had to do that. They didn’t give me scholarships. I had to earn my PGA Tour card the hard way. I was never given the opportunities to invite sponsors – I just had to do everything the hard way.
“The ban was definitely for a reason. I don’t know what the reason was, but I’m here now and there was a reason why we’re here. My caddy kept telling me that and it’s crazy how it happened.”
Who will win the Presidents Cup? Watch the United States take on the International Team exclusively live on Sky Sports, with all four days live from Thursday on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports OR golf stream and more without contract.
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