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The Presidents Cup is all set to begin at the end of this month at the Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada. The prestigious tournament is played between the US and the International team, which comprises players from around the globe, excluding Europe.
Six members had automatically qualified for both teams. This week, the two captains selected their wildcard players. US team captain, Jim Furyk, chose Keegan Bradley, Sam Burns, Tony Finau, Russell Henley, Max Homa, and Brian Harman as his picks.
They will join the automatic qualifiers Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Sahith Theegala, and Patrick Cantlay to complete the 12-man roster.
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The wildcard announcement received mixed responses from fans. Many fans had complaints about Bryson DeChambeau being snubbed.His exclusion can be attributed to his status as a LIV golf player. According to rules, the participants of the Presidents Cup have to be eligible to play in PGA Tour-sanctioned events, which the LIV Golfers are not. However, this didn't stop fans from expressing their disappointment.
"Where is Bryson?" a fan questioned.
"Can’t wait for them to go down to another ignominious defeat. No Koepka, no Bryson? This is a fraud. Screw them." another opined.
"Is Bryson DeChambeau from Canada or what am I missing?" a fan sarcastically questioned.
"No Koepka? No Bryson? I like Furyk but this is going to be worse than the Ryder Cup. Russell Henley and Brian Harman?" another wrote.
"How Bryson DeChambeau is not on the team is disgusting. My favorite player who should be in the top 5 in the world should be coming to my hometown for the Presidents Cup. Shameful," yet another stated.
Fans were also irked by the absence of players like Akshay Bhatia, Billy Horschel, Nick Dunlap, and Justin Thomas.
"No Ahkshay and Nick Dunlap. Clown show," wrote a fan.
"Harman over Billy Ho and Akshay is a crime," another said.
"No Akshay is a joke but not surprising for such an unserious team," another fan opined.
"You blew it here with no Ahkshay. Smells like racism. That's it. I'm going LIV," a fan alleged.
However, many fans still believed the US team was respectable despite some questionable selections according to them.
"Anyone who thinks Henley is a bad pick simply doesn’t watch golf. Harman is questionable. I’d have taken Akshay. I also saw some asking about Bryson-umm, it’s a pga tour event which automatically excludes LIV. Bryson should absolutely be on the Ryder Cup team though," a fan wrote.
"The top 3 on this list (Bradley, Burns, and Finau) felt like shoo-ins. A bit surprised that Akshay’s not here, and I thought it was possible that Horschel (or possibly even JT) could sneak in over one of the guys in the bottom 3 of this list, but in the end, this feels ok," another fan wrote.
"Homa over Bhatia is questionable but he’s been there on that team combined with higher OWGR. I guess it’s fine," yet another said.
The reactions may have been mixed, but the true measure of Furyk's decisions will be the Presidents Cup itself. The US team has enjoyed clear dominance in the Presidents Cup. The side has lost only once in 1998 and tied with the International team in 2003. The pressure on the 12 golfers this year is immense, as they have an iconic legacy to uphold.
"Just kind of trying to put the puzzle pieces together," - Jim Furyk on Presidents Cup picks
US team captain Jim Furyk may have faced criticism for his wildcard picks for the Presidents Cup, but he insists that he carefully considered each selection. Furyk detailed his thought process for choosing the team.
Keegan Bradley showed splendid form at the BMW Championship to qualify for the Tour Championship last week. Despite entering the tournament ranked last, he managed to advance to the next round in the FedEx Cup Playoffs with a top finish. This feat pushed Furyk to pick him for the Presidents Cup. Here's what Furyk had to say about Bradley: (as quoted by ESPN)
"Getting it done when you have to is a good thing. A guy that grinded it out and came up in big moments here at the end of the season, and that's what you want on your team."
Furyk also talked about Max Homa being a good teammate.
"I think he's a great teammate. I think he plays well in partnerships. It's his personality. I don't think it's popularity, he's kind of the glue. He's an emotional leader on and off the golf course,"
The 54-year-old also reflected on his decision to leave out players like Justin Thomas, Akshay Bhatia, Bryson DeChambeau, and Billy Horschel.
"I think when you look at it, there's about 16 or 18 guys that I'd love to have on this team. At the end of the day, I love JT. I probably know him as well or better than any members of my team. Again, great record and feisty and (an) emotional leader," Furyk said.
"Just kind of trying to put the puzzle pieces together and find the right 12 to take to Montreal. Tough, tough," he added.
The Presidents Cup will take place from 24-29 September 2024 at the Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The US team will be at a slight disadvantage as they will not be playing in front of a home crowd.
