US Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker has publicly challenged JJ Spaun to succeed at Medinah Country Club, stating he wants the overlooked golfer to “make me look like an idiot.” The comment comes after Snedeker excluded the 36-year-old former US Open champion from his 12-man squad, a decision that follows Spaun’s recent victory at the BMW PGA Championship.
Spaun made history at Wentworth by becoming only the third American to win the event, joining Arnold Palmer and Billy Horschel, while also becoming the first debutant to claim the title since Byeong-hun An in 2015. Despite the win, he was controversially left out of the side that will face the International Team in the biennial match-play competition, which is being broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Snedeker acknowledged the difficulty of his selection process, noting that he had between 15 and 16 players under serious consideration. He cited close calls including Ryan Gerard, Akshay Bhatia, and Gary Woodland, who served as a vice-captain for the US team. “You have to trust your gut,” Snedeker said, adding that his instinct pointed away from Spaun despite the player’s recent form.
The omission has drawn scrutiny given that the US roster includes 21-year-old PGA Tour rookie Jackson Koivun and Ryder Cup veteran Patrick Cantlay, both of whom finished outside the top 12 in the official points standings. Spaun, who finished 10th in the standings, had also won the Valero Texas Open earlier in the season and made his Team USA debut at last year’s Ryder Cup.
Spaun revealed that he was informed of his exclusion via a brief 45-second phone call following the season-ending Tour Championship. “It was like a 45-second phone call,” Spaun said. “Just said I wasn’t on the team and said I was the odd man out.” He admitted that previous encouraging conversations with Snedeker during the qualification period had led him to believe he would be selected.
However, Spaun insisted the snub only intensified his motivation. “I played with a huge chip on my shoulder at Wentworth,” he said. Reflecting on his career path, he noted that he has never been handed opportunities, from lacking college scholarships to earning his PGA Tour card through difficult means. “I was pretty determined this week to kind of prove something,” Spaun added. “My caddie kept telling me that it’s crazy how this has happened, but there was a reason why we’re here.”
The United States will face the International Team at Medinah, with all four days of action available exclusively on Sky Sports Golf.
I’m curious how the International Team will fare against a US squad with this much tension brewing. Hopefully, it doesn’t distract them too much.
It makes sense that Snedeker wants Spaun to succeed, but excluding him after a major win feels like a massive error in judgment.
Wow, 45 seconds? That is incredibly disrespectful. No wonder Spaun is motivated to prove everyone wrong.