JJ Spaun bought a 45-second cellphone name and a label: “the odd man out.” He answered in one of the simplest ways potential, with a trophy. Spaun received the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on Sunday in his debut on the DP World Tour’s flagship occasion. He grew to become the third American to win the title, after Arnold Palmer and Billy Horschel, and the primary participant to win it on debut since Byeong Hun An in 2015. The win got here lower than three weeks after U.S. Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker left him off the staff for Medinah this week.
“I am not going to provide specifics on the gamers that did not make our staff,” Snedeker stated. “I really feel like this course of is in regards to the 12 gamers we did choose. There are many guys who, sadly, did not make the staff. That sucks for them.”
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Spaun later shared extra about that cellphone name. Snedeker known as him on a Monday morning, shortly after Spaun landed in Phoenix. The decision lasted solely about 45 seconds. Snedeker advised him he was not on the staff and known as him the “odd man out.” When reporters requested Spaun to verify these phrases, he didn’t hesitate.
“Yeah, he did. You possibly can quote me on that,” Spaun stated.
Spaun had believed his possibilities of making the staff have been “fairly good.” He additionally stated his talks with Snedeker had been optimistic till then. So, when he arrived at Wentworth, he clearly had one thing to show. Beginning the ultimate spherical only one shot behind the lead, Spaun performed with that further motivation.
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“I performed with an enormous chip on my shoulder. I positively had one thing to show this week,” he admitted after profitable. “Being left off the Presidents Cup staff a pair weeks in the past was very disappointing, and I wished to show that I should be on that staff. I took care of my enterprise this week. So all one of the best to the staff subsequent week at Medinah and I will be watching.”
Spaun and Snedeker haven’t spoken since that call. Spaun completed tenth within the U.S. Presidents Cup factors standings and had already performed for the U.S. on the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. He went 2-1-0 in his three matches.
His 2026 season additionally gave Snedeker a lot to think about. Spaun received the Valero Texas Open in April, and his BMW PGA Championship win grew to become his second victory of the yr. He additionally had three extra top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour. Nonetheless, Snedeker used 4 of his six captain’s picks on gamers who completed beneath Spaun within the standings.
Ben Griffin, who completed eighth, was additionally left off the staff. One factor which will have damage Spaun was his withdrawal from the Tour Championship due to a shoulder damage. The timing made issues much more fascinating, however Snedeker has not confirmed whether or not the damage performed a task in his resolution.
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“The toughest factor you ever should do is decide 12 guys,” Snedeker stated. “We’re very lucky on the U.S. aspect to have 16, 17, 18 guys which are worthy of being on this staff, and there is at all times gonna be guys which are gonna be left off.”
Pushed on whether or not Spaun’s damage particularly influenced the choice, Snedeker declined to go additional. “I am not going to get into specifics why X participant or Y participant did not make it,” he stated.
Former PGA Tour winner Smylie Kaufman, talking on The Smylie Present, stated he personally wished Spaun on the staff, however understood why the choice went the way in which it did. Kaufman thought-about Spaun a secure decide earlier than the damage, citing his factors standing. He additionally famous that Spaun didn’t get many alternatives on the Ryder Cup, although not as a result of he performed poorly.
Kaufman additionally believes Koivun would nonetheless have made the staff even when Spaun had been match and acquired a decide. In his view, it was Bridgeman, not Koivun, who would have missed out had Spaun been wholesome.
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On the broader image, Kaufman stated, “We will discover out if it may matter or not, as a result of the depth of the USA staff, even the blokes that miss, the blokes that we’re speaking about, if you have a look at the again half of the lineup for the Worldwide staff, these six to 12 guys should step up in such an enormous method.”
Snedeker known as Koivun “a generational participant” after enjoying a follow spherical with him on the Wyndham Championship. “You have a look at each metric you need to have a look at,” Snedeker stated. “To do what he did in school, to do what he is carried out as knowledgeable, this child’s actually particular.”
He additionally quickly certified for the FedExCup Playoffs after turning skilled. PGA Tour protection initially described his run as matching Tiger Woods’ five-start mark, although later reporting counted Koivun’s season at six begins.
In his official assertion, Snedeker stated: “It is uncommon to see a participant this younger show the extent of poise and confidence that Jackson has, even earlier than turning skilled. He is already confirmed he can win on the most important stage in golf on the PGA Tour, and I am excited to look at him carry out in his first staff occasion.”
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Snedeker stated of Bridgeman, “What impressed me most wasn’t simply his win on the Genesis Invitational however the way in which he continued to carry out after that breakthrough.”
Bridgeman has been one of many extra constant gamers on Tour in 2026. He has 12 top-25 finishes in 24 begins and has missed just one reduce. He additionally ranks first on Tour in strokes gained: placing. On the identical day Spaun received at Wentworth, Bridgeman shot a final-round 61 to win the Biltmore Championship Asheville by two pictures. It was his second win of the yr. Koivun additionally completed tied for fifth on the occasion.
So, Snedeker’s two most questioned picks arrived at Medinah with sturdy outcomes behind them. However Spaun’s win at Wentworth has made certain the controversy shouldn’t be going away anytime quickly.
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