J.J. Spaun, the 2025 U.S. Open champion and the world’s twelfth-ranked male golfer, will be watching the Presidents Cup from home this week. He received devastating news from U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker on a Monday evening last week.
Spaun characterized the brief exchange as a “45-second phone call.” He recalled, “He simply said I wasn’t on the team, told me I was the odd man out, and wished me luck. That was it.”
Subjective selections often breed resentment in team sports. Whether it is the Ryder Cup, the Solheim Cup, the Walker Cup, or the biennial Presidents Cup—which convenes this week at Medinah Country Club near Chicago—perceived snubs are an unavoidable byproduct of a captain’s input.
However, Spaun was firmly convinced he was a leading candidate for one of Snedeker’s six automatic or captain’s picks. He admitted that recent discussions with the U.S. skipper had “led me to believe that I would make the team.”
Rather than diminishing his resolve, the rejection fueled Spaun’s ambition. Six days later, on the preceding Sunday, he claimed the DP World Tour’s premier title, the BMW PGA Championship. Reflecting on his victory, Spaun stated, “I was highly motivated this week to prove a point.” He elaborated on his career trajectory, noting, “I was never given scholarships or sponsor invites. I had to walk on and earn my PGA Tour card through sheer perseverance.”
He added, “Being left off the team was obviously for a reason. I may not know what that reason was, but I am here now, and there was a reason why we are both here.”
Speculation suggests several factors contributed to his omission. Prior to his triumph at Wentworth, Spaun had not recorded a top-10 finish since late June. Furthermore, at the four most crucial tournaments of the year—the majors—he only managed one cut, at the Open Championship (T40). Additionally, Snedeker may have been looking to fill his remaining roster spots with elite putters, an area where Spaun struggles (he ranks 138th in SG: Putting this season).
When questioned at Medinah on Tuesday, Snedeker declined to specify why Spaun missed the cut, insisting only that he had to trust his instincts. “My gut was telling me one thing,” the captain stated. He expressed sympathy for the excluded player, adding, “I feel awful for J.J., and I always will, because he is a wonderful person and I deeply care for him.”
Snedeker referenced Gary Woodland, another golfer who was on his wildcard shortlist but ultimately joined his staff instead. “I am looking at one of my vice captains standing in the front row who had an excellent chance of making this team. Consequently, difficult decisions must be made.”
A similar dynamic occurred roughly a year ago when U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley excluded high-performing Maverick McNealy from his roster. Bradley encouraged McNealy to channel the disappointment into motivation, stating, “I told him to be angry with me and make the next team. Make the Presidents Cup team.” Bradley noted, “I used that as fuel throughout my career, and I advised Mav to do the same.”
On Tuesday, Snedeker delivered a strikingly similar message to Spaun and the other borderline selections—namely Ryan Gerard, Akshay Bhatia, and Woodland. “I told all the guys who didn’t make the team that your job is to go make me look like an idiot as quickly as possible.”
He continued, “I fully expect Ryan Gerard to win, I fully expect Gary to win, and I fully expect Akshay to win. All of you who were on the cusp of making this team should go out and make me look stupid. You are the best golfers in the world, so give yourselves something to strive for, and you will do it.”
Spaun now has four months to regroup before the 2027 Ryder Cup qualification process intensifies. This is due to U.S. captain Jim Furyk’s overhaul of the U.S. points system, which now exclusively measures performance within a seven-month window, spanning from the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (The American Express) in January to the BMW Championship in August.
Regardless of the 2027 outlook, Spaun can draw significant confidence from his September 2026 victory at Wentworth. He remarked on Sunday evening, “Though it is not quite a Ryder Cup atmosphere, winning on foreign soil is a great feeling. Internally, it gives me the confidence to know that I can compete outside of America, which is a valuable takeaway.”
