[Photo: Richard Heathcote]<\/p>\n
We\u2019re two days away from balls being in the air at the Presidents Cup and US captain Brandt Snedeker is already being second-guessed.<\/p>\n
The idea of snubs are inherent to team events, particularly in the days after the match depending on the performance of captain\u2019s picks with the benefit of hindsight. However, one of those snubs has become somewhat of an early-week storyline at Medinah. That\u2019s thanks to J.J. Spaun<\/a>, who captured the DP World Tour\u2019s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship, last weekend.<\/p>\n RELATED: What happened to international men\u2019s golf, and is it America\u2019s fault?<\/a><\/p>\n To be fair, Ryan Gerard was seemingly the guy with the best case for being aggrieved for being left off, especially since Spaun had to withdraw due to injury during the Tour Championship. But Spaun \u2013 who went 2-0-1 at the \u201925 Ryder Cup \u2013 didn\u2019t hide his disappointment with the decision in his victory at Wentworth, saying he was the \u201codd man out\u201d and that it wasn\u2019t due to his injury. \u201cI played with a huge chip on my shoulder. I definitely had something to prove this week,\u201d he admitted after winning. \u201cBeing left off the Presidents Cup team a couple weeks ago was very disappointing, and I wanted to prove that I deserve to be on that team. I took care of my business this week. So all the best to the team next week at Medinah and I\u2019ll be watching.\u201d<\/p>\n Which is why Spaun\u2019s status was one of the first questions asked to Snedeker on Tuesday during the captain\u2019s media conference. Snedeker was effusive with praise for Spaun\u2019s performance, but believes he made the right call with his squad.<\/p>\n “Your job is to go make me look like an idiot as quick as possible.”<\/p>\n U.S. Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker addressed leaving J.J. Spaun off his team at Medinah. pic.twitter.com\/cd0v3KBEG5<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) September 22, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cFirst of all, I\u2019m super-excited for J.J. What he did at Wentworth was impressive coming down the stretch. That was some great golf he played. I\u2019m a huge J.J. Spaun fan,\u201d Snedeker said. \u201cBeing captain, you have to make tough decisions unfortunately. We had 15 guys, 16 guys that we were really looking at. I\u2019m looking at one of my vice-captains in the front row over here who had a really good chance of making this team. So you\u2019re going to have to make these tough decisions.<\/p>\n \u201cThe best advice I got from all the captains I talked to and even coaches, you\u2019ve got to trust your gut. My gut was telling me one thing. You\u2019ve got to make those decisions. It\u2019s tough. I feel awful for J.J. and I always will, because he\u2019s a great dude and I love the guy to death.\u201d<\/p>\n Snedeker went on to say \u201cI know this was going to happen\u201d and that the job of those who didn\u2019t make the team was to \u201cmake me look like an idiot as quick as possible\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why they\u2019re the best golfers in the world. Give them something to go set their sights on, they\u2019re going to do it,\u201d Snedeker said. \u201cI can\u2019t wait to see J.J. get off to a great start next year, and I would be shocked if he\u2019s not on the team in Ireland [for the 2027 Ryder Cup].\u201d<\/p>\n FULL\u00a0GOLF DIGEST\u00a0PRESIDENTS CUP COVERAGE HERE<\/a><\/p>\n