When Jackson Koivun answered captain Brandt Snedeker’s phone call asking the 21-year-old to be part of the U.S. Presidents Cup team later this month at Medinah Country Club outside Chicago, the impact was both immediate and lasting.
“It still feels like a pinch-me moment. When he called me and told me I was going to Medinah, I was shell-shocked for about four hours then it started to settle in,” said Koivun, who turned pro earlier in the summer and won the 3M Open in his third start as a pro.
In an event that has struggled to overcome the predictability of its outcomes – the U.S. has lost just once since the Presidents Cup debuted in 1994 – Snedeker’s choice of Koivun and Jacob Bridgeman among his six captain’s picks was attention grabbing.
With six automatic qualifiers led by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler already locked into the roster, Snedeker didn’t surprise anyone by adding Chris Gotterup, Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
In choosing Bridgeman and Koivun, it meant leaving off J.J. Spaun, who is dealing with a shoulder issue; Ben Griffin who finished eighth in points but showed little form in recent weeks; Ryan Gerard, who many thought was a likely selection given his three top-10 finishes in his last six starts; Akshay Bhatia and Maverick McNealy.
Snedeker said Bridgeman and Koivun were the last two players he added to the U.S. roster.
“The best advice I’ve gotten from almost every captain is to trust your gut. That’s what I did,” Snedeker said.
Bridgeman, who won the Genesis Invitational in February, leads the PGA Tour in strokes gained putting, which figured prominently in Snedeker’s decision to add him to the U.S. roster.
“We looked at his total body of work,” Snedeker said. “He’s very consistent and he’s the [best] putter we have on the PGA Tour right now.”
Turning pro after one of the most decorated college careers ever, Koivun didn’t disappoint. He won the 3M Open by holding off Scheffler on Sunday. He will be the second-youngest American to play in the Presidents Cup with only Jordan Spieth having been younger (20) when he debuted in 2013.
Snedeker said he talked to multiple people about Koivun and every conversation convinced him more that picking the former Auburn star was the right move. Snedeker played two rounds with then 19-year-old Koivun at the Memorial Tournament two years ago and they played a practice round together at the Wyndham Championship last month.
“I know what this guy is capable of, what he brings to us and we’re excited to show the world,” Snedeker said.
“You don’t do what he’s done in five starts if you’re not ready to be out here. He’s mature beyond his years.”
In addition to Scottie Scheffler, who led the U.S. standings, Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark, Sam Burns, Russell Henley and Collin Morikawa qualified on points.
As has been the case most years in the Presidents Cup, the Americans’ advantage has been evident in its depth. In announcing their six captain’s choices Tuesday, Snedeker’s picks had a combined world ranking average of 25.6 while International team captain Geoff Ogilvy’s picks had a combined ranking of 67.3.
Adding Cantlay and Schauffele to the roster, Snedeker leaned on their experience. They have played nine Presidents Cup matches together, the most of any U.S. pairing.
The Thomas pick was not a surprise. He’s won more Presidents Cup points than any of his teammates and Thomas often thrives in team play.
“He plays his best golf when stuff is on the line, especially in team events,” Snedeker said. “Those are the kind of guys you can’t have too [many] of.”
Gotterup, who won three times this season, will be making his first appearance on a U.S. team. He finished T4 in each of the last two playoff events to strengthen his case for making the team after narrowly missing out on a Ryder Cup spot last year.
In addition to Scheffler, who led the U.S. standings, Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark, Sam Burns, Russell Henley and Collin Morikawa qualified on points.
On the International side, Ogilvy left off veteran Jason Day, who has been dealing with health issues.
While Corey Conners, Nico Echavarria, Sungjae Im and Ryo Hisatsune were predictable choices, Ogilvy surprised some by adding Canadian Nick Taylor and South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout to his team. Taylor ranks 80th in the world and Bezuidenhout is No. 96.
Having Hisatsune on the team could be a benefit to Hideki Matsuyama, Ogilvy said. The two Japanese players often play practice rounds together and are regular dinner companions.
“He’s a fantastic energy guy,” Ogilvy said. “His stats are great. He’s played really well in the big tournaments. He’s going to be a great locker-room teammate for Hideki.”
In addition to Matsuyama, Si Woo Kim, Ryan Fox, Min Woo Lee, Tom Kim and Adam Scott qualified on points.
As home captain, Snedeker opted to play four-ball matches on the first day of the four-day competition, leaning into the American traditional strength in the format.