48th in the standings, picked anyway
Forty-eighth. That is where Jackson Koivun sits in the American Presidents Cup qualifying standings, and Brandt Snedeker picked him anyway.
The captain made it official Tuesday on a Golf Channel special, handing his last wild card to a 21-year-old rookie. Ben Griffin, eighth in the standings, and J.J. Spaun, tenth, watched the spot go elsewhere.
There is a reason. Koivun won the 3M Open in his third professional start, three shots clear of Scottie Scheffler. He only turned pro in June.
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Only Spieth was younger
One number has followed the announcement around all week. Jordan Spieth, 20 years old in 2013, is the only American ever named to a Presidents Cup team younger than Koivun.
“It means everything to me. It’s a tournament I’ve watched growing up, I love team golf and I love playing for the United States,” the rookie said on the Golf Channel set. “I’m just happy he took a chance on me and I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.”
Snedeker had no interest in hedging. “This young man impresses me. He brings a lot in the locker room, a lot when it comes to pairings, and I know what he’s capable of.”
The six picks: Koivun, Chris Gotterup, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Jacob Bridgeman. The automatic qualifiers: Scheffler, Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark, Sam Burns, Russell Henley, Collin Morikawa. Gotterup debuts too, now seventh in the world with five career wins, three of them this year.
Jason Day stays home, Adam Scott ties a record
Geoff Ogilvy revealed the International picks the same day: Corey Conners, Nico Echavarria, Nick Taylor, Sungjae Im, Ryo Hisatsune, Christiaan Bezuidenhout. They join Open champion Ryan Fox, Hideki Matsuyama, Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim.
The talking point is who missed. Jason Day, former world No. 1, five Cups on his record, finished 11th in the international standings and did not get a call. Taylor was 13th. Bezuidenhout was 18th.
Scott gets a 12th appearance, which ties the all-time mark.
Medinah Country Club outside Chicago hosts, September 24 to 27. Four-ball Thursday, foursomes Friday, four-ball then foursomes on Saturday, 12 singles Sunday.
The Americans have won 10 straight and sit at 13-1-1 across the event’s history. Ogilvy’s group has some digging to do.
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