The Presidents Cup, that biennial golf shindig that sometimes feels less like a fierce competition and more like a corporate retreat with slightly better outfits, has announced its latest lineup. This year, the Americans, always keen to remind everyone they're still the big cheese, have thrown a rather unexpected bone to young Jackson Koivun. This chap, who practically just traded his junior clubs for a driver, only ditched the amateur life after the US Open back in June. Him making the team feels like Captain Brandt Snedeker either has a crystal ball that works, or he’s desperately hoping a fresh face can shake things up before the whole thing devolves into a polite display of American golfing superiority.
Koivun’s been on a bit of a tear, bagging a PGA Tour win at the 3M Open and then hobnobbing with the big boys in the FedExCup Playoffs. Apparently, that’s enough for Snedeker to think he’s ready to handle the intense pressure of being on a team. He’s now the youngest American to tee it up since Jordan Spieth, which is a comparison that carries all the weight of a Ryder Cup trophy and the faint scent of "uh oh, what if he chokes?" His inclusion, along with other rookies Chris Gotterup and Jacob Bridgeman, suggests Snedeker's going for a youthquake, a rebellion against the usual parade of American wins. Or, you know, maybe he just likes their hair.
Snedeker clearly tried to balance all this youthful exuberance with the kind of grizzled, seen-it-all experience you get from Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, and Patrick Cantlay. These guys, veterans of three previous Presidents Cups, are like the comfy armchairs of the American team, ensuring that even if the rookies stumble, there are plenty of old hands to steer the ship toward its customary victory lane. You can practically hear the collective sigh of relief from the folks who like to see the stars and stripes hoisted high.
Over on the other side, Geoff Ogilvy’s International Team has the kind of monumental task usually reserved for Sisyphus or anyone trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the instructions. They haven't won this thing since, well, let's just say it was a long time ago. The fact that Jason Day isn't on the team, despite being a pretty big name, tells you everything you need to know about how fickle professional golf can be. Yesterday's hero is today's "who?" It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, and apparently, the dogs have to be really hungry.
Ogilvy, bless his heart, had to pick from the scraps and the promising newcomers. He’s brought back old reliables like Sungjae Im and Corey Conners, and is giving a shot to newcomers Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Nico Echavarria, and Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune. Ogilvy mentioned Bezuidenhout’s selection was helped by his past performance, which he said shows a player who "knows what to expect and delivers." I'm pretty sure that's code for "he knows he's probably going to lose, but he'll do it with a stiff upper lip."
The Americans who qualified automatically are, as you'd expect, a murderers' row: Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark, Sam Burns, Russell Henley, and Collin Morikawa. These fellas basically earned their spots by being ridiculously good, which, let's be honest, is the American way. Their captain's picks were probably just a formality, a little nod to tradition before the inevitable march to another American win begins.