United States captain Jim Furyk followed the form book with his final wildcard selections for the Presidents Cup on Tuesday, rounding out his team based solely on team rankings.
With six places up for grabs, Furyk opted to name the final members of the USA squad from the points standings.
That means a place on the team for Sam Burns, Tony Finau, Russell Henley, Keegan Bradley, Brian Harman and Max Homa, who had been ranked from seventh to 12th on the points table.
Bradley, who will captain the USA at the Ryder Cup next year, had already been due to take part in the 26-29 September showdown against the Internationals in Montreal as an assistant captain.
But Bradley’s barnstorming finish to the season – he won the BMW Championship in Colorado last month before completing a 21st-place finish at the Tour Championship on Sunday – cemented his Presidents Cup berth.
“When I named Keegan as a captain’s assistant for the Presidents Cup, I knew there was a chance he would play his way onto the US team, and I can say without a doubt he did just that,” said Furyk, adding that Bradley’s recent form demonstrated “the competitive nature he has”.
“I know he will bring that same fire to Royal Montreal in a few weeks.”
Meanwhile, Furyk said he had little hesitation in selecting 12th-ranked Homa for his lineup despite a dip in form which has seen him make just one top-10 finish this season since The Masters in April.
Furyk said Homa had impressed during the 2022 Presidents Cup and 2023 Ryder Cup.
“Max plays his best on the biggest stages,” Furyk said. “He was an emotional leader for both teams and someone who rallied the 11 players around him time and again. I can’t wait to have him represent the US again in Montreal.”
The United States will be looking to extend their two-decade long unbeaten streak in this year’s Presidents Cup. The Americans have not lost the team event since the 1998 edition in Melbourne.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Chris Condon/PGA Tour
