Brandt Snedeker has had a beautiful 2026.
He gained his first event in practically eight years on the Myrtle Seashore Traditional in Might after a number of years of very poor play, and now he’ll get to steer the U.S. crew within the Presidents Cup at Medinah later this month.
The U.S. crew has gained 10 consecutive Presidents Cups, 13 of 15 general, and has misplaced outright to the Worldwide crew simply as soon as—practically three many years in the past in Melbourne.
The Worldwide Crew doesn’t precisely appear to be a juggernaut this yr, both. A few the crew’s high prospects are ineligible as a result of they play in LIV Golf, whereas skilled gamers like Hideki Matsuyama, Adam Scott, Corey Conners and Sungjae Im actually aren’t in high kind.
That bodes nicely for Snedeker and a profitable captaincy as he probably throws his title within the hat for future Ryder Cups.
However that doesn’t imply his selections might be with out criticism. Snedeker had some robust selections to make for captain’s picks on Tuesday, because the U.S. crew options some nice top-end expertise and several other query marks on the again finish of the roster.
Snedeker makes one nice name however a pair questionable ones
Snedeker’s picks will seemingly be remembered principally for a constructive cause.
He chosen Jackson Koivun. Although Koivun was nicely down the factors listing as a result of he simply turned skilled this yr, it was the suitable name to incorporate him on the crew. The winner of the 3M Open, Koivun is among the most promising younger stars we’ve seen in fairly a while. And with the U.S. a powerful favourite for the Presidents Cup, that is the right time to provide him expertise within the hopes that he’s a fixture on the crew for a lot of cups to come back.
Koivun can be simply actually good. I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s contending in large tournaments by subsequent yr, and his play type suits nicely for match play. He doesn’t discover a lot bother and is usually a lethal putter when he’s going properly. This was the decide that everybody hoped for by Snedeker, and he fortunately didn’t overthink it.
Xander Schauffele, Chris Gotterup and Justin Thomas have been pretty apparent picks.
Schauffele hasn’t had his greatest since preventing an harm early in 2025, however he nonetheless completed ninth within the standings and was at all times going to be on the crew given his crew golf document.
Gotterup was the primary man out of the auto qualifiers, and his three wins this yr all however ensured he could be on the crew. He’s one other vivid younger star and figures to be on Ryder Cup groups shifting ahead.
Thomas wasn’t fairly as apparent, however he nonetheless completed respectably within the standings and is arguably the chief of U.S. groups at this level. He lives for taking part in in Presidents and Ryder Cups, and his play the final two years has been strong sufficient. It helped that he had a top-10 end on the PGA Championship and The Gamers Championship, which made this more easy.
Issues acquired more durable after that. Snedeker’s final two picks have been Jacob Bridgeman and Patrick Cantlay.
Cantlay is one other veteran most anticipated to be on the crew. However he had a particularly underwhelming yr and already has some controversy round his angle towards worldwide occasions.
This was seemingly a decide based mostly on current kind. Cantlay completed runner-up on the BMW and performed his greatest golf of the yr late within the season.
However you might additionally argue that Ryan Gerard introduced even higher current kind. He was third on the Tour Championship, sixteenth on the BMW, and ninth at The Open. Gerard is ranked increased on this planet and will use some expertise as a younger participant with a vivid future that will embrace some Ryder Cups.
Bridgeman shocked me most. He completed twelfth within the standings, however most of that got here from a stunning early-season run by which he gained at Riviera and led the FedExCup standings going into the Masters. He quieted down for a lot of the yr. That was till he logged a ninth on the BMW and T4 on the Tour Championship. Maybe that run to finish the season was what gave him the decision.
Snedeker ought to have embraced much more contemporary expertise
I’d have most popular to see Gerard and Akshay Bhatia on the crew over Cantlay and Bridgeman. Whereas Bridgeman is technically contemporary expertise, it seems like his run was extra of a scorching stretch with the putter and fewer of him being a mainstay on these groups for years.
Cantlay had a really mediocre yr, and it’s unlikely he’ll be a difference-maker on the crew both approach.
Gerard has the kind of kind that’s worthy of being chosen on worldwide occasion groups, and he’s proven us repeatedly this yr that he has the expertise to contend on some huge leaderboards. He would have been an important decide.
Bhatia has been unstable this yr, however he has the signature occasion win like Bridgeman this yr. And at simply 24 years previous, he would have gotten beneficial expertise.
Since he already picked Koivun, it’s a bit stunning he didn’t decide to youthful expertise and take a few gamers heading into their prime who may assist the crew for years to come back.
I don’t assume any of Snedeker’s picks have been overly poor, and the Koivun choice would be the lasting reminiscence of this Cup both approach.
High Photograph Caption: Brant Snedeker is able to make his debut as a Presidents Cup captain. (GETTY IMAGES/Caleb Bowlin)
