The International and US teams for the 2024 edition of the Presidents Cup have been confirmed with the captain’s picks.
The latest edition of the biennial match will take place at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada, and host captain Mike Weir was the first to reveal his choices, with Corey Conners, Taylor Pendrith, Mackenzie Hughes, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Min Woo Lee and Si Woo Kim completing the line-up.
Mackenzie Hughes is one of three Canadians in Mike Weir's captain's picks
They will join Hideki Matsuyama, Sungjae Im, Adam Scott, Tom Kim, Jason Day and Byeong Hun An, who had already qualified automatically.
Weir will be hoping the inclusion of three Canadians – Hughes, Pendrith and Conners - in his 12-player line-up will help inspire a rare victory for the International Team in their homeland, supplemented by the likes of Australian Min Woo Lee and South Korean Si Woo Kim.
Despite the inclusion of the three Canadians, Weir admitted it had been hard to leave another of his compatriots, Nick Taylor, out of the team.
He said: "Really difficult. He was looking very good to make the team, and as it happens in golf, sometimes you go through a little spell that's not your greatest. It was a super tough decision for me but one that was well thought through, and through a number of different analytical things and gut feelings and all kinds of things, it came to that conclusion, but it was very difficult."
The International Team has won only one edition since the launch of the Presidents Cup in 1994. That came four years later at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia, while in 2003, the two teams tied. The US has won every edition since then, and doubtless, Jim Furyk’s team will be confident when they head to Montreal for the match three weeks from now.
Jim Furyk and Mike Weir have completed their Presidents Cup teams with the captain's picks
Six automatic qualifiers for the US had already been confirmed before today: Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay and Sahith Theegala.
While that line-up already looked formidable, Furyk has added Sam Burns, Russell Henley, Keegan Bradley, Brian Harman, Tony Finau and Max Homa to his team.
The inclusion of Bradley is particularly interesting as he had previously been named as one of Furyk’s vice-captains. However, shortly after revealing his picks, Furyk confirmed that he would be allowed to largely concentrate on playing, with another vice-captain expected to be confirmed in the coming days.
He said: "I've had some discussions since with Keegan, and it's in his best interest right now as a player to go out there and prepare as a player. It's not fair to him to ask him to do duties of both, to be a player and a captain and try to mix and match his time."
One player who will be disappointed to miss out is three-time Presidents Cup winner Justin Thomas, who has a 10-3-2 overall record at the match. He failed to qualify automatically and, despite reaching the Tour Championship, didn’t do enough to convince Furyk to pick him.
Another player who can perhaps count himself unlucky is Billy Horschel, who has largely recovered his best form this year after a poor 2023. However, he confirmed earlier to the Golf Channel's Fairways of Life that he was aware he'd missed out.
Billy Horschel told me this morning on Fairways of Life @golfchannel that he got the ☎️ call and has not been chosen for the U.S. Presidents Cup Team pic.twitter.com/5oRamM2M4lSeptember 3, 2024
With the two line-ups now confirmed, Weir and Furyk can concentrate on making final preparations for the four-day encounter, which will be held between 26 and 29 September at Royal Montréal Golf Club in Canada.
CONFIRMED INTERNATIONAL TEAM
- Hideki Matsuyama
- Sungjae Im
- Adam Scott
- Tom Kim
- Jason Day
- Byeong Hun An
- Corey Conners
- Taylor Pendrith
- Mackenzie Hughes
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout
- Min Woo Lee
- Si Woo Kim
CONFIRMED US TEAM
- Scottie Scheffler
- Xander Schauffele
- Collin Morikawa
- Wyndham Clark
- Patrick Cantlay
- Sahith Theegala
- Sam Burns
- Russell Henley
- Keegan Bradley
- Brian Harman
- Tony Finau
- Max Homa
SIX CAPTAIN'S PICKS EACH TO COME
Captains Mike Weir and Jim Furyk are set to name six wildcards each, but we already know the identities of six of their 12-player teams.
Weir's International Team has Hideki Matsuyama, Sungjae Im, Adam Scott, Tom Kim, Jason Day and Byeong Hun An, who qualified automatically, while Furyk's US team has confirmed Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay and Sahith Theegala.
HEARTACHE FOR HORSCHEL?
One US player who it looks like will miss out is Billy Horschel.
Billy Horschel told me this morning on Fairways of Life @golfchannel that he got the ☎️ call and has not been chosen for the U.S. Presidents Cup Team pic.twitter.com/5oRamM2M4lSeptember 3, 2024
WEIR GOES FIRST
Right off the bat, International Team captain Mike Weir has named his six -
- Corey Conners
- Taylor Pendrith
- Mackenzie Hughes
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout
- Min Woo Lee
- Si Woo Kim
DEBUTS FOR HUGHES AND LEE
Of Weir's captain's picks, Canadian Mackenzie Hughes and Australian Min Woo Lee are the two who didn't appear in the 2022 edition at Quail Hollow. This will be the first Presidents Cup for both.
THREE CANADIANS IN THE LINE-UP
Perhaps it's unsurprising given Weir is a Canadian and the match is being held at Royal Montreal Golf Club in the country, but it's notable that in Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith, half of his captain's picks are from the country.
But what about the Canadians who missed out? There's no Nick Taylor or Adam Hadwin...
REACTION TO MIKE WEIR'S PICKS
Some immediate reaction to Weir's picks from PGA Tour Live broadcaster Jeff Eisenband, who points out he has opted for the players at the top of their games at the moment...
This was always going to be a hard decision for Mike Weir. Leaving out Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor for Canadian Presidents Cup has to be brutal. Cam Davis also put in work.But at end of the day, Mike seemed to go with hottest guys right now. Can’t fault him for that. @IntlTeam https://t.co/tVdChPKRzsSeptember 3, 2024
NO LIV GOLFERS?
If you were wondering whether we'd see the likes of Australian LIV Golf star Cameron Smith in the Presidents Cup, there are reasons why we won't, but the short answer is they're ineligible. More here...
ALL 12 INTERNATIONAL TEAM PLAYERS CONFIRMED
With the confirmation of Weir's wildcards, we have the full team to take on the US:
- Hideki Matsuyama
- Sungjae Im
- Adam Scott
- Tom Kim
- Jason Day
- Byeong Hun An
- Corey Conners
- Taylor Pendrith
- Mackenzie Hughes
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout
- Min Woo Lee
- Si Woo Kim
US CAPTAIN'S PICKS COMING UP
US captain Jim Furyk is next up with his wildcards to join Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay, Sahith Theegala.
Who will he pick?
TIGER FOR VICE PRESIDENT?
While we await Furyk's US picks, there's a bit of additional Presidents Cup news today - he plans to reach out to Tiger Woods about becoming the last of his vice captains.
PRESIDENTS CUP FORMAT RECAP
If you want to brush up on the format for the Presidents Cup, you can find out all the info you need here.
MIN WOO LEE REACTS TO SELECTION
Australian Min Woo Lee will make his Presidents Cup debut at the match, and he has spoken about the honor on the Golf Channel's Golf Today. He said: "I'm very privileged to be on the team. I have a lot of friends on the team and I can't wait to get going."
He will join Adam Scott and Jason Day as fellow Australians on the team.
PRESIDENTS CUP VS RYDER CUP: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
We're still waiting for Jim Furyk's captain's picks as he looks to keep a winning run going for the US that has held since a tie in 2003. In the meantime, here's a look at how the Presidents Cup differs from the Ryder Cup.
SIX US AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS - REMINDER
Still we await Furyk's picks, but a reminder that he already has six top-class players in his team, who qualified automatically: Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay and Sahith Theegala.
That's seven Major wins between them, so it's obvious immediately why they will be hot favorites.
US PRESIDENTS CUP CAPTAIN'S PICKS
Jim Furyk has revealed his picks. They are:
- Sam Burns
- Russell Henley
- Keegan Bradley
- Brian Harman
- Tony Finau
- Max Homa
A PLACE FOR US RYDER CUP CAPTAIN KEEGAN BRADLEY
The 2025 US Ryder Cup captain has made the team, and Furyk explained his recent performances at the FedEx Cup Playoffs, including victory at the BMW Championship, had helped make his mind up to include him. On Bradley's qualities, he told the Golf Channel: "Getting it done when you have to is a big thing, grinding it out."
NO JUSTIN THOMAS
One of the glaring omissions from the US team is Justin Thomas, who has played in each of the last three teams, collecting victories in each, not forgetting three US Ryder Cup teams.
JT had a poor 2023 and though he's improved in 2024, and made the FedEx Cup Playoffs, he's still not quite been at his best, and it's cost him this time around.
BRADLEY TO CONCENTRATE ON PLAYING RATHER THAN VICE CAPTAINCY
The inclusion of Bradley on the US team left a quandary: does he continue as a vice-captain? Not completely, according to Furyk, who expressed a desire for him to concentrate on his playing commitments at the match.
He told the Golf Channel: "We're going to pretty much relieve him of most of his duties. We're going to fill that spot with another assistant captain."
Furyk also confirmed he would appoint another vice-captain, but the identity is to be confirmed.
KEEGAN'S THOUGHTS ON ROLE AT PRESIDENTS CUP...
Here's what Bradley had to say about the dilemma of being a player or vice-captain last week:
"I think certainly being a vice-captain would help me being a captain at Bethpage because when you're playing, your mentality changes a bit.
"You're more stressed out. You're thinking about, geez, I've got the alternate shot hole, I've got the tough drive. So there's other things in your mind.
"But also being inside the ropes with these guys in the battle, in the heat, reminding myself how tough this is, and if a situation arises where I am playing at Bethpage, playing this, playing at the Presidents Cup would certainly help.
"I've gone back and forth, and I think that there's pros and cons to both of them. Whatever happens, I'm going to have to figure out how to make the best of it."
PRESSURE ON DOMINANT US TEAM?
The Presidents Cup has been one-sided over the years, to say the least, with the US winning all but two editions since it began in 1994. That could invite a different kind of pressure on the US team - to not get turned over. Here's what Furyk thinks about that.
"The idea is staying focused on the task at hand. No great football team out there... is talking about people applying the pressure on them. We'll come out hungry and we'll try to apply the pressure on the internationals."
A SECOND OUTING FOR ROYAL MONTREAL
It’s not going to be the first time Royal Montreal has hosted the Presidents Cup. It was the venue for the 2007 edition, too, when Jack Nicklaus’ US beat Gary Player’s Internationals by 19.5 to 14.5.
'IT'S STILL SURREAL'
At the age of 35, Russell Henley has yet to play in either the Ryder Cup of Presidents Cup for the US, but he'll finally get his chance at Royal Montreal Golf Club after being named one of Jim Furyk's captain's picks.
He told the Golf Channel: "I'm just thankful to be able to play in one. You just hope you're going to get that phone call. It's still surreal."
TAYLOR SURPRISE?
Now that the dust has settled, particularly with the surprise news of Justin Thomas' exclusion from the US team, there's arguably an equally unexpected omission from Mike Weir's International Team.
Nick Taylor provided a moment for the ages in his homeland at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open when he holed an outrageous 72-foot putt to win the title in a playoff.
He's had another win since then, on this year's WM Phoenix Open, but he misses out despite the inclusion of three Canadians among Weir's wildcards, Taylor Pendrith, Mackenzie Hughes and Corey Conners.
US THE CLEAR WINNER IN THE MAJOR COUNT
Yes, the Presidents Cup is a team encounter, but perhaps one of the most telling stats on how daunting a prospect Weir's International Team face, even as hosts, is the Major count of the two teams.
The US has nine Major titles among its team - two from Scottie Scheffler, two from Xander Schauffele, another pair from Collin Morikawa and one each from Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman and Keegan Bradley.
In contrast, the International Team has just three - Jason Day with his 2015 PGA Championship victory, Adam Scott, who won the 2013 Masters, and Hideki Matsuyama, who won the Augusta National title in 2021.