Perhaps the most contentious decision Jim Furyk made with his captain’s picks for the Presidents Cup was the call to leave Justin Thomas out, with the 31-year-old not making a US team for the first time since 2016.
While Justin Thomas was well down the standings after a difficult season, he did have an advantage over the likes of Max Homa and Brian Harman in that he was in the field for The Tour Championship at East Lake last week. Some felt that Thomas was set to receive a captain’s pick for the Presidents Cup.
However, Jim Furyk opted to pick all six names in the top 12 who did not automatically qualify for Royal Montreal, with Homa and Harman being joined by Sam Burns, Tony Finau, Russell Henley and Keegan Bradley.
Thomas has been a stalwart of Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup teams for the best part of a decade, with the two-time major champion an ever-present since 2017. So it was a big call to leave him out, particularly as he is someone who knows how to fight, even when he is some way short of his best.
Jim Furyk shares how Justin Thomas reacted to missing out on Presidents Cup pick
But it would appear that Thomas understood Furyk’s decision not to pick him for later this month, with the captain asked how the conversation between the pair went as he told Thomas he was going to be left out.
“Classy. I think that as a captain, when you make those calls, you kind of need to be kind of to the point. I don’t know if brief is the right word. We discussed it a little bit. All class. Definitely disappointed, as I would expect, but just real classy, in my opinion, and I would expect nothing less,” he said.
“I think those conversations – I’ve said it on a couple interviews already. People say, how difficult is it as a captain. You know what, it’s way more difficult being the player. I’ve been in that seat a couple times, too, getting a call saying you’re on the team, and I got one saying you’re not on the team. It’s way harder on the player. Just trying to be, I guess, as nice as we can about it, explain your point and move on.
“I love the guy to death, and I think when you are friendly with folks and when there is already a bond, because I really do respect JT and have spent more time around him on these teams than anyone else, it makes it a little bit more difficult emotionally.”
Thomas will have sympathised with Furyk’s position
Thomas will know better than most how difficult the captain’s decision will have been. He was on the other side last year ahead of the Ryder Cup, with Zach Johnson handing him a controversial pick for Rome.
Thomas himself, admitted that he almost felt that Keegan Bradley should have got picked ahead of him after watching the Full Swing episode which touched on that decision. So he would have known that there was a chance that Furyk would overlook him this time around.
Thomas will surely use this decision as motivation ahead of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage next year, as he will be desperate to ensure that he is not relying on a pick to make Bradley’s team.
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