The Presidents Cup is a priceless opportunity for Team USA to rehearse for the Ryder Cup.
Following the rise of LIV Golf, it looks increasingly clear that the International Team can’t challenge Team USA at the Presidents Cup. This means Team USA can use the event to prepare for Adare Manor, as the Americans look to avenge their humiliation at Bethpage Black.
Europe looked better prepared than Team USA in New York, having nailed down their optimal pairings to dismantle their opponents over the first two days. Meanwhile, Keegan Bradley made the worst possible pairing decision, putting Collin Morikawa and Harris English together.
So if they have learned anything from the Ryder Cup, Team USA will take advantage of this opportunity to try some new pairings and introduce some new faces to the team. And one player, who has never made a major cut, has been put forward as a left-field option for captain Brandt Snedeker.
‘Big things’ predicted from player who is yet to make a major cut
Ahead of the Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club, where Team Europe completed a miraculous comeback in 2012, Michael Brennan has been tipped to make Snedeker’s team.
Brennan only just secured a promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour for 2026, but he immediately bypassed this with a win in his first professional event, the PGA Tour’s Bank of Utah Championship.
In doing so, he became the first player since 1988 to win in his first start as a professional on the PGA Tour. Former PGA Tour player Brendon de Jonge thinks that will allow him to play with freedom in 2026, without having to fight tooth and nail to keep his tour card.
Which four players do you choose?
De Jonge told 5 Clubs, “I’m huge on Michael Brennan. I walked with him at Sea Island earlier this year. I mean, talk about the guy that’s got that extra gear, plays like an athlete, and Michael Brennan’s got now a little bit of freedom.
“The fact that he’s got that win in his rookie year, he’s going to have the ability to go out there and play and not worry about trying to keep your card. So, I think we’re going to see big things out of Michael Brennan as well. Don’t be at all surprised to see him play on that Presidents Cup team.”
It’s a left-field shout, but this is exactly what the Americans should be using the tournament for. They may find that Brennan is excellent at team play and a valuable weapon for the 2027 Ryder Cup.
What Brandt Snedeker’s Presidents Cup decisions will say about the Ryder Cup
There’s no one who was better positioned to see exactly where Bradley went wrong at the Ryder Cup than Snedeker. He was a Vice Captain at Bethpage Black and part of the decision-making process that led to their disastrous defeat.
Early signs show that Team USA has learned nothing from the Ryder Cup. They blamed the putting and the course setup, and are ignoring the institutional differences between Team USA and Europe that led to the result.
If Tiger Woods is not the next US Ryder Cup captain, who should get the job for Adare Manor?
“No one’s asked me.”
Tiger Woods’ response when asked if he would be interested in the 2027 Ryder Cup captaincy
That will be confirmed when we see the decisions Snedeker makes at the Presidents Cup. If he picks the same old players in sub-optimal pairings, then it will be clear that he was fooled by Team USA’s spirited Sunday comeback, which meant the final scoreline flattered the Americans.
But if he uses the opportunity to experiment with pairings and test new players like Brannan, which is likely what Europe would do, then those would be signs that Team USA has turned over a new leaf.
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