One of the major criticisms of the US Ryder Cup team following their emphatic defeat in Rome last year was that many of the side simply did not play in the weeks leading up to the event.
It was little surprise that the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa and Jordan Spieth were nowhere near their best at Marco Simone, with more than a month between The Tour Championship and the opening tee shot of the Ryder Cup.
So perhaps it is not a shock that some of those involved at East Lake last month will be in action in the coming days at the Procore Championship as thoughts turn to the Presidents Cup later this month.
Three players from the American side and three players from the Internationals will tee it up in Napa as they perhaps look to send a message to Jim Furyk and Mike Weir ahead of Royal Montreal. With that in mind, here is a look at those who will be in the field…
Mackenzie Hughes
No-one, on either side, was lower in the qualification standings than Mackenzie Hughes, with the Canadian 15th before he earned a captain’s pick from his countryman. The 33-year-old finished in a tie for 52nd on five under par in this event last year.
Min Woo Lee
Min Woo Lee is going to be one of those players Weir is going to be looking to to excite the Canadian crowds in Montreal, with his impressive distance off the tee. The Australian is actually making his debut in this event after spending much of his early career on the DP World Tour.
Corey Conners
Few players will be as motivated ahead of the Presidents Cup as Corey Conners, with the Canadian likely to be desperate to give a good account of himself on home soil, particularly after losing all four of his matches in 2022. Unfortunately, his record at the Procore Championship is also underwhelming, with two missed cuts in four appearances. He did finish in a tie for 13th in 2020.
Max Homa
Jim Furyk’s biggest gamble was perhaps picking Max Homa after a really difficult year for the 33-year-old. Some wondered if Furyk may tell Homa that he would get a pick if he played at the Procore Championship, so perhaps that is exactly what he did. Homa has very happy memories of this event, having won it twice before.
Sahith Theegala
Sahith Theegala looks set to win many events on the PGA Tour during his career. He was arguably the star of the show at The Tour Championship, ensuring that he would receive an automatic pick for the Presidents Cup. The youngster’s only win so far came at this event last year, so repeating that feat would give him a big boost heading to Montreal.
Wyndham Clark
Wyndham Clark had a very decent showing in the FedEx Cup play-offs without ever really looking like winning any of the three events. The highest ranked player in the field does not have the best record at the Procore Championship, having never finished inside the top 25. But he will be desperate to put an end to that run over the coming days.
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