Report: PGA Tour insider reveals reason why US rookie sat first day of Ryder Cup
Former PGA Tour golfer turned commentator Colt Knost has revealed why JJ Spaun wasn't played on the first day of the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York.
Former PGA Tour member turned commentator Colt Knost has revealed JJ Spaun was kept from playing foursomes at the Ryder Cup because of the golf ball he plays.
Spaun went 2-1-0 on his debut in the biennial contest at Bethpage Black two weeks ago.
The 35-year-old qualified for Keegan Bradley's dozen by virtue of his stellar season on the PGA Tour that saw him finish runner-up to Rory McIlroy at The Players and win the US Open on the 72nd hole.
But he was used sparingly by the aforementioned Bradley, only being deployed in the fourballs and Sunday singles.
But apparently according to Knost, he was never going to play alternate shot and knew that was going to be the case two weeks before.
Knost told the Straight Facts Homie podcast that he played with Spaun a week before he jetted off to New York.
According to Knost, Spaun shot a 60 at TPC Scottsdale - venue of the WM Phoenix Open - and looked in unbelievable form.
He told the pod: "I said [to Spaun], 'any idea, off the record, who you going to go with?' He's like, 'I know I'm not playing alternate shot'. I said, 'what?' And he said, 'yeah, part of it, I'm the only one who plays a Srixon golf ball.'"
Knost said he wasn't surprised that Spaun sat the opening session, given the fact he was a rookie.
But after Luke Donald's Europe raced into an early 3-1 lead, he felt Spaun should've been thrown in at the deep end.
He continued: "I get it, he's a rookie, so sit him out on Friday morning.
"But when the deficit happened, and him and Scottie played pretty good Friday afternoon, they just got beat, they were nine under, the other team was 11 under, I couldn't believe that he wasn't thrown out there Saturday morning.
"We saw Cam Young, that wasn't in the plan. But they moved him up there with Bryson."
Player | Points | Matches | Overall | Singles | Foursomes | Fourballs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sam Burns | 1 | 3 | 0–1–2 | 0–0–1 | 0–0–0 | 0–1–1 |
Patrick Cantlay | 1.5 | 5 | 1–3–1 | 0–1–0 | 1–1–0 | 0–1–1 |
Bryson DeChambeau | 1.5 | 5 | 1–3–1 | 0–0–1 | 1–1–0 | 0–2–0 |
Harris English | 0.5 | 2 | 0–2–1 | 0–0–1 | 0–2–0 | 0–0–1 |
Ben Griffin | 1 | 2 | 1–1–0 | 1–0–0 | 0–0–0 | 0–1–0 |
Russell Henley | 0.5 | 3 | 0–2–1 | 0–0–0 | 0–2–0 | 0–0–0 |
Collin Morikawa | 0.5 | 3 | 0–2–1 | 0–0–1 | 0–2–0 | 0–0–0 |
Xander Schauffele | 3 | 4 | 3–1–0 | 1–0–0 | 1–1–0 | 1–0–0 |
Scottie Scheffler | 1 | 5 | 1–4–0 | 1–0–0 | 0–2–0 | 0–2–0 |
J. J. Spaun | 2 | 3 | 2–1–0 | 1–0–0 | 0–0–0 | 1–1–0 |
Justin Thomas | 2 | 4 | 2–2–0 | 1–0–0 | 0–1–0 | 1–1–0 |
Cameron Young | 3 | 4 | 3–1–0 | 1–0–0 | 1–0–0 | 1–1–0 |
Key Europe figure "couldn't believe" Keegan Bradley decision
The inquest into the United States' defeat to Europe is ongoing.
Aside from the behaviour of the president of the PGA of America, skipper Keegan Bradley is coming under heavy criticism for some of his choices.
Bradley has already admitted he got the course set-up incorrect, though he stopped short of saying he made mistakes with his pairings.
European Ryder Cup vice-captain Edoardo Molinari admitted he was surprised with some of Bradley's decisions.
Specifically, with the choice to send out Collin Morikawa and Harris English again in the foursomes despite being comfortably beaten by Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy.
Molinari - who has distanced himself from a future captaincy - also denied a report by Telegraph Sport that the European team were close to downing tools when several members of the team were being abused by the crowd.
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