JJ Spaun shuts down Ryder Cup rumours after Colt Knost’s equipment claim

JJ Spaun has dismissed claims that his Ryder Cup benching was down to his choice of golf ball, insisting the decision had “nothing to do” with equipment.

Despite being one of the few bright spots for Team USA at Bethpage Black — collecting two points from three matches — World No.6 Spaun was left out of both foursomes sessions, raising questions after the Americans’ poor start.

Luke Donald’s Europe went on to defeat Keegan Bradley’s USA 15-13 in New York last month.

It saw the blue and yellow become the first away team to win the Ryder Cup since Medinah in 2012.

The win also saw Donald become the first captain since Tony Jacklin in 1989 to win two Ryder Cup contests in a row.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Speaking on the Straight Facts Homie podcast after the event, golf analyst and former US Amateur champion Colt Knost had claimed Spaun’s absence was because he was the only US player using a Srixon golf ball.

“I play golf with J.J. a lot here at home in Scottsdale. We were playing together Thursday before he left and he shot 60 on me, by the way. So he looked in pretty good form. I said, ‘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’.”

However, Spaun, who was making his Ryder Cup debut at Bethpage, has now clarified Bradley’s decision to bench him came down to strategy — not equipment.

Here’s what Spaun told Straight Facts Homie host Trey Wingo:

“Maybe a little bit (surprised about not being involved in alternate shot). I wasn’t sure what format I would start in. I talked to Keegan a few weeks prior, and he was just adamant about having a pretty veteran-heavy lineup going out in the first match, which was foursomes. So, it had nothing to do with how I was playing or what equipment I played. It was more of he wanted to put guys out there first who have been in that arena, have had success, and have had the experience. Getting my feet wet in fourballs, which is probably an easier format, I think, was appropriate.”

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Spaun also reflected on being left out for both foursomes sessions, saying:

“But who knows? I don’t know what the thought process was for Saturday’s matches, but I think Keegan didn’t want to freak out and start changing things around, just assuming, put the batting lineup out there, and eventually get things turned around. Yeah, I thought there would be a little bit of a change, whether it was someone else… I think Cam [Young] was the only one who subbed in for the foursomes on Saturday. That was different, maybe. Honestly, though, the European team were playing so good. They were putting amazingly. They were shooting 8-under par on alternate shot, which is just so hard to do.”

Watch Spaun’s comments in full here:

Spaun, 35, ended the week with two points from three matches — one of only a few Americans to finish with a winning record.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

He lost his Friday fourballs match alongside Scottie Scheffler (3&2 defeat to Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka).

But Spaun bounced back to win his Saturday fourballs match with Xander Schauffele (1up over Rahm and Straka).

He then defeated Straka in their third clash of the week at the Sunday Singles with a 2&1 victory.

Despite the Americans’ valiant recovery on Sunday, the Europeans held on for a deserved two-point victory.

JJ Spaun

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Spaun’s latest comments nevertheless shut down any speculation about equipment politics within the US. team, instead pointing to captain Bradley’s preference for experience early in the contest — a gamble that ultimately failed to pay off.

The US Open’s comments to Wingo in the aftermath of the Ryder Cup come a week after captain Bradley admitted “there’s no part of me that thinks I’ll get over this [losing to Europe].”

One Ryder Cup insider leaked some shocking information immediately after Europe’s victory at Bethpage – an unsubstantiated report claimed USA were underprepared in comparison to Europe – READ MORE HERE

Bradley’s vice-captain Jim Furyk then made an astonishing claim that the greens at Bethpage were not up to the correct speed.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Subscribe to our Newsletter