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Scottie Scheffler was full of praise for J.J. Spaun’s work-rate after his place on the 2025 US Ryder Cup team was confirmed during last year’s FedEx Cup playoffs.
Many will remember Spaun falling agonisingly short at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, as he was beaten in a playoff by Justin Rose. The silver lining for Spaun was that he booked his ticket to Bethpage with his performance.
In truth, Spaun’s place on the team had looked secure for some time. He had, of course, won the US Open in stunning fashion at Oakmont earlier in the season. He had also come within inches of winning The Players Championship ahead of Rory McIlroy.
Nevertheless, it would have been a relief to Spaun to guarantee his place on the Ryder Cup team having never previously been in the conversation to represent Team USA.
How Scottie Scheffler reacted to J.J. Spaun earning his Ryder Cup spot in 2025
Speaking after his own final round in Memphis last August, Scottie Scheffler suggested that Spaun had done more than enough to prove himself.
“Yeah, he’s a great player. He’s got a ton of talent. He hits it really, really solid. To win a U.S. Open you’ve got to grind really hard, and he’s a guy that he gets the ball in play, hits it really solid and he holes a lot of putts. He’s a tough guy to beat,” he said.
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“You love seeing guys like that have success, guys that work hard and get the most out of their games, and J.J. is definitely one of those guys that’s a grinder out here. You always see him practicing, see him in the gym. Definitely happy to see him having the success that he has.”
Keegan Bradley said J.J. Spaun would be the ‘heartbeat’ of the US team at Bethpage
With Spaun winning a major championship in 2025, it was always going to take something remarkable for him to miss out on representing Team USA for the first time.
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Certainly, captain Keegan Bradley felt comfortable enough to say that Spaun had all but made the team when he was asked about him at the Travelers Championship, the first event after his US Open victory.
“I’ve spoken with J.J. I am so thrilled for him to have won that tournament. He’s played so great this year. I think going to a course like Bethpage Black, the people are really going to be behind a guy like J.J. Spaun. His story is incredible. He’s a hard working guy that’s just building and building and building his whole career. To win the U.S. Open at Oakmont, in my eyes, is the pinnacle of major golf. It’s as tough as you can get,” he said.
“I think he’s a guy that people at Bethpage will really resonate with and a guy that on our team is the heartbeat. He’s now the U.S. Open champion. That’s a heavy burden to bear, but that’s also a great thing to have on your team.
“I’m really proud to have him on this team because it’s really difficult to make your first team. To go out there the way he did this year and play in these big events this well is a testament to what a player he is.”
Bradley would not exactly utilise Spaun as if he was the heartbeat of the team in New York. He played just three matches, and went on to deliver two points for his team. Interestingly, Spaun featured in neither of the foursomes sessions.
Spaun will not be at Medinah this week following Brandt Snedeker’s decision to not pick him for the Presidents Cup. That decision is looking like a gamble given his victory at the BMW PGA Championship this past week.
It is hard to imagine that it will cost Team USA given their dominance in the Presidents Cup. However, there is no question that it was a disappointing move to overlook Spaun.
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