The highly anticipated list of the Ryder Cup captain’s picks became official recently. The list had some names that the fans were expecting to find. It included a few names they were not enthusiastic about. And it missed out on a few names they were rooting for. Besides, there was one name on the list that particularly irked the fans: Justin Thomas.

Amid the mixed feedback that slightly leans towards protests, Fred Couples, the vice captain of the Ryder Cup US team, has spoken up about the issue. Touching upon how the choices were based on the collective interests and opinions of the team members, Couples strongly iterated and justified the importance of JT being on the team!

Fred Couples declares Justin Thomas a vital part of the 2023 Ryder Cup team

Fred Couples recently spoke about the logic and reasoning behind the Ryder Cup captain’s picks on ‘The Fred Couples Show with Downing’ on PGA Tour Radio. A major part of the hot topic discussion, of course, was Justin Thomas, whom the golf verteran openly stood up for. Couples sounded confident about adding Justin Thomas to the roster, calling it a “no-brainer”.

While he agreed the analytics do not present Thomas well, he claimed the way he plays golf speaks volumes. “One of the things JT can do is he can dissect the golf course. That’s what we’re counting on.” Moreover, responding to the many queries from fans about why some players are not on the list, Couples said, “The only answer I have is, this is the team, and the team has spoken.”

He also addressed the many claims that favoritism had influenced the picks over talent, and surprisingly, Couples didn’t completely disagree. “If the team likes another guy a little bit better than that guy who didn’t win six tournaments and do all this, then, then no one has a problem with any of it,” he boldly stated.

While JT made the list, the likes of Cameron Young, Keegan Bradley, and Lucas Glover missed their spots on the 12-player USA side and had the fans visibly disappointed. However, couples addressed their queries about these stars too, especially that of Bradley, whom many assumed was a shoo-in for the event!

Read more: ‘Milking That Friendship With Tiger’: Justin Thomas’ Latest Glow Up Puts Golf World in a Foul Mood

Couples explains why Keegan Bradley was left out

Shedding light on the exclusion of Bradley from the team, the vice captain narrated a decade-old story involving him and Keegan Bradley. He shared how, in 2011, Couples skipped Bradley from the President’s Cup list despite him holding a PGA Tour win. The golf veteran admitted it was the harshest thing to do but added that even though the team is a players’ team, in the end it was the captain’s choice.

The 63-year-old also addressed Bradley’s recent statement about being an outsider. “There’s no outside,” he stated. Couples added that although Bradley has a lot of experience, “he’s not in tight with the team.” It seems like the likes of Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler, or Patrick Cantlay share a bond and team spirit that KB doesn’t yet seem to possess.

Do you think Couples’ justification of JT’s inclusion and Bradley’s omission from the team makes sense? And do you agree with them? Tell us in the comments below!

Watch This Story | Amidst the Ryder Cup Speculations Liv Golf Witnesses the Glory as One of the Defectors Embraces a Dream Come True Moment