‘That Was Part of It’: Weeks After His Bold Decision, Zach Johnson Makes an Honest Confession About Justin Thomas Decision

Since the first announcement, the USA Ryder Cup squad has been mired in controversy. First, there was the hot debate over whether LIV golfers would be or indeed should be selected. Then came US captain Zach Johnson’s wildcard picks, and all hell broke loose.

It is fair to say that no one was quite happy with Zach Johnson’s six picks. In the Ryder Cup, where half of the team selection for both sides hinges on a single nod from the captain, needless to say, the veteran golfer has been at the thick of it. Now, given a chance, he justifies the reasons behind perhaps his most controversial pick in a recent press conference—that of Justin Thomas!

The US team captain puts faith in Justin Thomas, the Ryder Cup veteran

Of all the players he picked, Justin Thomas’ name probably shocked fans and analysts more than any other. The two-time Ryder Cup veteran’s recent form has not been quite impressive. Understandably, fans and analysts were not convinced by the team captain’s wildcard pick.

At the press conference ahead of the Ryder Cup, the Justin Thomas issue was obviously brought up. Zach, however, looked beyond the recent forms as he explained, “He has all the intangibles and the innate ability to rally guys around him and be a leader vocally but also without having to say much.”

But was that the sole reason? It seemed otherwise when he said, “Those guys were, you know, adamant they wanted those six other guys to help complete their team, and J.T. was one of them. Before quickly adding, I’m not saying that that was my persuasion to pick him, but that was part of it.”

The two-time major winner has failed to impress in the majors and failed to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs. Many fans and analysts pointed out that there were a lot of worthier golfers who should have gotten a spot, with Keegan Bradley’s name frequently thrown alongside those suggestions. Bradley qualified for the PGA Tour playoffs. Interestingly, three of the current USA team members finished behind Bradley.

Clearly, Zach Johnson looked for many more qualities than just form. On his part, though, was that a wise choice?

The USA captain is banking on old guards, but will it work out?

To put things into context, four of Johnson’s six wildcard picks were members of the 2021 USA squad, where they ran riot over Europe in a 19-9 victory. It is not hard to see the reasoning behind the skipper’s pick for the Cup veterans. He is clearly banking on experience.

Read More: Is Choosing Justin Thomas Over Bryson DeChambeau Justified? Diving Deeper Into the Controversial Pick

However, if one looks back at the European debacle at Whistling Straits, the USA’s transatlantic neighbor boasted veterans such as Sergio Garcia, Shane Lowry, and Ian Poulter. Unfortunately, their experience didn’t pay dividends as the USA swaggered to a record-breaking 19-9 victory. For some, that might be telling. For ZJ, however, that might just be a chance happening.

As Team USA endeavors to do something they haven’t done in the last thirty years by winning the Ryder Cup on European soil, American fans will certainly hope for something more than experience and team spirit from their players.

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