The upcoming Ryder Cup will be celebrated on all fronts. This time, either Team America will be able to return the gold trophy to their homeland after a three-decade wait, or Team Europe will be able to keep the trophy on their home turf. As a result, everyone is biting their nails in anticipation of the game, especially after the controversial picks the team captains made!

At the forefront of these debatable picks is Justin Thomas. The two-time major winner made it onto the American Ryder Cup squad thanks to one of Zach Johnson’s wildcard picks and has sparked controversy ever since. However, it seems like the entire debate surrounding JT seems to have been missed by the European side captain!

European Captain Luke Donald’s view on Justin Thomas’ selection 

At a press conference on Monday, team captains answered questions about team selections, team roles, and rehearsal for the upcoming Ryder Cup. During the conversation, European Captain Luke Donald was asked about this season’s captain picks and Captain Zach Johnson’s decision to keep Justin Thomas on the team despite his poor form.

Responding to this, Captain Donald stated, “Certainly Zach knows what he’s doing, and I wasn’t really paying too much attention.” He went on to say that the team does keep track of the opposing teams’ stats and that certainly different choices could have been made.

“Justin Thomas has played two Ryder Cups, and obviously they feel like, despite some inconsistent play, which he would say he had, that he brings a lot to the team room,” said the European skipper, justifying ZJ’s thinking. “Again, Zach obviously knows what he’s doing. To be honest, I was more concentrated on my team rather than what they were doing.”

Despite all the controversy, JT has returned to the greens and will be a member of the Ryder Cup team once more this year. His debatable selection has been the talk of the golf town, as it raises a few eyebrows, and here is why!

Zach Johnson sheds light on JT’s controversial Ryder Cup presence

Thomas made it to this year’s Ryder Cup as one of the six picks of Team USA Captain Johnson. After the seasonal slump, JT had been in the limelight for his poor performance at past tournaments, especially with him missing 5 out of 9 cuts since June this year. And so Johnson’s pick stirred controversy.

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Zach Johnson clarified in an interview that JT was selected for his overall record, which includes his current form, something that was tested at the Fortinet Championship, his presence on the course, his alignment with the team, and his past experience playing for the Ryder Cup.

JT has an impressive Ryder Cup track record, ranging from his leadership skills to his adaptability on the course. And based on his very recent performance at the Fortinet Championship, where JT made a remarkable comeback, the hopes of seeing him shine on the Italian grounds are high.

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