The International team for the Presidents Cup is for players from all over the world except for Europe. It also helps to have a PGA Tour card in America.
One of the tougher phone calls for International captain Geoff Ogilvy was to inform Casey Jarvis, the 23-year-old South African, he would not be on the team that goes to Medinah.
Jarvis won four times in four months, concluding with a South African Open title that earned him a spot in the Masters. Ogilvy also was impressed Jarvis came over to the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and they had kept in touch via text messages over the last few months.
Jarvis closed with a 66 at Royal Birkdale to tie for sixth in The Open.
“He was very determined to make the team,” Ogilvy said after announcing his captain’s picks. “But then the European schedule is tough.”
Europe had a three-week break after The Open. Jarvis played twice leading up to Ogilvy’s picks and missed the cut both times.
Ryan Fox had won on the DP World Tour and had three runner-up finishes to get inside the top 50 when he was left off the International team in 2022. Thriston Lawrence was worthy of consideration in 2024 playing a European tour schedule, though the Internationals had enough depth that even two Canadians were left off that team in Royal Montreal.
Even so, Ogilvy conceded not having a PGA Tour card can be a detriment.
“If you have two equal golfers, one who plays fulltime in Europe and one fulltime here, you have to lean toward the guy who plays here,” Ogilvy said.
“Not only because you know him, but he’s used to being in the locker room with Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Sam Burns. There’s a comfort level. Take a kid who plays in Europe. He might be playing the same level of golf, but you don’t know how he’s going to react on the first tee if you drop him on Scheffler and Burns.”
Ogilvy said Fox was disappointed not to make the 2022 team at Quail Hollow, a team that already was gutted by players leaving for LIV Golf.
“Talk to him now and he’s like, ‘Yeah, that was probably the right call because I don’t know how ready I would have been,’” Ogilvy said. Since then, Fox has three PGA Tour victories, including The Open this summer at Birkdale.
“Golf is golf, but playing over here is challenging,” Ogilvy said. “It’s a different environment. They’ve got big auras around them and it takes a while to get used to that.”
