Among the many notable contenders chasing the BMW PGA Championship lead at Wentworth this weekend is 2025 U.S. Open champ J.J. Spaun.
Fans probably didn’t expect to see Spaun’s name in the field this week given that he both withdrew from the Tour Championship with a shoulder injury just three weeks ago and had no history playing at this tournament until prior to Thursday’s opening round.
Spaun told reporters after carding a 6-under 66 in Surrey, England on Friday that he didn’t expected to be left off captain Brandt Snedeker’s U.S. Presidents Cup roster for Medinah despite the injury which he had described at the time as being like as a “knife in the shoulder blade.”
“It was disappointing to be left off,” Spaun said. “I wasn’t really — I wasn’t expecting it to be honest.”
He added that he had circled Wentworth if he didn’t get the chance to play at the 2026 Presidents Cup and that he made it his goal to win the tournament despite it being his career debut.
“I’m here and I’m just doing what I do — play golf, and do the best that I can,” said Spaun, who entered the clubhouse two shots off the lead at 10 under after 36 holes.
He believed his performance the 2025 Ryder Cup would have been enough to get him onto the Presidents Cup roster as a captain’s pick.
Additionally, he won the Valero Texas Open in April and finished in the top 30 in the FedExCup points list this summer — good enough to make it to Atlanta for the season finale before the shoulder flared up.
“I kind of did everything I could,” Spaun said. “I was the odd man out.”
