In a significant development for the International Team ahead of the upcoming Presidents Cup, captain Geoff Ogilvy announced that Jason Day will not be part of the roster due to ongoing back issues. The decision comes after careful consideration, as Ogilvy deemed that Day, who has struggled with his injury since withdrawing from the U.S. Open in June, requires more time to recover.
The 38-year-old Day, currently ranked 67th in the world, has a storied history with the Presidents Cup, having represented the International Team five times since his debut in 2011. His absence will be felt, as he is not only a seasoned competitor but also a former world No. 1 and an 11-time PGA Tour champion, including a victory at the 2015 PGA Championship.
During a media call, Ogilvy explained the rationale behind his decision, stating, "I spoke to Jason quite a lot, sort of between post-British Open, I would say. It just didn't feel a hundred percent guarantee that he could make it through four days of the Presidents Cup. It was a bit risky." He emphasized the importance of allowing Day to fully rehabilitate his back rather than rushing him back into competition.
Ogilvy referenced a previous incident during the Ryder Cup at Bethpage, where Viktor Hovland was unable to compete in the Sunday Singles, resulting in a tie for his match against Harris English. This experience weighed on Ogilvy's mind as he made his decision regarding Day's participation. He remarked, "It was my decision in the end, but it felt like the right decision. He needs to go and look after his back and get himself back to 100 percent."
With Day sidelined, Ogilvy turned his attention to South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who, despite being outside the top 15 in the International Team standings, has previous experience in the event, having competed in the last two Cups. Ogilvy noted Bezuidenhout's track record, stating, "Christiaan has experience in this event that would have been difficult to leave on the table. He’s earned 3.5 points in five matches, including two Singles victories. He knows what to expect and he delivers. That’s why I’ve selected him."
Bezuidenhout, 32, finished 97th in the FedEx Cup standings this season and missed the playoffs, with only two top-10 finishes to his name. However, Ogilvy believes that Bezuidenhout's skill set is not accurately reflected by his world ranking, which currently sits at No. 96. The captain explained, "He's a bit of an outlier in that his world ranking doesn’t reflect his skill level. He hasn’t had a whole lot of high finishes this year, but he’s finished really solid in a lot of tournaments."
Ogilvy highlighted Bezuidenhout's strengths, including his impressive putting and iron play, making a compelling case for his selection. He concluded, "Every other metric, he became really obvious for us." As the Presidents Cup approaches, the International Team will need to adapt to Day's absence, but with Bezuidenhout's experience and skill, they remain hopeful for a strong showing.
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