One was the “bubble boy” for the BMW Championship. Another is in the same spot at this week’s 2024 Tour Championship.
This week at East Lake Golf Club, Keegan Bradley – 50th a week ago – and Justin Thomas – 30th this week – as well as Chris Kirk are hoping to show 2024 Presidents Cup captain Jim Furyk they deserve a spot on the U.S. team that’s preparing to battle the International squad in September.
The first six players for the U.S. were announced Sunday night as the automatic qualifiers. The other six will be captain’s picks for the biennial competition Sept. 26-29 at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Bradley made a jump of eight spots to No. 10 in the Presidents Cup standings after winning the 2024 BMW Championship last Sunday, doing so after arriving at Castle Pines Golf Club in the last position in the FedEx Cup standings.
The 2025 Ryder Cup captain said he’s been having conversations with Furyk about the Presidents Cup roster.
“I’ve spoken to him a little bit. We’re going to chat a little more as the week goes on,” he said Wednesday. “I want to do what’s best for the team. I truly, truly mean that. If what’s best for the team is for me to play, then I want to play. If what’s best is for me to be the vice captain and there’s better pairings, then I’m happy to do that.”
Tour Championship: Thursday tee times | Picks to win | Staggered start
Justin Thomas was the last guy in the field this week. When he finished his round last Sunday in Colorado, he sounded like a golfer who figured he wouldn’t make the cut for East Lake but by the time he got home to Jupiter, Florida, he realized he had a spot in Atlanta.
Now he’s playing the wait-and-see game again. Does he feel like this is an audition week?
“I guess I would answer that, I don’t feel like I am for me, but if I was him, I would say I am, if that makes sense,” he said. “With how many people have an opportunity, I think it would be. … he’s definitely looking at guys that are potential picks and how they’re playing.”
“I’m definitely more at ease now than I was last year about getting picked, and it’s not from a lack of wanting to be on the team or feel like it’s not as important,” he continued. “Just my priorities are in a better place, that if I play the golf that I know I should it’ll take care of itself.
“I obviously really, really want to be on that team.”
Thomas dropped three spots to 19th after the BMW. Chris Kirk, who tied for ninth at the BMW, held steady in the 13th spot.
“I’d say it’s somewhat in the back of my mind,” Kirk said Wednesday. “That’s something that I would absolutely love to be a part of. I’m not going to lie to you about that. But I think that it’s pretty easy for me to just realize that that kind of stuff is so uncontrollable. All I can really do is just go and compete to the best of my ability and just see what happens. But yeah, I’m excited just to be here and have the opportunity.”
Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay and Sahith Theegala are the automatic qualifiers. The next six in the standings as of Aug. 28, 2024:
7. Sam Burns
8. Tony Finau
9. Russell Henley
10. Keegan Bradley
11. Brian Harman
12. Max Homa
Furyk will announce his six captain’s picks Tuesday, Sept. 3.