Ryan Gerard’s solo third at the Tour Championship came at an awkward time. The result lifted him from 17th to third in the final FedExCup standings, but the U.S. Presidents Cup automatic-qualification race had already closed after the BMW Championship on August 23.
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That left Gerard’s bid for a place at Medinah dependent on Brandt Snedeker’s six captain’s picks. With the captain opting for a mix of established names and three Presidents Cup rookies, including Jackson Koivun and Jacob Bridgeman, Gerard’s omission quickly became one of the most debated calls from the U.S. roster announcement.
“I think if you’re Ryan Gerard and you woke up on Tuesday morning having just gotten the news from Brandt Snedeker that you were not going to be part of that team, I think you’re probably a little bit pissed off about what transpired,” Lav said on the Golf Channel podcast. “If you want a player who’s playing well at this time of year, you would have wanted Ryan Gerard, who’s just coming off a third-place finish at the Tour Championship.
“He lost in a playoff at a signature event. Three runner-up finishes in total in 2026, and above average. I believe he finished the season 26th in strokes. But there was a lot to like in terms of Ryan Gerard’s game, what he could have offered. Certainly from a mentality, personality standpoint, he’s a guy who seemingly always gets what he wants and is going to do whatever it takes to get the job done. I think you saw at the end of 2025, flew halfway around the world just to try and clinch a spot in that top five.”
Ryan Gerard has had an exceptional 2026 season. Of the 26 starts he has had so far, he made the cut in 2022. While he didn’t win any events this year, he finished runner-up thrice, at the Sony Open in Hawaii, the American Express, and the Memorial Tournament.
As the Golf Channel host noted, his stats were quite impressive, too. He ranks 20th on the PGA Tour in terms of SG: Total (0.805). His putting is also good, where he stands 27th on the Tour (0.362). While his around-the-green game is a little poor, his driving and approach game are above average.
Gerard’s case was not built solely on results in regular PGA Tour events. At The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July, he finished tied for ninth at 5 under, closing with rounds of 67, 67, 69 and 72. He began the final round in a tie for fourth, three shots behind 54-hole leader Sam Burns, before ultimately sharing ninth place with players including Russell Henley, Ludvig Åberg and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.
That finish added further weight to his Presidents Cup argument. Gerard had already posted multiple runner-up finishes during the season, but a top-10 result in a major showed he could contend on one of golf’s biggest stages and against a stronger international field. His T9 at Royal Birkdale also came shortly before he added a T8 at the Rocket Classic and then surged into solo third at the Tour Championship.
He carried that momentum into the Tour Championship at East Lake, where a 5-under 65 in the second round moved him to 10 under and into a share of the lead with Viktor Hovland. He followed it with a 4-under 66 on Saturday, including a birdie at the par-5 18th after reaching the green in two, to sit one shot off the lead heading into the final round. His sustained contention at the season finale only strengthened his case for a Presidents Cup captain’s pick.
On the contrary, Jackson Koivun has a decorated amateur resume. He has 17 individual amateur wins. And after turning pro at the John Deere Classic this year, he also won an event on the PGA Tour. He held his nerve on the final day, with Scottie Scheffler chasing him, at the 3M Open to win his third start as a professional. The 21-year-old even secured a spot in the St. Jude Championship and finished T24 at the first playoff event.
While the numbers are great, the real question is whether selecting Jackson Koivun over Ryan Gerard is a good choice. As Lav said, Gerard is determined and has extensive experience. He has been playing on the PGA Tour since last year and has won an event himself. Across these two years, he earned close to $15 million in prize money, of which more than $10 million came this season alone. This shows improvement, and he is currently in form, as we all saw last week in Atlanta.
Koivun’s young age and lack of experience are the biggest concerns for many. He did win the 3M Open, but didn’t post a single top-20 finish in any of the three events he played since then.
While Koivun’s selection raises a lot of questions, it was not a random pick. Defending his pick, Snedeker said that he and his team took a hard look at all the golfers, but what Koivun did at 3M and in his amateur career impressed him most.
“I think he brings a lot to our team room,” the US Presidents Cup captain said. “He brings a lot to us in terms of pairings. I know what this guy is capable of. I know what he’s going to bring to us, and I’m excited to show him to the world.”
Although it remains debatable, the decision is made now. Ryan Gerard’s consistency, experience, and recent form made a strong case for his inclusion, but Snedeker ditched him. Whether the captain made the right call will only become clear at the Presidents Cup 2026.