Els Makes His Captain's Picks, Does The Best With What He's Got To Work With

The race to make Ernie Els’ International squad didn’t exactly yield any thrilling breakout performances this fall, making Captain Els’ job of filling out the team a tough task. But thanks to some fall play from Joaquin Niemann and Adam Hadwin, the 2019 Presidents Cup team was filled out with two formful types who should fit Royal Melbourne well.

This is not to diminish Jason Day’s win in the MGM Resorts The Challenge: Japan Skins.

Not surprisingly, Day and Sungjae Im got the other two nods on earlier play and career credibility, as Adam Schupak reports for Golfweek.

Hadwin was the longest shot picked but a great one given his game, style and the venue.

Canadian Adam Hadwin, 32, competed on the 2017 International Team at Liberty National (0-2-1). He ranked 18th in the standings, but made a late charge racking up top-5 finishes at the Safeway Open (2nd) and Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (T-4) in September.

“I’m happy that it was a good phone call for me,” he said. “Having been on the team once before and experienced it and gone through what we went through in New York and Ernie being there as well, I’m that much more familiar with everything going on and that much more prepared.”