Geoff Ogilvy just rounded out his 12-player International Presidents Cup roster with six captain’s picks, and one of the toughest calls he had to make was to Casey Jarvis, the 23-year-old South African. Jarvis got the news no golfer wants: he would not be on the team heading to Medinah.
The European Schedule Strikes Again
This isn’t just some kid who was on the fringes, either. Jarvis had an absolutely scorching run, winning four times in four months, including the South African Open title that punched his ticket to the Masters. He even came over for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, impressed Ogilvy, and kept in touch via texts for months. You want more? He shot a 66 at Royal Birkdale to tie for sixth in The Open. He was, as Ogilvy himself put it, “very determined to make the team.” So what happened? Ogilvy pointed directly at the “European schedule.” After The Open, Europe had a three-week break, and Jarvis played twice leading up to the captain’s picks, missing the cut both times. That timing is brutal.
Why Playing “Over Here” Is a Game Changer
Ogilvy didn’t mince words when he conceded that not having a PGA Tour card can be a major detriment. “If you have two equal golfers, one who plays fulltime in Europe and one fulltime here, you have to lean toward the guy who plays here,” the captain stated. It’s not just about knowing the player. It’s about comfort. The guy playing here is “used to being in the locker room with Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Sam Burns.” Ogilvy asked, “Take a kid who plays in Europe. He might be playing the same level of golf, but you don’t know how he’s going to react on the first tee if you drop him on Scheffler and Burns.” That’s a huge psychological hurdle.
Think about Ryan Fox. He won on the DP World Tour and had three runner-up finishes, even getting into the top 50, but he was left off the 2022 team. Ogilvy said Fox was disappointed then, especially since that team was already gutted by players leaving for LIV Golf. But guess what Fox says now? “Yeah, that was probably the right call because I don’t know how ready I would have been.” Since then, Fox has bagged three PGA Tour victories, including The Open this summer at Birkdale. It really makes you think about the pressure. Ogilvy summed it up: “Golf is golf, but playing over here is challenging. It’s a different environment. They’ve got big auras around them and it takes a while to get used to that.”
So, while we wait to see how Ogilvy’s 12-player squad performs at Medinah, the message for any aspiring International team member is crystal clear: get that PGA Tour card. It might just be the deciding factor.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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