The Presidents Cup returns to Montreal, Canada in September, with Team USA looking to win the event for the 10th time in a row – but they will be without a number of stars
Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson won’t participate at the 2024 Presidents Cup
Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson won’t participate at the 2024 Presidents
Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau are set to miss out on the 2024 Presidents Cup in Montreal, Canada.
The prestigious biennial event is making a comeback this September, with Team USA gunning for their 10th consecutive victory against the International Team. However, Jim Furyk’s squad will be without any players involved with LIV Golf due to PGA Tour sanctions.
Similarly, the International Team, led by captain Mike Weir, won’t feature any talent from the controversial Saudi-backed league.“It’s just an unfortunate situation that we’re in right now, and they are not eligible as of now,” Weir said. “I’ve been told they’re not eligible, they’re not going to be eligible. And hopefully going forward, maybe in Chicago in 2026, they are. It is a shame. I mean, we want the best players.”
Here’s a rundown of the major players who’ll be absent from the action in Montreal later this year.
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Dustin Johnson
Dustin Johnson bagged both the individual and team titles with his 4Aces in 2022. The two-time major champion is well-versed in team competitions, having claimed victory in four Presidents Cups representing the US.
His last Presidents Cup performance, however, was in 2019. He missed the 2022 edition of the matchplay clash despite being the star man on the breakaway circuit.
His LIV loyalties ensured he was unable to compete in the event, and he will fall to the same fate once again this year.
Bryson DeChambeau
Another American star who finds himself in the same boat as Johnson is fellow LIV star DeChambeau. The Crushers captain has played once in the Presidents Cup, helping Team USA clinch the title back in 2019.
For 2024, there is no doubt DeChambeau would be the perfect addition to Furyk’s team having just been crowned U.S. Open champion.
Despite his incredible victory around Pinehurst No. 2 though, DeChambeau’s LIV membership, and PGA Tour suspension means he is unable to join up with Furyk and Co.
Bryson DeChambeau of the United States poses with the trophy after winning the 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort on June 16, 2024 in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
Bryson DeChambeau of the United States poses with the trophy after winning the 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort on June 16, 2024 in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
The same can be said for DeChambeau’s long-time rival-turned-ally Brooks Koepka, who is also playing his golf on the LIV setup. Koepka – who has announced himself as one of the greatest players of his generation – has remarkably played in just one Presidents Cup for Team USA, coming back in 2017.
And he is unsurprisingly unable to make appearance No. 2 in September due to his choice of Tour.
Cam Smith
The International Team setup is undoubtedly feeling the absence of Cam Smith, a significant loss that can be attributed to the LIV Golf ban. This has dealt a severe blow to Weir’s team, with their star player Smith missing from the lineup.
The former Open champion made his only Presidents Cup appearance in 2019 at Royal Melbourne.
Smith seemed poised to spearhead a new generation of International stars towards their first victory against the United States since 1998. However, his decision to join LIV Golf in 2022 put an end to this prospect.
Another name that would have been high on Weir’s list is Joaquin Niemann. The Chilean sensation has emerged as the most in-form player in the LIV setup in 2024, clinching victories twice this season in Mayakoba and Jeddah, and leading the pack in the season-long standings.
This would have undoubtedly secured him a spot on the International Team, but his eligibility rules out this possibility. Niemann has one Presidents Cup appearance under his belt, having participated in Australia in 2019.
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