Zach Johnson had to row back on Fred Couples’ now infamous remarks about Cameron Young making his Ryder Cup team, saying his vice-captain’s comments were made “kind of in jest.”
Johnson said that the phone call to Young to tell him he hadn’t made his Ryder Cup team was one of the most difficult, given he finished ninth in the qualifying standings.
In words that will go down in Ryder Cup infamy, Couples famously said in July: “Cam Young will be in Italy.”
Speaking on his own The Fred Couples Show on Sirius XFM PGA Tour Radio, Couples said that Young, Max Homa and Jordan Spieth would all “be in Italy” even if they didn’t qualify automatically.
Hearing Couples’ comments may have been a big boost for Young at the time, making the letdown of being left out even more difficult to take.
Captain Johnson may not have been too happy with his vice-captain’s comments, which put him in a hugely awkward situation when having to tell Young he was not in his 12-man side for Rome.
“All of my phone calls were difficult,” Johnson admitted when questioned about the Couples comments.
“That goes without saying. It’s part of what I was warned about when it came to those and my vice captains that have sat in this seat before.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
“I say that; it did keep me up at night having to make those phone calls, specifically Cam. Phenomenal player, better person. He was nothing but class.
“Yeah, I know what was said, but I think that was a while back. It was kind of in jest. It is what it is.
“All of those phone calls were extremely difficult. Fortunately the ones receiving them were beyond classy.”
Young, Keegan Bradley and Luca Glover have plenty of reasons to be unhappy with missing out on a place in Team USA, but only Young was given false hope by one of the vice-captains.
Having to now face questions about Couples’ comments, Ryder Cup vice-captains in the future may be better served to stay out of selection issues ahead of the announcement.
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