Toronto Star
· collected 2026-09-22 · by Doug Ferguson The Associated Press
Story summary
At the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, Rory McIlroy stayed competitive with a strong performance in the third round. He finished with an eagle on the 18th hole to move up to second place, just two strokes behind leaders Manuel Elvira and Filippo Celli, who were tied at 13 under par after three rounds. The leaderboard was tightly packed, with over 20 players within four shots of the lead, setting up a thrilling finale on Sunday.
J.J. Spaun won the tournament in his debut, securing victory by two strokes with a final round score of 5-under-par 67. Spaun's triumph came after he was snubbed for selection as part of the U.S. Presidents Cup team, which fueled his motivation to win at Wentworth. His victory made it three Americans winning this event in the last six years and marked his second title of the year following the Texas Open.
The tournament saw numerous top players compete, including McIlroy who is aiming for a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title, and other notable golfers such as Aaron Rai, Adam Scott, and Ryan Gerard.
Written for “BMW PGA Championship Golf Tournament” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.
MEDINAH, Ill. (AP) — Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker chose not to use any of his six picks on J.J. Spaun, the 2025 U.S. Open champion and a winner at the Texas Open earlier in the year.
asserted
Snedeker → choose → year
Spaun said he was referred to as the “odd man odd” and was surprised and disappointed in being left off the U.S. team.
asserted
he → say → team
He said it motivated him when he got to the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, and Spaun birdied four of his last five holes to win, becoming only the third American to capture Europe’s flagship event.
asserted
Spaun → say → event
The victory moved him to No. 12 in the world.
asserted
victory → move → world
Spaun said Snedeker called him the Monday after the Tour Championship — Spaun had to withdraw with a sore shoulder — and the phone call lasted under a minute.
asserted
call → say → minute
“Just said I wasn’t on the team, and said I was the odd man out and I wished him luck and that was it,” Spaun said.
asserted
Spaun → say → luck
Snedeker, speaking to the snub on Tuesday at Medinah, said he had to follow his instincts on his picks, noting he also bypassed Ryan Gerard (No. 23 in the world), Bay Hill winner Akshay Bhatia and even Gary Woodland, one of his assistants this week.
“I feel awful for J.J., and I always will, because he’s a great dude and I love the guy to death,” Snedeker said.
asserted
Snedeker → speak → death
“That being said, he’s a competitor.
asserted
he → say → ?
Like, I knew this was going to happen.
asserted
this → know → ?
I told all the guys that didn’t make the team, ‘Your job is to go make me look like an idiot as quick as possible.’
asserted
me → tell → idiot
”
Spaun must have taken that to heart.
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Spaun → take → heart
“Give them something to go set their sights on, they’re going to do it,” Snedeker said.
asserted
Snedeker → give → it
“I can’t wait to see J.J. get off to a great start next year, and I would be shocked if he’s not on the (Ryder Cup) team in Ireland.
asserted
he → wait → Ireland
British Open criteria doesn’t include LIV Golf
The John Deere Classic is back among qualifying sites for the British Open next year.
asserted
Classic → include → Open
Still to be determined is whether a leading player from LIV Golf gets a spot at St. Andrews.
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gets → determine → Andrews
The R&A on Tuesday released its qualifying criteria for the 155th Open Championship, ranging from its Open Qualifying Series of tournaments around the world to the traditional spots for major champions and leading players from top tour points list.
asserted
R&A → release → list
Joaquin Niemann earned a spot at Royal Birkdale this year as the leading player on LIV Golf’s points list through its eighth event (Andalucia) on the 2026 schedule.
asserted
Niemann → earn → schedule
Now that LIV’s future is uncertain as it goes through Chapter 11 bankruptcy without Saudi funding, it’s not part of the criteria.
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it → go → criteria
“The exemption for the LIV Golf Order of Merit remains under review until the 2027 LIV Golf schedule is confirmed,” the R&A said in its release.
asserted
R&A → remain → release
For the PGA Tour, the Open Qualifying Series again offers a spot to the leading player not already exempt at the Memorial and the Arnold Palmer Invitational, along with three spots at the Canadian Open and Scottish Open.
asserted
Series → offer → Open
The John Deere Classic also gets one spot, as it did in 2024.
asserted
it → get → 2024
The bet J.J. Spaun lost with his wife
J.J. Spaun always wanted to feel like a global golfer, and winning the European tour’s flagship event is a great way to start.
asserted
winning → lose → event
That it happened in England at the BMW PGA Championship was only fitting.
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happened → happen → Championship
His wife told him Jeremy Clarkson would be at Wentworth, and she carried around a cardboard face of Clarkson during the final round.
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she → tell → round
They also took their first overseas trip together to Cotswold three years ago, which led to a most interesting promise.
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which → take → promise
Spaun was off to a great start in 2025, contending in the Sony Open, runner-up at the Cognizant Classic and losing in a playoff to Rory McIlroy at The Players Championship.
asserted
Spaun → contend → Championship
That’s when his wife offered him a wager.
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wife → offer → wager
If Spaun were to win a tournament, he would buy a cottage in Cotswold.
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he → win → Cotswold
Spaun thought that wasn’t a big enough feat.
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that → think → ?
So his wife upped the ante by asking if he would do it by winning a major.
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he → up → major
“Of course if I won a major, I’ll do whatever you want,” Spaun said he told her.
asserted
he → win → her
Just over two months later, he won the U.S. Open at Oakmont.
asserted
he → win → Oakmont
“She’s sending me listings on Zillow the following day,” Spaun said.
asserted
Spaun → send → Zillow
“We’ve come to a compromise.
asserted
We → come → compromise
We don’t own a cottage yet.”
asserted
We → own → cottage
The Canadian rookie finally gets to the Presidents Cup
Twelve years after Nick Taylor won the first of his five PGA Tour titles, the 38-year-old Canadian finally gets to play in the Presidents Cup.
asserted
Canadian → get → Cup
It’s a bit surprising considering he has reached the Tour Championship twice, and delivered big moments like winning the Canadian Open and taking down Phil Mickelson at Pebble Beach.
asserted
he → ’ → Beach
“Two of my best years were gap years,” Taylor said Tuesday.
asserted
Taylor → say → years
Those were in 2023 and 2025, also known as Ryder Cup years.
asserted
Those → know → years
“To sneak onto this one, I think I was relieved more than anything.”
asserted
I → sneak → anything
…and 18 more, not listed.
The Aporia
