Brendon de Jonge was at home in Charlotte, North Carolina when he got the call from Team International Captain Nick Price telling him he had been selected to play this week at the Presidents Cup . The 33 year-old from Harare, Zimbabwe did not have a win on the PGA Tour in 2013, or ever for that fact, but it was what he did at the Deutsche Bank Championship during the FedEx Cup playoffs, and who he did it with that did the trick. His T 9 finish at TPC Boston prompted a phone call from Presidents Cup elder statesman, Ernie Els telling de Jonge’s fellow countryman that Brendon belonged on the team that was headed for Muirfield Village .
Brendon has been teamed with Ernie for the entirety of the matches a to this point, and has produced like a veteran. He has been able to make some clutch shots and overcome El’s putting woes to the point that they have been game in every match. They are currently in the third rain delay of the tournament, and the de Jonge. Els team are down 4 & 2 to a red-hot Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley in the morning Four Balls contest.
For my money, Brendon de Jonge is playing as well as any of the International stars at this point. He and Ernie Els were able to beat Bill Hass and Hunter Mahan in the Foursomes that started on Friday afternoon and ended early this morning. They were beaten on Thursday by Steve Stricker and Jordan Spieth on the strength of Strickers game.
For the most part, if the veteran, Els could have made a few putts, that team may well be 2-0 at this point with a chance to make it 3-0. Brendon de Jonge isn’t playing quite as well today as he did yesterday, but is carrying his share of the International load.
The success the youngster has found down the stretch this year, and his success during the Presidents cup could easily propel him to a very nice 2014 golf season on the PGA Tour.
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