J.J. Spaun turned disappointment into victory Sunday, winning the 2026 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in his first appearance at the DP World Tour’s flagship event. The American closed with four birdies over his final holes to seize control, while Manuel Elvira’s challenge unraveled with a devastating collapse on the 18th, allowing Spaun to claim the title.
The victory came shortly after Spaun was left off the U.S. Presidents Cup team by captain Brandt Snedeker. Spaun had finished 10th on the American points list and had also impressed at last year’s Ryder Cup, making his omission a surprise. Rather than dwell on the decision, he used it as motivation in England.
“We haven’t spoken,” Spaun said of Snedeker. “But yeah, I played with a huge chip on my shoulder. I definitely had something to prove this week.” He added that he wanted to show he deserved a place on the team, but wished the Americans well ahead of their meeting with the Internationals at Medinah Country Club.
Spaun’s win made him only the third American champion of the BMW PGA Championship, following Arnold Palmer and Billy Horschel. It also extended a remarkable pattern: for the third consecutive year, the tournament was won by a player who had missed selection for his respective international team, following Horschel in 2024 and Alex Noren in 2025. “Everything happens for a reason,” Spaun said. “I’m just super happy.”