As is always the case for these biennial team competitions, there were inevitably going to be some high-profile players left feeling disappointed despite stellar seasons after International captain Mike Weir and American counterpart Jim Furyk finalized their lineups this week.

While the likes of Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith will be thrilled with their inclusion on Weir's International roster, one can't help but feel for consistent veteran Adam Hadwin, who has proven himself on the big stage before but will have to watch from home this time around. And South Africa's Thriston Lawrence, fresh off a win and runner-up finish, looked a strong fit for the Canadian courses but will sadly be absent.

On the American side, Furyk's decision to omit the immensely talented Justin Thomas from the team is sure to raise some eyebrows and be seen as a major surprise by fans. As one of the game's brightest stars who has excelled previously for Team USA, Thomas no doubt had his sights set on returning. Meanwhile, the consistent Chris Kirk and streaky young gun Akshay Bhatia, who enjoyed a breakthrough season, can feel hard done by in missing selection.

The ones everyone will talk about for the coming weeks.

For the International Team, one of the biggest surprises had to be the omission of South Africa's Thriston Lawrence. Still just 24, Lawrence has proven himself at the highest levels this season with victory on the Sunshine Tour and recent runner-up finish at the British Masters. His fearless style would have translated well to the Canadian courses and his international experience makes leaving him out a head-scratching decision.

On the American side, the exclusion of Justin Thomas from captain Jim Furyk's selections is sure to cause the most debate. As one of the most accomplished U.S. players of the past decade and a central part of their recent team success, Thomas seemed a lock to be included. His absence leaves many wondering what convinced Furyk it was a "tough, tough" call to overlook arguably their top talent.

Also missing out with surprisingly strong credentials is 22-year-old Akshay Bhatia. Enjoying a breakthrough season that included his first PGA Tour triumph, Bhatia appeared the perfect candidate to aid his development on golf's biggest global stage. His omission raises questions.

Nick Taylor

While no doubt disappointing for the players themselves, in analyzing captain Mike Weir's selection process for the International Presidents Cup team, the omission of home country favorite and Canadian Open champion Nick Taylor is sure to attract much debate.

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As Sean noted, Weir had the opportunity to include three Canadians on his roster playing in Montreal. And while Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith were understandable picks given their solid recent form, it's puzzling that the literal face of the Canadian Open was overlooked. While Taylor may not have the sharpest results of late, his feel-good Phoenix victory earlier this year and unquestionable popularity on home soil made him a prime contender.

However, as a former Canadian standout himself, I'm sure Weir had various strategic pairings and compatibility factors to consider. And with this Presidents Cup carrying extra significance as the first to be held north of the border, perhaps he felt a desire for more in-form players he could realistically get consistent points from. Still, Taylor seems like someone who could thrive off the electricity of the home fans. His omission will be heavily scrutinized should the Internationals struggle.

Justin Thomas

On the American side, Jim Furyk's decision to bypass Justin Thomas for one of his six captain's picks is arguably the most eyebrow-raising selection. As Sean detailed, Thomas's trophy-winning resume and leadership on past U.S. teams made him a seemingly automatic choice. Furyk's admission it was "tough, tough" to overlook his top-ranked countryman suggests perhaps more was at play in his discussions with the Ryder Cup committee. Whatever the reasons, if Team USA ends up on the losing side, this pick will undoubtedly face the harshest criticism in hindsight.

Andy Lyons

Cam Davis

Looking at the qualifying standings, the Internationals captain's pick that may raise the most eyebrows is the omission of Australia's Cam Davis.

Robin Buckson, The Detroit News

As Sean rightly noted, Davis was within touching distance of automatic qualification prior to the BMW Championship, where his T5 finish vaulted him to eighth in the world rankings - comfortably inside the top 12. With that result still fresh in recent memory and the confidence gained from winning matches in his Presidents Cup debut two years ago, Davis seemed poised to be one of Weir's selections.

Instead, the Canadian captain chose other players slightly further down the list, leaving Davis once again on the outside after coming so tantalizingly close. It's a decision that may lead to second-guessing if those selected players fail to perform to their potential on home soil. Davis has proven he has the game and guts to excel under pressure in this tournament.

For an International team already facing an uphill battle against a star-studded American lineup, Weir's passing over of his countryman just as he was coming into red-hot form is among the hardest picks to explain. Only time will tell if it ends up being a choice Davis' talented countryman will rue missing the chance to be involved.

Chris Kirk

By selecting players strictly ranked 7th through 12th, as fine a system as that seems on paper, it did overlook consistent performer Chris Kirk who you note was narrowly outside that range in 13th.

Mike Ehrmann

Kirk's victory at the Sony Open back in January and subsequent advancement to the season-ending Tour Championship demonstrated the type of balanced play and big match temperament that usually suits these team events. While he may have hit a mid-summer lull, Kirk has a proven record as the kind of gritty competitor who often elevates his game for national team participation.

We all know from experience how these international tussles can come down to a handful of crucial matches. With Kirk's qualifications, it's a wonder if Furyk didn't consider twisting his formula slightly to find a spot for him. The captain's steadfast picking approach, though yielding a high-ranking squad, did perhaps lack some flexibility this time around to a player's detriment.

Thriston Lawrence 

Looking at Weir's omission of Thriston Lawrence first, his results since the Open truly stand out. As you noted, he won in his native South Africa and followed up with a strong British Masters effort, reminding of the tall talents he displayed at St Andrews earlier this season. Weir likely finalized his selections before that latest surge, but Lawrence is proving himself a dynamic force who may well have added some offensive spark in Montreal.

Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Akshay Bhatia 

Shifting to the American side, Akshay Bhatia is another young gun with increasing upside that Furyk may later think twice about overlooking. As you said, his breakthrough '22 campaign that culminated in a Tour Championship appearance showed his readiness for the Presidents Cup stage. And with his best years theoretically ahead, I could absolutely see Bhatia becoming a mainstay of future U.S. sides, perhaps as soon as 2023's Ryder Cup at Bethpage. Furyk had to weigh short and long-term factors, but 12 months from now, hindsight may say the 22-year-old was worth an early look.

Ben Jared/PGA TOUR

Both Lawrence and Bhatia accentuate how these youthful international stars are evolving rapidly. While Weir and Furyk's decisions were understandable given information at hand, those two snubs in particular could come back to intrigue golf observers for years down the road.

Read more: Scottie Scheffler's Record-Breaking Season Earns Over $62 Million

Adam Hadwin

In Hadwin's case, it has to sting even more considering the unprecedented opportunity for Canadian representation this year presents. With Taylor, Conners, Hughes and Pendrith all gaining international honours of late, the veteran Hadwin, who has proven himself under pressure for years, seems sadly left out in the cold.

Billy Horschel

As for Horschel, while I'm sure he's proud of Homa for extending his Presidents Cup streak, it's got to hurt seeing your longtime partner get the nod over you after the success you found together last time around. Horschel's recent adversity is also well-documented, so not having this team appearance to look forward to is salt in the wounds.

These types of exclusions, where you feel the snubbed players truly had their best efforts and results overlooked, always seem to generate the most empathetic response from fans. While unquestionably proud competitors, both Hadwin and Horschel must be feeling incredibly deflated at present. Their consistent excellence at the highest levels really should not be so easily dismissed.

Billy Horschel told me this morning on Fairways of Life @golfchannel that he got the ☎️ call and has not been chosen for the U.S. Presidents Cup Team pic.twitter.com/5oRamM2M4l

— MattAdamsGC/FoL (@MattAdamsFoL) September 3, 2024

Ultimately, as with any selection process, some deserving candidates were always going to miss out. But Hadwin and Horschel are two for whom I can't help but feel particularly bad about their Presidents Cup snub this year.