News

South African Rory Sabbatini is upset with captain Greg Norman for not contacting him about his omission from the Internationals team for the Presidents Cup next month.

“There was not a single conversation or a single phone call, period. You could say I was a little disappointed,” Sabbatini told reporters after taking a share of the first round lead with Steve Marino at the BMW Championship on Thursday.

Sabbatini, who the Byron Nelson Championship in May, appeared set to be one of the top 10 players automatically selected until South Korea's Yang Yong-eun won the PGA Championship last month, pushing the South African to 11th in the standings.

On Tuesday, Norman overlooked Sabbatini for the extra two wildcard picks, instead selecting Japanese teenager Ryo Ishikawa and fellow Australian Adam Scott, who has missed ten cuts in a winless season and described the call-up as “somewhat unexpected.”

The world number 43 Sabbatini said he had no problem with Norman's decision, however, after he missed both cuts at the first two PGA play-off events.

“Obviously I've struggled the past couple of weeks and if I'd been playing well I'd have something to complain about, but the International team has got a lot of very qualified players on it,” he said.

“We all know any player is as good as their last performance. I have no problems with any decision made. Hopefully they'll go in there and have a good week and come back with the cup.”

Sabbatini, a five-time winner on the PGA Tour, was a member of the Internationals in 2007, but lost three of his four matches and halved the other.

The Presidents Cup, a biennial Ryder Cup-style event between the United States and players from the rest of the world barring Europe, will be held at Harding Park in San Francisco from Oct. 8-11.