It may be as simple as Jones highlighting Spanish Bay as another seaside links course built on an old sand and gravel pit. Add in his work on various environmental committees in California, and he really did have the right ingredients for the Project.
Public selections usually involve point systems, etc. and it is easy for me to see the selection of Jones based on those specific factors, plus total numbers of courses, etc. over a firm like Phil Mickelsons, who may have been there only because the head guy is a Phil fan and wanted to meet him. For that matter, if this guy, who travels a lot to play golf happended to like Spanish Bay, or other Jones courses, the points could have gone out the window, or be made to fit the desired selection. That is what usually happens.