As if there wasn’t sufficient on the road within the ultimate two weeks of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs, a handful of gamers are nonetheless combating for spots on the U.S. Ryder Cup group that may compete in opposition to Europe exterior Rome in late September. Because the Ryder Cup included all of Europe as a group in 1979, the U.S. has gained 9 and misplaced 11, together with a 3-7 file for the reason that flip of the century.
World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler and U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark have already certified for the group on factors.
The highest six gamers within the U.S. group factors standings after this week’s BMW Championship at Olympia Fields, Illinois, will routinely qualify for the group as nicely. Patrick Cantlay, Brian Harman, Brooks Koepka and Max Homa presently spherical out the highest six.
Whereas some gamers, like Xander Schauffele and Jordan Spieth, appear to be in higher place than others, there’s nonetheless rather a lot that may shake out over the subsequent two weeks. U.S. group captain Zach Johnson will make six captain’s picks after the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Membership in Atlanta on Aug. 27.
“We have now a lot at stake these subsequent two weeks, whether or not it is cash, whether or not it is Ryder Cup,” Keegan Bradley mentioned. “There’s a lot to play for, and that is actually thrilling.”
Here is the place the highest contenders stand heading into the BMW Championship:
Automated qualifiers
Scottie Scheffler (first in factors with 25,857.74)
The place he stands: Scheffler has already certified for Workforce USA. He posted a 2-0-1 file as a Ryder Cup rookie within the Individuals’ 19-9 rout of the Europeans at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, in September 2021.
Scheffler defeated Jon Rahm, 4 and three, in a singles match on Sunday when it regarded like no person may take down the Spanish golfer. That efficiency was a springboard for Scheffler, who gained 4 occasions the subsequent season, together with his first main championship on the 2022 Masters.
Wyndham Clark (second in factors with 13,406.92)
The place he stands: Clark, who was ranked 313th on this planet after back-to-back missed cuts in Might 2022, is now eleventh within the Official World Golf Rating after choosing up his first two PGA Tour victories on the Wells Fargo Championship and U.S. Open at Los Angeles Nation Membership.
The 29-year-old competed within the 2014 Palmer Cup. It is going to be his first worldwide group occasion as knowledgeable.
Locks to make the group
Patrick Cantlay (third in factors with 10,614.75)
The place he stands: Cantlay climbed three spots within the U.S. group factors standings after falling to Lucas Glover in a playoff ultimately week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee, the primary FedEx Cup playoff occasion.
Cantlay was implausible at Whistling Straits as a Ryder Cup rookie, going 3-0-1 in his matches and incomes 3½ factors, which tied for second most on the group. Cantlay and good buddy Xander Schauffele defeated Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter, 5 and three, of their opening match. Cantlay beat Eire’s Shane Lowry, 4 and a couple of, in a Sunday’s single match.
Brian Harman (fourth in factors with 10,310.54)
The place he stands: Undoubtedly, Harman threw a wrench in Johnson’s plans when he unexpectedly gained The Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Membership in July and vaulted into the highest 5 in Ryder Cup factors. He had three runner-ups and 6 top-10s earlier than he turned Champion Golfer of the 12 months.
Harman was an excellent match-play competitor as an newbie, representing the U.S. within the 2005 and 2009 Walker Cups and 2006 and 2007 Palmer Cups. He was the youngest participant to ever compete within the Walker Cup as an 18-year-old. It could be his first worldwide group occasion as knowledgeable. If Harman’s putter is as scorching because it was for 4 days in Hoylake, England, he’ll be simply positive at Marco Simone.
Brooks Koepka (fifth in factors with 9,421.15)
The place he stands: Koepka all however secured his spot on the group when he captured his fifth main championship victory and third Wanamaker Trophy on the PGA Championship in Rochester, New York, in Might. He additionally picked up a LIV Golf League victory in Orlando, Florida, in Might and tied for second on the Masters the subsequent week. That must be greater than sufficient good work to make the group.
Koepka is among the six automated qualifiers proper now. He may fall exterior the highest six if two gamers comparatively near him within the standings, say Schauffele and Jordan Spieth, completed 1-2 within the BMW Championship. All issues thought-about, it appears Johnson must use one in all his six captain’s selections on Koepka.
Max Homa (sixth in factors with 8,848.76)
The place he stands: Homa appeared like a lock to make the group after his scorching stretch from late January to late March, during which he gained the Farmers Insurance coverage Open, was solo second on the Genesis Invitational and tied for sixth at The Gamers.
However then Homa’s struggles within the majors continued, as he tied for forty third on the Masters, fifty fifth on the PGA Championship and missed the lower on the U.S. Open in his hometown. He has righted the ship these days, nonetheless, with three straight top-15 finishes, together with a tie for tenth at The Open.
Homa went 4-0 in his worldwide group debut as a professional on the 2022 Presidents Cup. He rallied to defeat red-hot Tom Kim of South Korea in Sunday singles.
Xander Schauffele (seventh in factors with 8,830.27)
The place he stands: It hasn’t been Schauffele’s most dominant season on the PGA Tour, however it has definitely been one in all his most constant. He has 16 top-25 finishes and hasn’t missed a lower in 20 begins on tour. He completed within the high 20 of every of the 4 majors, together with a tie for tenth on the Masters and U.S. Open.
Schauffele was superb in his previous two group occasions. He went 3-1 at each the 2021 Ryder Cup and 2022 Presidents Cup. Plus, somebody goes to need to attempt to pace up Cantlay in Rome.
Jordan Spieth (eighth in factors with 8,066.33)
The place he stands: Like Schauffele, Spieth does not have a victory this season and has simply two since claiming his third main on the 2017 Open Championship. He has been pretty good this season with 10 high 25s and 7 high 10s in 20 begins, together with a tie for sixth on the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
At 30 years outdated, Spieth can be one of many veterans on this squad. He’s a four-time competitor in each the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup and has been part of six successful squads. He was the highest factors getter at Quail Hole with a 5-0-0 file.
On the bubble
Cameron Younger (ninth in factors with 7,795.31)
The place he stands: It has been a so-so season for the second-year PGA Tour professional, who continues to be looking for his first victory on tour. He was runner-up on the WGC-Dell Applied sciences Match Play, which goes to hold weight with Johnson. He additionally tied for seventh on the Masters and eighth at The Open.
The 26-year-old former Wake Forest star is among the longest hitters off the tee, averaging 317.1 yards, which ranks third on tour. He is an bettering iron participant, however his placing (166th in strokes gained: placing) might be a legal responsibility. He was 1-2-1 in his Presidents Cup debut final yr.
Collin Morikawa (tenth in factors with 7,503.48)
The place he stands: The 2-time main championship winner hasn’t picked up a PGA Tour victory in additional than two years. His final victory got here on the 2021 Open Championship at Royal St. George’s Golf Membership in Sandwich, England.
Nonetheless, Morikawa has been superb within the majors over the previous three seasons, ending within the high 10 in six of the previous 11. He tied for tenth on the Masters and 14th on the U.S. Open. Morikawa ranks within the high 10 in strokes gained: whole, greens in regulation and driving accuracy.
Morikawa fashioned a formidable pairing with Dustin Johnson at Whistling Straits, as they mixed to win every of their three matches collectively. Morikawa tied his singles match with Norway’s Viktor Hovland. Johnson, who’s competing within the LIV Golf League, is fortieth in factors and doubtless will not be thought-about for this yr’s group.
Rickie Fowler (thirteenth in factors with 6,936.49)
The place he stands: Fowler all however secured a spot on the group when he captured the Rocket Mortgage Traditional in a playoff in early July, which was his first victory in additional than 4 years. After altering his swing and his group, it was proof that Fowler is again among the many greatest gamers on this planet.
Fowler has eight different high 10s and 16 high 25s in 23 begins this season. He was runner-up on the Zozo Championship and tied for fifth on the U.S. Open. It could be his fifth look within the Ryder Cup; he went 3-7-5 within the earlier 4.
Keegan Bradley (eleventh in factors with 7,486.47)
The place he stands: Bradley has in all probability performed nicely sufficient to make the group, after claiming his first PGA Tour victory in additional than 4 years on the Zozo Championship in October after which one other one on the Vacationers Championship in June. He may need to play nicely the subsequent two weeks to make it, although.
“I take into consideration the Ryder Cup each second I am awake mainly,” Bradley mentioned Tuesday. “My greatest factor proper now could be making an attempt not to consider it whereas I am taking part in as a result of it is vital to me.”
The 37-year-old’s Ryder Cup expertise stretches all the way in which again to 2012, when he went 3-1 as a rookie at Medinah Nation Membership in Illinois. He was one of many brilliant spots for a U.S. group that squandered a four-point lead on the ultimate day. The Europeans grabbed 8 ½ factors in singles matches to stun the Individuals, 14 ½ to 13 ½ within the “Miracle at Medinah.”
Two years later, Bradley went 1-2 in Europe’s 16 ½-11 ½ victory at Gleneagles Lodge in Scotland.
“I really feel like I may carry some expertise to the group,” Bradley mentioned. “I’d personally love to only be on a group with this youthful group. All of the groups that I have been on, they’re all gone. They’re all Senior Tour or finished taking part in.
“I discover that this youthful core of men to be actually a cool group as a result of they appear to actually pull for one another, and it might be actually enjoyable. This may be a completely completely different expertise, and each match I’ve ever performed, whether or not it is Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup, I’ve performed with Phil [Mickelson], so it might be fascinating to have one other companion, see what that is like, and I might like to play with Zach.”
Sam Burns (twelfth in factors with 7,002.70)
The place he stands: Burns, the Twenty second-ranked participant on this planet, gained the WGC-Dell Applied sciences Match Play in Austin, Texas, in late March. He took down Cantlay, Scheffler and Younger to say a victory.
However Burns hasn’t finished a lot since then with only one top-10 end, a tie for sixth on the Charles Schwab Problem. He did not have an important debut on the President Cup with an 0-3-2 file. Burns and Scheffler are superb pals, however they went 0-2-1 of their matches collectively at Quail Hole.
Justin Thomas (14th in factors with 6,539.20)
The place he stands: Thomas’ historical past in group occasions suggests he must be on the group. However his type this season — solely three top-10 finishes in 20 begins and 6 missed cuts, together with 5 in his previous eight begins — suggests he should not be picked. JT did not qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs.
There is no query Thomas has been among the finest match-play performers in latest historical past. He is 6-2-1 in two earlier Ryder Cup appearances and went 4-1-0 in the latest Presidents Cup. His partnership with Spieth, one in all his good pals, has been one of many Individuals’ most dependable pairings.
However as my ESPN colleague Michael Collins likes to say, “Is that this a enterprise journey or a buddy journey?” Thomas and Spieth have been a part of the PGA of America Ryder Cup Committee since February 2022. His presence within the locker room and on the course can be useful for the U.S.
Thomas admitted that he pressed an excessive amount of as a result of he wished to make the group so badly. Would JT be urgent much more at Marco Simone as a result of he would wish to show that he deserves to be there? Both means, it should be a controversial determination.
Lucas Glover (sixteenth in factors with 6,112.61)
The place he stands: In only a few quick weeks, the participant who could not make something on the greens is seemingly sinking the whole lot. From September 2022 by June, Glover missed 11 cuts in his first 20 begins. His greatest end was a tie for twentieth on the RBC Canadian Open. He did not even qualify for any of the 4 majors.
Glover, 43, switched to an extended putter earlier than the Rocket Mortgage Traditional and the whole lot modified. He tied for fourth in Detroit, sixth on the John Deere Traditional and was solo fifth within the Barbasol Championship. After lacking the lower on the 3M Open, he gained the Wyndham Championship to sneak into the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Final week, he gained the primary leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs on the FedEx St. Jude Championship, taking down Cantlay in a playoff. He climbed to fourth in FedEx Cup factors and is assured of taking part in the season-ending Tour Championship. If Glover wins one of many subsequent two playoff occasions, he’ll greater than possible be an automated qualifier. If he performs nicely in each, he’ll have a heck of an argument to be included with a captain’s choose.
That is the dilemma for Johnson and his vice captains: Go together with the man with the new putter or another person who had a extra constant season from begin to end? Glover has by no means performed within the Ryder Cup and desperately needs the prospect. In accordance with Justin Ray of Twenty First Group, Glover can be the primary participant since Spain’s Jose Maria Canizares in 1989 to make the Ryder Cup with out competing in any of the majors.
“I simply really feel like representing your nation as an athlete is the best honor,” Glover mentioned Wednesday. “I performed Canon Cup as a junior, performed the Walker Cup as an newbie, and I simply assume it is the best factor, and particularly being in a person sport, to be on a group representing your nation, I believe it is the best honor we will have.”
Tony Finau (twenty first in factors with 4,667.75)
The place he stands: Finau regarded like he was nicely on his method to making the U.S. group when he gained 4 occasions in a few ninth-month stretch from July 2022 to late April. Some will argue that every of these victories got here in opposition to lesser fields, though Cantlay and Younger misplaced to him by 5 strokes within the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Traditional.
Finau’s downside is he hasn’t finished a lot of something since successful the Mexico Open on April 30. He has only one top-20 end since then, a tie for seventh on the 3M Open. He tied for 72nd on the PGA Championship, thirty second on the U.S. Open and missed the lower at The Open. He in all probability wants a win within the subsequent two weeks to make the Ryder Cup group.
Whereas there is perhaps a number of gamers on the bubble who may make an argument with a win within the final two FedEx Cup playoff occasions — No. 15 Denny McCarthy, No. 17 Kurt Kitayama, No. 19 Harris English and No. 20 Russell Henley — none of them are presently believed to be underneath critical consideration for the group.
Bryson DeChambeau (53rd in factors with 1,825.631 )
The place he stands: As a result of gamers don’t obtain Ryder Cup factors for LIV Golf League outcomes, DeChambeau has fallen exterior the highest 50 in factors and doubtless will not get a lot consideration.
DeChambeau may need at the very least caught Johnson’s consideration when he carded a 12-under 58 within the ultimate spherical to win the LIV Golf League event at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, on Aug. 6. It was DeChambeau’s first victory on the second-year circuit.
“I am taking part in very well,” DeChambeau mentioned after successful by six photographs. “I’ve acquired some gear that is performing fairly properly off the driving force, and that is a lethal mixture with my placing. So clearly I putted nicely, drove it nicely, wedged it fairly nicely. You could not have written it up higher than this, but when I do get a name, that might be superior. If not, I will be rooting them on over in Rome.”
DeChambeau had good ends in two of the majors, tying for fourth on the PGA Championship and twentieth on the U.S. Open. He hasn’t finished sufficient to deserve a captain’s choose.
Plus, whether or not Johnson or the PGA of America wish to admit it or not, they’re in all probability not going to select a participant who sued the PGA Tour. Leaving for the LIV Golf League is one factor, taking authorized motion in opposition to your former circuit is one other matter. His presence would trigger too many issues off the course for the Individuals.
#Whos #making #U.S #Ryder #Cup #roster