It’s Decision Time for U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Zach Johnson, and It Doesn’t Look Easy

Here’s Bob Harig’s best guess at who makes the U.S. Ryder Cup team and who gets snubbed.

Author:
Bob Harig
Publish date:
Aug 28, 2023

It is possible the decision is easier than it appears. Zach Johnson might very well have the exact pieces he wants to fill out his U.S. Ryder Cup team roster, leaving the rest of us to overanalyze the situation.

But let’s face it, from the outside, Johnson’s at-large picks to be announced Tuesday from PGA of America headquarters in Frisco, Texas, do not appear to be clear cut.

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There are more players than there are spots and, unfortunately for Johnson, there is not an abundance of obvious picks based on phenomenal play that can’t be ignored. At least that’s the view from afar.

Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa and Xander Schauffele are the automatic qualifiers for the Americans, having qualified through the BMW Championship.

Here’s a look at the players—in order of the final points finish—and some guesses as to who might be in Rome next month.

U.S. Ryder Cup captain’s picks contenders

Brooks Koepka

The reigning PGA Championship winner who tied for second at the Masters and has Ryder Cup experience should not be in doubt. But the political infighting due to LIV Golf leads to the possibility that Koepka is left off the team. The guess here is that Johnson wants to avoid that negativity and knows that Koepka will be an asset.

Jordan Spieth

Ranked 12th in the Official World Golf Ranking and 15th in the Sports Illustrated World Golf Rankings, Spieth is a virtual lock, at least according to several sportsbooks who have him off the board. His experience—and the fact that he’s been a good partner to another possible pick, Justin Thomas—and finishing eighth in points is more evidence. If you want to look for negatives, Spieth barely qualified for the Tour Championship, didn’t have a great week in Atlanta and hasn’t had a top five since the Memorial. But do you skip the 12th-ranked player who was eighth in points? The guess here is Spieth is on the team.

Cameron Young

The reigning PGA Tour rookie of the year contended at the British Open again but has yet to win on Tour and has just six top-10 finishes in 2023. An excellent ball striker, his putting woes mirror some others on the team, which is why he is a risky pick. It’s possible that Johnson sees a role for such a solid player. And it’s tough to pass on No. 9. But the guess here is Young gets left out.

Collin Morikawa

A two-time major champion who has failed to win in each of the past two seasons, Morikawa is difficult to leave off the team based on his excellent ball-striking ability. He went 2–1 last year at the Presidents Cup and 3-0-1 at the 2021 Ryder Cup. The guess here is Morikawa gets a pick.

Keegan Bradley

A two-time winner this season, Bradley hasn’t played in the Ryder Cup since 2014 and both of his team experiences were losses. But he’s viewed as the kind of fiery competitor that the U.S. team can use, and his putting has improved immensely. Since winning the Travelers Championship, he had not placed in the top 20 until the Tour Championship. Whether that is enough is up for debate. The guess here is that Bradley is a surprise pick.

Sam Burns

He seemed a lock after winning the WGC-Match Play in March, but Burns has not done much since that time, and his record at last year’s Presidents Cup—0-3-2—is nothing to get excited about, either. But he’s good friends with Scottie Scheffler and how much influence does the No. 1 player yield? They went 0-1-2 as teammates at the Presidents Cup, which at least means they have experience playing together. This is a tough call. The guess here is no.

Rickie Fowler

His victory at the Rocket Mortgage Classic—against Morikawa in a playoff—was one of the field-good stories of the year after more than four years without winning. But is that enough to get a Ryder Cup pick? His experience and overall good-guy vibe along with being a solid putter are assets. But he’s just 3-7-5 in four Ryder Cup appearances. And while he was trending well ahead of his victory this summer, he’s cooled off since. Another tough call. The guess here is yes.

Denny McCarthy

He’s 14th in the points and had a playoff loss to Viktor Hovland at the Memorial. It’s probably not enough for a player who’s never won and never played in a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup. He’s had a solid year and shown plenty of promise, but there are too many other choices. The guess here is no.

Justin Thomas

A difficult decision that promises to be controversial if Thomas gets picked. He’s missed the cut in three major championships, shooting in the 80s in two of them. He failed to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs, finishing 71st. He’s also had just one top-five finish all year. But this is where having all the picks allows for intangibles, gut feelings or pairings. Thomas is 6-2-1 in his two Ryder Cups, including 4–1 in Paris in 2018. He’s been a team leader at the Presidents Cup as well. And he’s the type of player who can get under an opponent’s skin. And let’s not forget, Tiger Woods has some influence behind the scenes. Woods and Thomas are buddies. You know Thomas will be ready. The guess here is yes.

Certainly there are others to consider. Lucas Glover won twice lately and is a popular player who’d get along with anyone and could be a good partner for several players. Tony Finau somehow is just 21st in points despite a victory earlier this year and has been a member of several Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams. Dustin Johnson, who plays for LIV Golf, went 5–0 two years ago. Bryson DeChambeau, who also plays for LIV, is intriguing given his length.

There are numerous ways Johnson can go. We will get the answers Tuesday.