Zach Johnson has some decisions to make.
On Tuesday the U.S. Ryder Cup captain will make his six picks and full the 12-player staff certain for Marco Simone Golf and Nation Membership, Sept. 29-Oct. 1.
Locked in as automated qualifiers are world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, Open champion Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa and Xander Schauffele.
However who will be part of them? Does Justin Thomas get the nod primarily based on previous performances? Will Brooks Koepka or every other LIV gamers be chosen? How a few 43-year-old debutant in Lucas Glover?
Let’s make the case for the potential captain’s picks for the 2023 Ryder Cup.
Brooks Koepka performs his shot from the sixth tee throughout day two on the forty third Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. (Photograph: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports activities)
Koepka completed mere factors away from qualifying for the staff robotically and he doesn’t even play on the PGA Tour anymore. The PGA Championship winner has a knack for rising to the second when wholesome and he’s earned a spot on this staff. His previous expertise and constructive file (6-5-1) ought to lock him in.
Justin Thomas and Workforce USA gamers have a good time through the trophy presentation after successful the forty third Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wisconsin, on Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021. (Photograph by Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Lacking the FedEx Cup Playoffs was a profession low for the previous world No. 1, however is Zach Johnson actually going to be the man to go away Justin Thomas off this staff? Given their friendship, JT’s potential and his stellar 6-2-1 file in two earlier appearances can overcome some poor kind this final season.
To not point out Thomas will actually rile up the European followers (and gamers) in Italy.
Jordan Spieth reacts on the second inexperienced through the morning foursome matches within the forty first Ryder Cup at Hazeltine Nationwide Golf Membership in 2016. (Photograph: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports activities)
Spieth had seven top-10 finishes and a runner-up on the RBC Heritage this season. Oh yeah, he’s additionally a menace in match play, particularly when paired together with his good good friend JT. Spieth was an ideal 5-0-0 on the Presidents Cup final fall and gives up an 8-7-3 file within the Ryder Cup. Vice-captain Fred {Couples} additionally mentioned he’ll be there.
Cameron Younger tees off on the primary gap through the second spherical of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tenn., on Friday, August 11, 2023.
Much like Spieth, Younger additionally received the early affirmative from {Couples}. The 26-year-old will make his debut after a good-not-great 1-2-1 efficiency in his Presidents Cup debut final fall. That mentioned, he’s a no-nonsense participant with a bulldog mentality that ought to shine in match play. In 21 begins this season Younger has a runner-up and 5 top-10 finishes, with 9 inside the highest 25.
Workforce USA participant Collin Morikawa reacts on the sixth inexperienced throughout day two fourball rounds for the forty third Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. (Photograph: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports activities)
Morikawa was spectacular in his Ryder Cup debut (3-0-1) final go round and completed this season T-6 within the FedEx Cup standings because of 11 prime 25s and a pair of runners-up finishes. He’s a younger expertise who might pair rather well alongside fellow Cal product and automated qualifier Max Homa.
If Thomas will get in off previous experiences, lock in Morikawa.
Rickie Fowler appears to be like on as Workforce USA gamers have a good time successful the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine Nationwide Golf Membership on October 2, 2016 in Chaska, Minnesota. (Photograph by Andrew Redington/Getty Photographs)
Fowler’s bounce-back 12 months noticed him end runner-up on the Zozo Championship earlier than successful the Rocket Mortgage, incomes eight top-10 finishes and a whopping 18 within the prime 25, and a T-5 on the U.S. Open. Positive, his ho-hum 3-7-5 file in 4 previous appearances isn’t nice, however he’s in kind, his recreation traveled with him all 12 months and the 34-year-old shall be nice for a younger staff room.
USA’s Keegan Bradley celebrates after successful their foursomes match on the fifteenth gap on the Ryder Cup on Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, on the Medinah Nation Membership in Medinah, Illinois.
Bradley performs with a stage of depth that touring American followers and his teammates will feed off of. Much like Thomas, it is going to additionally actually get below the pores and skin of the Euros. The 37-year-old picked up a pair of wins this season in addition to 5 top-10 finishes and wound up inside the highest 10 of the FedEx Cup standings. He might pair properly with fairly a couple of members of the staff, particularly if fellow Srixon ambassador Brooks Koepka is chosen.
Sam Burns of the US walks off the fourth tee through the second spherical of the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields Nation Membership on August 18, 2023, in Olympia Fields, Illinois. (Photograph by Dylan Buell/Getty Photographs)
Burns was a disappointing 0-3-2 in his Presidents Cup debut final fall however then circled and received the WGC-Dell Applied sciences Match Play in March. He’s received an important relationship with Scottie Scheffler and the world No. 1 will assumedly be pulling for his buddy (despite the fact that the pair went 0-2-1 collectively on the Presidents Cup). Burns completed within the prime 25 in half of his begins this season and will take some stress off Scheffler’s placing woes (eleventh in SG: Placing, nineteenth in Placing Common, seventh in One-Putt %) in alternate shot.
Lucas Glover poses for a photograph with the championship trophy after successful the FedEx St. Jude Championship. (Photograph: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports activities)
Glover performed his manner into competition with a run to the Tour Championship aided by consecutive late-season wins on the Wyndham Championship and FedEx St. Jude Championship, the primary occasion of the playoffs. The 43-year-old would make his debut within the biennial bash and what a narrative that may be. If Johnson desires to choose gamers in kind and with a sizzling hand whose video games journey, he might do quite a bit worse than Glover.
