Photo Credit: Darren Carroll/USGA
The golf world got a heap of social media debate material this week when United States Ryder Cup Captain Zach Johnson released the six Captain’s Picks for this year’s event.
The Ryder Cup will be held September 25-October 1 in Rome.
Patrick Cantlay, Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Max Homa, Xander Schauffele, and Scottie Scheffler were the six players that qualified on points for the team.
Those six were joined by Johnson’s choices of Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, Sam Burns, Rickie Fowler, and Justin Thomas.
Spieth, Morikawa, Fowler, and Burns were no brainers and were the four picks most had accepted as obvious adds. Koepka to me falls into that group as well, although there were questions because of his LIV status.
Koepka is different. He has always seemed to be one of the guys. There will be no issues with Koepka in the team room, which is something you wouldn’t be able to say with some of the American LIV players.
That leaves Thomas. JT has struggled this year, missing the Fed Ex Cup Playoffs. He will be the first to admit his game is lacking right now.
Here’s the kicker and why I think it was the right choice and am 100 percent behind Johnson’s choice.
The Ryder Cup is so much more than your typical golf event. It’s a team event, with the need to have the best pairings available. JT and Spieth have been friends since their junior golf days and as a team they are as solid as it gets.
Thomas has a 6-2-1 record in two previous Ryder Cups and has thrived in team competitions. He needs to be sent out with Spieth on the first morning of competition. Any self-doubt he has would only fester if he sits.
So, who got snubbed?
There are three that come to mind. Cameron Young, Keegan Bradley, and Lucas Glover are the three.
Young was ninth in the qualifying points and the highest finishing player that didn’t get picked. It’s the right call as he has yet to win a tournament and had only five, top 10 finishes this year.
Bradley and Glover are the emotional omissions.
Bradley, now 37, was twice a member of the Ryder Cup, representing the United States in 2012 and 2014. He has made no secret of wanting to make the U.S. team again and a pair of wins this year led many to believe he had a great shot.
The 2011 PGA Champion was understandably upset when he got the call from Johnson when he didn’t make the team, but in typical Bradley class, he took to social media to show his support for the team.
“I’m proud of the effort I put in to make this amazing team over a decade later,” Bradley said on social media. “But it wasn’t meant to be. All of the support has been amazing, but it’s time now to get behind this U.S. team. I’m gonna be watching and pulling as hard as I can for them! GO USA.”
Glover is 43 now and the 2009 U.S. Open Champion won back-to-back tournaments late in the season making a case for himself. He has twice been on Presidents Cup teams but never has been on a Ryder Cup team.
It was tough to see those two not selected but I agree with the six Johnson picked. I also agree with Bradley – it’s time to get behind this team! Let’s go USA!
Be sure to check back here with more in depth coverage of the event!
By Dennis Miller