Zach Johnson has had nearly 2 years to envision who will be on the 2023 United States Ryder Cup team. Johnson, a 5-time Ryder Cup member, was named captain of the US team on February 23rd, 2022 and for the first time in history, he would have six captain’s picks to team up with the six automatic qualifiers, which were determined after the final round of the 2023 Tour Championship.
The Iowa born Drake alum is seen as a working man’s golf professional with his grind and determination to make it on the big stage. Where his cohorts may come from a more affluent part of the golf country; had a more prestigious amateur career or starred at major college golf program, Zach went the blue collar route.
Johnson, made his bones on the mini tours before making it on the PGA Tour, proved he belonged with the rest of the more notable names. Not a long overpowering player, but one who has a magnificent short game and a very controlled ball flight, which helps him make up for the lack of distance that many of his peers have. Winning early on in Atlanta twice helped build confidence as he kept progressing year after year. Capturing the 2007 Masters and the 2015 on the tough wind induced Old Course at St. Andrews marked his spot as a world class player.
Looking through his background, one would believe the 12-time winner is more than worthy to lead the US team into competition on foreign soil in Rome. The numerous questions that arose on his journey to the head of the most talented golfers in America, came in bunches after LIV Golf was formed. Add to that, a deep talent pool of young Americans, who would Zach look to, to represent the Red, White and Blue.
At the conclusion of the Tour Championship it was known that the automatic qualifiers were Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa and Xander Schauffele. Now Captain Johnson has the task of deciding on the final six players, something that he has been reviewing, researching and contemplating for quite some time.
The US Ryder Cup point system puts a big emphasis on players performance in majors. Brooks Koepka, now a member of the LIV Tour since late 2022, undoubtedly had the best representation in the majors the past two years, while winning the PGA Championship and finishing T2 at the Masters this season and ending up 7th on the points list. One would presume he would be a mortal lock for the team being that the PGA of America doesn’t exclude LIV players from participating. He was chosen as expected.
Jordan Spieth has been a four-time Ryder Cupper and finishing 8th in the points list pretty much secured him a spot on the team, which it did.
Collin Morikawa has been up and down this year, but for the most part has not been out of form. The two-time major champion finished 10th in the points list and being one of the best iron players in the world he would be a lock. Johnson of course chose Collin as one of his picks.
Rickie Fowler found new life in his new putter after being in oblivion the past few years. He contended in the US Open, won in Detroit and has been very consistent all year. Fowler is trending up and with previous Ryder Cup experience it seemed like a safe bet that he would be chosen, and he was.
This leaves us with two more picks and there is a least seven players to consider. You have players who have Ryder Cup experience and others who are in better form, but would be rookies on the team venturing onto foreign turf.
Johnson “chose” Sam Burns and Justin Thomas. Burns is really close to world #1 Scottie Scheffler and I’m sure that had a lot of sway. Thomas is best friends with Spieth and Fowler, super close to Schauffele and Homa and has been close to captain Johnson for years. JT is basically in the “In Crowd”. Did this have a lot to do with his being chosen? I am thinking that’s a STRONG YES!.
Thomas has missed 3 out of 4 cuts in the majors, shot 80 plus in two rounds in the majors and has a 52.6% driving accuracy this year to go along with his putting woes. Word was months ago JT changed his swing and the source said he would hit rock bottom in doing so. He hasn’t hit rock bottom, but in Justin’s mind, missing the Fed Ex playoffs is beyond sub-par for his expectations and hovering around rock bottom.
Many believe Keegan Bradley got the shaft after the season he had. A two-time winner this season and a two-time Ryder Cupper with a better overall record than Rickie Fowler and has experienced competition in both the US and abroad. The St. John’s alum is more of your blue collar type golfer, one Johnson would have embraced before becoming a member of the “Boys Club”.
Lucas Glover would have been a 43 year old Ryder Cup rookie competing on foreign soil. An incredible ball striker, Glover found his way again with a long putter, which helped propel him to two late season wins. As great of a story as it is, he didn’t qualify for any of the majors and I would find it hard pressed to take him to Rome.
Cameron Young is an uprising immensely talented young player…but he has not won yet on tour. He is extremely long, but shaky with the flatstick. Young is kind of one dimensional and may be hard to find the right pairing with his inexperience at this stage of his career. Once again, he hasn’t won yet!
Tony Finau just hasn’t had it all together this year and there are just players playing better. He has Ryder Cup experience and has a calm composing demeanor you like, but if he’s not on then that calm demeanor isn’t effective.
This leaves the other US LIV golfers who have had pretty good form this year, although most has been in 54 hole events with smaller fields. Granted the majors were an opportunity to show their form and make their point, but unlike Koepka, no one else really contended.
Patrick Reed made all 4 cuts in the majors and his best finish was a T5. Better than most and has proven to have the fire needed in the Ryder Cup, but Reed is not the best locker room guy and already caused a stir in the past with his child-like outburst of being split up from Spieth as a partner. He is a must stay away from for team continuity regardless of how he fared this year in majors.
Dustin Johnson went 5-0-0 in 2021 Ryder Cup, but bolted to LIV since and hasn’t necessarily had his best stuff after leaving. Winning last year on LIV is different than winning on the PGA Tour. He did make 3 out of 4 cuts in majors, though that doesn’t get him a spot over the guys competing week in week out on the PGA Tour.
Bryson Dechambeau can be a pesky individual who gets under your skin on the golf course. A great recipe for match play, especially if you have a lot of talent and hit it a long way. Dechambeau recently fired a 58 in the final round of a LIV event, where some ignorantly discounted it (like Jim Furyk), and he seems to have gotten some of his swag back, but not truly contending in a major would keep him off the team.
Of all the US LIV players, Taylor Gooch has actually played the best in the past year and a half and technically qualified for last year’s Tour Championship. Though playing in 3 majors and missing the cut in 2 just doesn’t cut it.
So, who should have been picked and who should have been left off? Bradley has been declared the biggest snub by most and personally I think he deserved a spot. Many feel Thomas should not be on the team as his play has been far from good this year and not qualifying for the playoffs is a massive red flag for me. No one breaths team competition like JT and he can definitely get under opponents’ skin, but that is JT in good form with his well known swagger. On the other hand, if you need a point in singles away from home, Thomas would be at the top of the list, especially when he’s on. Bradley has lost both singles matches he’s played in, but was a good teammate with Phil Mickelson. Swapping out one for the other depends on what you’re looking for in a team. Doubtful you would see Thomas in foursomes unless he flourishes in fourball, if that happens to be the first session. On the other hand, Bradley is an excellent driver of the ball and could partner with almost anyone in foursomes.
This leaves the question; is Burns the one who should’ve been left out? The President’s Cup isn’t anything near the Ryder Cup and he and his BFF Scheffler failed to earn as point as partners. The only way to earn experience is to be put in the game. Burns will gain a mass amount of experience after this Ryder Cup and he may end up being the right choice. He definitely has the game to be a fixture in future Ryder Cups and this could produce a break out moment or end up as a big miss by Johnson.
Europe is currently a +150 underdog and seems like a good bet with the Euros having 3 of the top 4 ranked players in the world and a handful of other top players with experience looking to round out their team. One thing that will most likely be explored in a US loss, especially if it’s a blowout, is the number of picks a captain is given. Currently the roster looks like a who’s who in the younger “In Crowd” and Zach wanted to be the leader of this “Club” since he was originally an outsider like Bradley.
