With the year’s final major now in the rearview mirror, the Ryder Cup teams are starting to take shape with a bit more clarity.
Team USA’s six automatic qualifiers have until the conclusion of the BMW Championship, the second event of the FedEx Cup playoffs, to earn their spot. After the Tour Championship, Zach Johnson will select six additional captain’s picks to round out the American side. (Europe’s six-player automatic qualification period ends on September 3, with six captain’s picks made afterward.)
With four tournaments left to earn points, there’s still plenty of room for movement on the American side, but according to Team USA vice captain Fred Couples, there are a few names outside of the current six automatic qualifiers that are already near-locks for Rome.
During a segment on his SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio show, The Fred Couples Show, Couples and his co-host George Downing discussed the merits of the current automatic qualifier lineup of Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Brooks Koepka, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay before turning their attention to the current American fence-sitters.
“Here’s the guys that are not confirmed and need to make a case,” Downing said. “No. 7: Max Homa.”
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“I’m like one of the 19 assistants, I’ll say Max Homa’s gonna be in Italy,” Couples replied. “I’ll say Max Homa’s gonna be in Italy, without getting anyone in trouble.”
“Cam Young,” Downing said.
“Cam Young will be in Italy,” Couples replied.
“Jordan Spieth?”
“Will be in Italy.”
“Keegan Bradley?”
“The rest is — I’m stopping,” Couples said.
Whew! That brings the Couples-suggested team roster to nine, with only three spots remaining. Still on the outside looking in: Bradley, Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Sam Burns, Justin Thomas and Tony Finau, to name a few. It’s clear more big decisions await. As for Thomas, who struggled mightily at the Open Championship, Couples agreed that the next few weeks will be important for his prospects.
“I’m glad he’s playing this week,” Couples said. “The whole world knows that JT’s gotta go to, is it Minnesota, and then Greensboro? He’s gotta go to those places and play well.”
The Ryder Cup will be played Sept. 25-Oct. 1 at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, Italy.