The upcoming Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black is already brimming with intrigue — especially when it comes to the players who will end up on the U.S. team. And this week’s Open Championship — the year’s final major — is shaping up to be particularly consequential for players who want to make a strong case that they deserve one of those final spots.
On this week’s episode of Subpar, hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz discussed the players they believe would be most likely to benefit from a good showing at Royal Portrush this week.
“I just went through and looked at the rankings. There’s so many bubble guys right now that I really have no idea which way this would go if it ended right now,” Stoltz said. “You got Harris English, Maverick McNealy, Brian Harman, Andrew Novak, Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns — are kind of like our current bubble guys. Oh, and by the way, you could throw in Keegan into that mix too. I mean, this is a huge week for those guys.”
“If I’m picking the squad, I want Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay on there,” Knost replied. “One, they’re experienced, two, they’re fantastic putters, which is what the Ryder Cup always comes down to.
“I don’t think Maverick McNealy or Andrew Novak will [get picked] unless they do something really special the last few weeks of the year,” Knost continued. “But I’m leaning more towards the putters, and you gotta have Sam Burns, who’s, I think, the No. 2 putter on the PGA Tour this year. Patrick Cantlay, his experience, I mean, what he did at Rome, those last few holes before all hell broke loose — there’s a reason they call him Patty Ice. I like him in those big moments.”
Stoltz was high on Harris English’s chances.
“I look at Harris English as a guy, I think, that’s gonna play his way onto that team,” Stoltz said. “He just seems to be Steady Eddy. He’s a very calm guy, but he hits it hard, hits it great.”
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Brian Harman is another player Knost and Stoltz thought could make a strong case for a pick.
“He could play good anywhere,” Stoltz said.
The competition will be intense for those final spots on the team, even in the weeks following Portrush.
“There’s some very important golf left to be played before those picks are made,” Knost said. “I’m excited to see what happens.”
For more from Knost and Stoltz, check out the full episode of Subpar below.
