One of the most highly anticipated weeks of the golfing year is here.
TEAM USA
Looking to be the first American side to hoist the Ryder Cup behind enemy lines in three decades, Captain Zach Johnson has selected a side full of noted winners. He has the luxury of three current major champions at his disposal and a collection of others who know what it takes to get it done at major championship level and are no doubt primed to try and make history in Rome.
SAM BURNS
Age: 27
State: Louisiana
Ryder Cup Record: Debut
Professional Wins: Six
World Ranking: 20
Burns makes his way onto his first Ryder Cup side with winning match play form behind him, winning the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play in March this year. Burns is a great all-round putter, ranked fourth on the PGA Tour in total putting, ninth in strokes gained putting and seventh in one-putt percentage. To complement his skills on the greens, he is also ranked 17th in driving distance, proving he can keep up with the heavy hitters wearing blue and yellow if he has to. With five career PGA Tour wins and coming into a Ryder Cup fold following a Presidents Cup debut last year, it looks as if Burns is ready to take the next step in his career and will be up for the challenge.
PATRICK CANTLAY
Age: 29
State: California
Ryder Cup Record: 3-0-1 (one appearance, 2021)
Professional Wins: Nine
World Ranking: 5
Cantlay is yet to lose a point at the Ryder Cup after a superb debut at Whistling Straits in 2021. One of the most consistent performers on the PGA Tour who also flies somewhat under the radar, boasting eight tour wins, none of which came this season, but he did record 10 top-10 finishes from his 21 starts. Cantlay is long and accurate off the tee, making him hard to handle at the penile Marco Simone. First in total driving, fifth in strokes gained off the tee and 15th in driving accuracy on the PGA Tour this year. Cantlay will stay calm in the heat of battle and is a fantastic weapon for Johnson to have at his disposal.
WYNDHAM CLARK
Age: 29
State: Colorado
Ryder Cup Record: Debut
Professional Wins: Two
World Ranking: 10
Clark has had a season most only dream of, picking up a maiden PGA Tour victory and claiming a major championship two starts later. The U.S Open Clark won was obviously a massive win, but the way he did it was even more impressive; Rory McIlroy trying to run him down, the crowd against him, and he just didn't go away, stuck to his processes, putted the lights out and just nuked his driving iron around LACC. It is hard to see a better cauldron to prepare you for the Ryder Cup than that. Clark has also recently said he thinks he can take McIlroy down in Rome; he has done it once and might just get his wish.
RICKIE FOWLER
Age: 34
State: California
Ryder Cup Record: 3-7-5 (four appearances, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018)
Professional Wins: 10
World Ranking: 25
There are not many better feel-good stories in golf than the resurgence of Rickie Fowler. The consistency and all-round game look well and truly back. He is putting supremely well and found his way back into the winner's circle, along with playing in the final group of the U.S Open. He is ranked 11th in strokes gained total and ninth in strokes gained approaching the green. We all know how classy Rickie can be, and he will no doubt be thankful to be in a position to represent his country again because it looked as if those days had passed him by.
BRIAN HARMAN
Age: 36
State: Georgia
Ryder Cup Record: Debut
Professional Wins: Five
World Ranking: 9
Harman slammed the door shut on the rest of the field at this year's Open Championship at Hoylake. It seemed as if every time his caddie handed him his putter, the ball found the bottom of the cup; it was one of the most surgical displays of putting in recent memory. The 36-year-old rookie has plenty of team golf experience, playing in two Walker Cups (2005, 2009), losing only one of his seven matches. Harman is a player who won't shy away from a dogfight, as he proved in testing conditions at The Open this year; he is right up for the challenge and made it clear he wanted to be on Johnson's team. With his short-game ability, he will be a dream partner for anyone on the American side.
MAX HOMA
Age: 32
State: California
Ryder Cup Record: Debut
Professional Wins: Eight
World Ranking: 7
With two PGA Tour wins this season to compliment his 13 top-10s, Homa has displayed a complete game and a winning mindset throughout the last few seasons. Known to many as the social media funny guy, Homa showed how formidable he can be in team fixtures, going 4-0-0 in the 2022 Presidents Cup. The Ryder Cup is a step up again, and with the way Homa has gone about his career of late, he will be able to perform on the biggest stage.
BROOKS KOEPKA
Age: 31
State: Florida
Ryder Cup Record: 6-5-1 (three appearances, 2016, 2018, 2021)
Professional Wins: 18
World Ranking: 17
The bigger the occasion, the better for five-time major champion Brooks Koepka. The only LIV golfer to make Johnson's side, he has repeatedly shown that he is made for the big moments. If Netflix's Full Swing documentary was anything to go by, Koepka's career looked like it could be coming to a close. Injury-plagued, issues on the greens, what was next was uncertain for Koepka. So, he took the LIV money but began to find some form again. He was fit and healthy and in the final pairing at the Masters. He would then silence all the doubters at the PGA Championship at Oak Hill, hoisting his third Wanamaker trophy. There is no point in looking at numbers or form with Koepka; just size up the occasion, and if it is a big one, you know he will front up.
COLLIN MORIKAWA
Age: 26
State: California
Ryder Cup Record: 3-0-1 (one appearance, 2021)
Professional Wins: Six
World Ranking: 19
Morikawa's only trip to the Ryder Cup has also been a winning one, where he picked up 3.5 points out of a possible 4. Morikawa, a premier ball-striker with two major championships in his back pocket, is another American who thrives in the big-moment pressure cooker. He hasn't tasted victory since his win at Royal St George's in the Open Championship in 2021. Across all the team events he has represented the USA in (Walker Cup, Presidents Cup and the Ryder Cup, he has picked up 9.5 points out of a possible 11; the Californian means business when he is representing the American flag.
XANDER SCHAUFFELE
Age: 29
State: California
Ryder Cup Record: 3-1-0 (one appearance, 2021)
Professional Wins: 10
World Ranking: 6
The only loss of Schauffele's short Ryder Cup career came at the hands of Rory in the singles at Whistling Straits. No wins for Schauffele in 2023, but he had a great year nonetheless, finishing second in the FedExCup, 11 top-10s and was one of two players to finish in the top-20 in all four majors (Viktor Hovland was the other). Ranked fourth in strokes gained putting and third in strokes gained total, he is hitting the ball exceptionally well at the moment and in his first Cup on European shores, he will need all of his class.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER
Age: 27
State: Texas
Ryder Cup Record: 2-0-1 (one appearance, 2021)
Professional Wins: Eight
World Ranking: 1
The best player on the planet hits it differently from most, ranked first on tour in strokes gained off the tee, approach to the green, tee to green and total strokes gained. Undoubtedly, it will be a formidable task to try and take Scheffler down, but the concern with the Texan has been his flat stick. He is ranked 151st in strokes gained putting. In saying that, he still found a way to win twice this year and record 17 top-10s. Was great on Ryder Cup debut in 2021 and will need all of his class to help create history in Rome; if the putter shows up, look out.
JORDAN SPIETH
Age: 30
State: Texas
Ryder Cup Record: 8-7-3 (four appearances, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021)
Professional Wins: 16
World Ranking: 12
Spieth is headed to his fifth Ryder Cup, having won two and lost two. We all know how classy the three-time major champion is, but he has had some trouble in singles at previous Cups; he has yet to win any of his four outings on Sunday (L3 H1). The 30-year-old had seven top-10s on the PGA Tour this year, and his work around the green looked like the Spieth of old. He has also picked up more points on European soil than he has in the U.S, a positive sign for Johnson.
JUSTIN THOMAS
Age: 30
State: Kentucky
Ryder Cup Record: 6-2-1 (two appearances, 2018, 2021)
Professional Wins: 17
World Ranking: 24
He may not have had his best stuff lately, but Johnson clarified that Thomas was a no-brainer for one of his captain's picks. Thomas boasts a fantastic record at the biennial event, and he has the ability to get under his opponent's skin. JT returned and played well at the Fortinet Championship – one of the PGA Tour's Fall Series events – finishing fifth. It looks like he has put a poor 2023 behind him and is ready to prove a point in Rome.
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