Bryson DeChambeau doesn’t think the circuit a player competes on should have any bearing on whether he is eligible the Ryder Cup.
The LIV Golf player is preparing for the League’s latest event at Trump National Golf Club in Washington DC and he will head into it knowing that Team USA captain Zach Johnson has all but confirmed that any LIV player who qualifies automatically for the tournament will be in the team.
However, the issue over whether LIV Golf players should be in contention for the biennial tournament is still a matter of contention. That was typified by a tense exchange between Brandel Chamblee and Brad Faxon over whether another LIV Golfer player, PGA Champion Brooks Koeepka, should be in the team.
Faxon argued strongly that he should, and DeChambeau agrees. He said: “Like Brad Faxon said, we're playing for our country, not playing for a Tour, not playing for money. He's right. If we're good enough to be selected or even make it on the points through Majors, which is insane, we deserve that spot.”
Despite Johnson’s reassurance, there are still doubts over the status of LIV Golf players who don’t earn one of the six automatic qualifying spots.
Currently, Koepka is the only LIV Golf player in an automatic qualifying position, but with six Captain’s Selections at Johnson's disposal, there is scope for players who don’t reach that top six to be selected.
However, he remained non-committal on whether LIV Golf players would be in his thinking when asked at Oak Hill. He said: “I haven't even begun to discuss picks with anybody that I trust in my circle, specifically the vice captains. I feel like it's irrelevant to even discuss."
DeChambeau showed some of his best form in months at the PGA Championship, finishing tied for fourth. However, despite that, he’s still a long way short of an automatic qualifying spot, in 42nd. With just two more Majors to move up that list, it looks likely that he will need to rely on a Captain’s Selection if he is to make the team for the third time.
Johnson is due to make his Captain’s Selections following August’s Tour Championship, with the Ryder Cup beginning at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club on 29 September.
