The considerations that decide Ryder Cup captains’ picks are as varied as the skippers making the calls, though no previous leader of Team USA ever had to check if potential picks are forcing other members of the squad to incur legal bills by fronting speculative litigation financed by a Middle Eastern despot. Such is the job Zach Johnson signed on for as he attempts to end America’s 30-year losing streak on foreign soil in September.
The only LIV players likely to factor in discussions about captains picks are Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka, neither of whom was a plaintiff in LIV’s antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour nor even offered salty back chat about their former tour or colleagues (Patrick Reed could win the next three majors and still not be invited for a uniform fitting for fear he might sue the seamstress). That removes one possible impediment to a LIV golfer being chosen for the matches in Rome, but there are others.
