This week’s BMW Championship isn’t just the second of three season-ending FedEx Cup Playoff stops.
It also marks the final event for players to earn a spot on the United States squad for the 2023 Ryder Cup, which will be held from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club near Rome.
American players began earning points at the beginning of 2022, and at the conclusion of the BMW Championship, the top six players on the points list will qualify for the U.S. team. Captain Zach Johnson will then announce his six captain’s picks following the 2023 Tour Championship, Aug. 24-27, at East Lake in Atlanta.
Will a struggling Justin Thomas get the nod? Did Lucas Glover get hot enough at the right time? How many players from LIV Golf could make it?
As Team USA begins to take shape, here’s an updated look at the standings for the U.S. squad bound for the 2023 Ryder Cup.
Qualified — Scottie Scheffler
The World No. 1 earned the first spot on Team USA and will make his second Ryder Cup appearance after a 2-0-1 showing in 2021 that included a Sunday singles win against Jon Rahm, 4 and 3.
Last season was Scheffler’s coming out party as the Texan earned four wins, including his first major at the Masters, as well as four runner-up finishes and 11 top 10s. The 27-year-old has kept the party going this season with two more wins and an astounding 13 top-five finishes in 21 events.
“The experience I had at the Ryder Cup two years ago in Wisconsin is something I will never forget and something I can’t wait to replicate in September,” said Scheffler, who was formally announced as the team’s first automatic qualifier on July 26. “Zach’s an amazing leader and I’m ready to do whatever it takes to help him, and our team bring the Ryder Cup back home to the United States.”
Qualified — Wyndham Clark
Clark, 29, officially clinched his spot five days after Scheffler thanks to an impressive season that includes seven top-10 and a dozen top-25 finishes this season on Tour with wins at the U.S. Open and Wells Fargo Championship. He previously represented the U.S. at the 2014 Palmer Cup where he earned one point out of four and lost to Jon Rahm, 4 and 3, in Saturday singles.
No. 3 — Patrick Cantlay
The 31-year-old has been a menace while representing the red, white and blue, especially when paired with good friend Xander Schauffele (more on him to come). Each was 3-1-0 at the 2022 Presidents Cup, 2-1-0 when paired together. Oh, and at the last Ryder Cup, with both players making their debut, they were 2-0-0 in foursomes (alternate shot). On top of that, Cantlay rolled Shane Lowry, 4 and 2, in his Ryder Cup singles debut in 2021 and finished the week in Wisconsin 3-0-1, tied for the most points on the team.
He can even slow-play the Europeans and really get the crowd going. All in good fun, of course.
No. 4 — Brian Harman
The reigning Champion Golfer of the Year is currently ranked No. 4 on the standings. Harman has never represented the U.S. in the Ryder Cup, but a decent showing this week and a trip to the Tour Championship should earn him his long-awaited debut. The 36-year-old has earned 11 top-25 and six top-10 finishes on Tour this season, including three runner-up showings.
No. 5 — Brooks Koepka
Koepka was being discussed as a captain’s pick early in the season, but after his win at the PGA Championship, captain Johnson might not even have to make a choice. The five-time major champion finished T-2 at the Masters and T-17 at the U.S. Open and currently sits fifth on the points list. He also won LIV Golf Orlando in April.
In five LIV starts since his PGA win, Koepka has finished T-12, 3, T-17, T-38 and T-38.
American players who left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf are still eligible for the team via a grace period for their PGA of America membership that runs until June 2024, but it’s important to note there’s an asterisk at the bottom of the standings page that reads:
*Points ranking does not guarantee qualification for the Ryder Cup. Players must separately meet all eligibility requirements.
No. 6 — Max Homa
Homa would currently be the last to earn automatic qualification for Team USA. Not only is the 32-year-old a fan-favorite, but he also proved (major performances aside) that he can be relied upon in the biggest moments after a perfect debut at the 2022 Presidents Cup. Homa went 4-0-0, made clutch putt after clutch putt and flipped his Sunday singles match against Tom Kim, winning 1 up after falling 3 down through 11 holes. He’s played his way into the top six with two wins and 10 top-10 finishes this season, and even if he falls out of automatic qualification, Johnson and his assistant captains will be hard pressed to find a more-deserving player to represent his country.
Contender — Xander Schauffele
Xander Schauffele is a mere 18 points and change behind Homa, and his connection with Cantlay makes him another seemingly automatic selection. Schauffele hasn’t missed a cut in 20 starts this season on Tour and has 16 top-25 finishes, including nine in the top 10.
Contender — Jordan Spieth
Spieth dropped out of the top six and currently sits No. 8 behind Schauffele on the points list, but he should absolutely be a pick given his team golf history and recent resurgence. The 29-year-old was a perfect 5-0-0 at the Presidents Cup last fall and is primed to already make his fifth Ryder Cup appearance, where he boasts a modest 8-7-3 record (0-3-1 in Sunday singles).
Over 20 starts this season Spieth has earned seven top-10 finishes, including a runner-up at the RBC Heritage. Vice-captain Fred Couples also said Spieth “will be in Italy.”
Contender — Cameron Young
Young was as high as fourth on the points list earlier this season but has since taken a step back to ninth. Like Spieth, he was also given an endorsement by Couples: “Cam Young will be in Italy.”
His good-not-great 1-2-1 performance in his Presidents Cup debut last fall left a little to be desired, but the no-nonsense Young has a bulldog mentality and the U.S. should bet on his bark to match his bite in Rome.
Other contenders
A strong case can be made for the previous nine to be on the team, leaving three spots up for grabs.
Two-time major champion Collin Morikawa has struggled by his lofty standards this season, but he slotted in well for Team USA in his Ryder Cup debut in 2021 (3-0-1) and Presidents Cup debut last fall (2-1-0). Now 10th on the list, he’s on the outside looking in but the 26-year-old should make this team.
Sitting a few spots back is Rickie Fowler at No. 13, but the Rocket Mortgage Classic winner has done enough to stake his claim for a spot. Consistently in the mix with 16 top-25 finishes in 23 events, Fowler also has a runner-up finish and eight top 10s. In his four past appearances, Fowler is 3-7-5 in the Ryder Cup.
That leaves the likes of recent strugglers Sam Burns (No. 12), Keegan Bradley (No. 11) and Denny McCarthy (No. 15) competing with a player like Lucas Glover. The 43-year-old is winning at the right time and making Johnson’s job all the more difficult. Go with the hot hand in the veteran rookie, or a different player who doesn’t boast the same recent success?
Pretender — Justin Thomas
Past success be damned, JT has to be out.
Things went south for Thomas in a hurry this season, and he’s fallen to 14th on the points list after failing to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
In two previous appearances, Thomas is 6-2-1 in the Ryder Cup. He’s made for team events like this, as seen by his 4-1-0 showing at the 2022 Presidents Cup, where he went undefeated when paired with Jordan Spieth. The former World No. 1 had plenty of time to find some form, but like his good buddy Spieth at the 2019 Presidents Cup, he’s going to have to sit this one out.
Pretender — Tony Finau
Yes, Finau has a pair of wins this season, but he hasn’t done much since April. The big man went about his business to the tune of a 3-1-0 record (2-0-0 with Homa) at the Presidents Cup last fall, and would have paired well with him again in Italy had he kept any sort of form.
Over his last seven starts, Finau has missed three cuts and has a best finish of T-7 at the 3M Open. At last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, which features a field of 70 players, Finau finished 64th.
Pretender — Bryson DeChambeau
The 58 and subsequent win at LIV Golf Greenbrier was a sight to see, there’s no doubt about that. His T-4 at the PGA Championship was a strong showing, same with his T-20 at the U.S. Open.
The chatter around DeChambeau has increased over the last week or so, and he said he felt like “a top 10 player for sure right now.” But is a handful of good showings after just as many bad with LIV really enough to propel him onto the team?
He’d be a comical pick to pair with Koepka after their former beef, and offers just a 2-3-1 record in two previous appearances. DeChambeau seems to have found something in his game and appears to be trending in the right direction, but he doesn’t belong on this team.
