A strong case can be made for the previous 11 to be on the team. It’s the last spot that’s truly up for grabs, with a handful of worthy names all in consideration.
The next few players currently on the bubble of automatic qualification who haven’t been mentioned are the likes of Kurt Kitayama (12), Will Zalatoris (13), Denny McCarthy (14), Harris English (15) and Rickie Fowler (16).
Sure, Kitayama has a win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, but he also has nine missed cuts vs. just 10 made cuts. You’d think Zalatoris would be a no-brainer, but will he be back and healthy enough after a season-ending back surgery? McCarthy and English are having fine seasons, but neither jump off the page.
Fowler, on the other hand, is gaining momentum With finishes of T-6, T-9 and T-5 in his last three starts, the 34-year-old now has seven top 10s and 13 top 25s in 18 starts this season. He’s a Ryder Cup veteran compared to most on the potential squad, but boasts just a 3-7-5 record in four appearances.
Daniel Berger (2-1-0 in his Ryder Cup debut in 2021) likely won’t be back in full form after a lengthy injury, but perhaps we see a new name like Sahith Theegala, who has seven top 10s this year and has missed just one cut in 22 starts.
With 100 days to go until the first shots are in the air, the window of time is shrinking for players to earn one of the coveted 12 spots on Team USA.
Rickie Fowler looks on as J.B. Holmes, Erica Holmes, Jimmy Walker, Erin Walker, Jordan Spieth, Annie Verret, Justine Reed and Patrick Reed celebrate at the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
English
French
German
Italian
Japanese
Spanish