USA captain's picks announced tomorrow at 10 EDT.
https://www.si.com/golf/news/2021-ry...steve-stricker
I'll assume Koepka plays, and say the no-brainers are Finau, Schauffele, Spieth, and English.
My two guesses are Berger (fairly sure) and Na (very strong Tour Championship).
Wow, that is a bit of a surprise. Scheffler has never won on the PGA Tour, but he did come in 2nd in the WGC match play this year. He also had 3 top 10s in this year's majors, so I'm not saying it was a bad pick.
Na has won 5 times, including this year, and his results in the last regular season tournament and 3 playoff events was T2, T8, T17, and 3. Seemed like a hot hand to me. (Scheffler in the playoffs: T43, T22, and T22 (did not play Wyndham))
Not unhappy Reed didn't get the call. He may have a long wait for a captain's pick, after my OP I stumbled upon this article about the last Ryder Cup drama:
https://www.sbnation.com/golf/2018/1...team-usa-fight
Yeah I had read that about Patrick Reed prior. He’s an enigma. A very talented enigma, but just a strange guy.
If indeed Scottie Scheffler was the “last” pick, here are a few reasons why he made it:
Results at his last six majors: 8-7-8-18-19-4.
Only two finishes outside of T-22 since June.
Ranked 22nd in strokes gained tee-to-green.
Like you said, he came in 2nd at the WGC Dell match play event. The Ryder Cup is all about match play.
Here's the team with prior appearances listed:
We start with foursomes (two ball) on Friday morning. Pairings can be affected by which player plays which type of ball. Setting that aside, if I were the captain (dream on!), I would play two rookies -- Morikawa and Cantlay -- with the six veterans -- DJ, DeChambeau, Koepka, JT, Finau, Spieth. Oops! A second thought -- how can you sit the Olympic gold medalist? I might play Xander and sit Koepka, who has been injured.1. Collin Morikawa (Rookie)
2. Dustin Johnson (2010, 2012, 2016, 2018, 2021)
3. Bryson DeChambeau (2018)
4. Brooks Koepka (2016, 2018, 2021)
5. Justin Thomas (2018, 2021)
6. Patrick Cantlay (Rookie)
7. Tony Finau (2018, 2021)
8. Xander Schauffele (Rookie)
9. Jordan Spieth (2014, 2016, 2018, 2021)
10. Harris English (Rookie)
11. Scottie Scheffler (Rookie)
12. Daniel Berger (Rookie)
Sage Grouse
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'When I got on the bus for my first road game at Duke, I saw that every player was carrying textbooks or laptops. I coached in the SEC for 25 years, and I had never seen that before, not even once.' - David Cutcliffe to Duke alumni in Washington, DC, June 2013
Is Koepka healthy enough to play?
"We are not provided with wisdom, we must discover it for ourselves, after a journey through the wilderness which no one else can take for us, an effort which no one can spare us, for our wisdom is the point of view from which we come at last to regard the world." --M. Proust
LOL, click bait! Title: Golf World Reacts To Steve Stricker’s Patrick Reed Decision
I never heard of a single person that "react[ed]". Certainly no golfers weighed in, not even a well-known commentator.
Don't do it!!!
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/gol...de2?li=BBnbfcL
"We are not provided with wisdom, we must discover it for ourselves, after a journey through the wilderness which no one else can take for us, an effort which no one can spare us, for our wisdom is the point of view from which we come at last to regard the world." --M. Proust
Solheim Cup is great and I thoroughly enjoyed it, but strong disagree that it is better than the Ryder Cup. The women are incredible and I have enjoyed watching more of the women's game as it has gotten more publicity recently (full disclosure - hte NLU guys constantly pushing the women's game put it on my radar and spurred me to start watching more) but the shot making from the men is spectacular.
On the RC, I was disappointed that Kevin Na didn't get the pick. I understand that Scheffler's game probably fits Whistling Straits better, but Na is so much fun to watch, has had a great (and highly underrated) career and, I would imagine, can be a giant nudge on the course.
My Quick Smells Like French Toast.
Man, if your Mom made you wear that color when you were a baby, and you're still wearing it, it's time to grow up!
Is Brooks healthy? Will the current roster avoid positive Covid tests/quarantine? I think there is a reasonable chance that Reed or NA (or both) get the call to fill a vacancy.
Brooksy has a wrist injury he sustained at the Tour Championship at East Lake when he struck a root hitting a shot from the rough. He’s questionable for the Ryder Cup. The only advice I’d give him is that roots don’t grow in the fairway …
I think he’s done for the Ryder Cup. I’d expect to see Reed or Na replace him …
Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?
It appears we've all overlooked Sam Burns' qualifications.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/gol...FKF?li=BBnbfcL[Burns is] fourth in total putting, fifth in putts per green in regulation and ninth in strokes gained (putting), all of which are miles better than Scheffler. It can’t be because he isn’t long enough off the tee. Burns is practically identical with Scheffler in driving distance. And it can’t be that he hasn’t won yet on the PGA Tour. Burns won the Valspar Championship In May on a tough Copperhead Course at Innisbrook. Oh, yes. Scheffler still hasn’t won on Tour.
And it certainly can’t be his recent form. Burns’ last four starts, which include the WGC-FedEx St. Jude and all three playoff events, are T-2, T-21, 8 and T-18. Scheffler, in those same events, was 14, T-43, T-22 and T-22.
If Koepka can't go, I hope Burns gets the call.
Life is hard for Brooks Koepka. Some interesting quotes here.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/58562548
There's lots of I's in that article. When Brooks first came out on the PGA tour, I rooted for him because of his family ties to Dick Groat. However after watching him and reading some of his comments, he's not one of my favorite pro golfers but I will be rooting for him in the Ryder Cup.