CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With the major championship season now halfway complete, the Ryder Cup is just four months away. The composition of both the U.S. and European teams remains fluid, as captains Luke Donald and Keegan Bradley weigh their options before finalizing their selections.
While Bradley is boosting his own chances by performing well and rising in the U.S. rankings, Donald recently scouted Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York, the venue for the Ryder Cup scheduled for September 26-28, following his PGA Championship cut.
Donald stated, “I`m going to have a quick look.”
The top six players in each team`s points list will secure automatic spots. Additionally, captains Bradley and Donald will each name six captain`s picks.
Here is a current assessment of each team`s potential lineup.
U.S. team
Likely Qualifiers
Scottie Scheffler
The world`s top-ranked golfer secured his third major championship title at the PGA Championship, demonstrating his return to dominant form. Scheffler will seek redemption after a challenging 0-2-2 performance in the U.S. team`s 16½-11½ defeat at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome in 2023. His partnership with Brooks Koepka resulted in a historic 9 & 7 loss to Ludvig Åberg and Viktor Hovland, the largest margin in an 18-hole Ryder Cup match, leaving Scheffler visibly emotional. Scheffler`s driving power and accuracy, combined with his elite iron play, should be a significant asset at Bethpage Black. As a Ryder Cup debutant in the 2021 U.S. victory at Whistling Straits (another long course), he posted a strong 2-0-1 record.
Xander Schauffele
Schauffele won two major titles last year and is currently displaying strong form after recovering from a painful rib injury earlier this season. His two previous Ryder Cup appearances have been contrasting: a solid 3-1-0 record at Whistling Straits followed by a less successful 1-3 performance in Rome two years later. Nevertheless, he remains undeniably one of the premier golfers globally.
Bryson DeChambeau
Few players in professional golf drive the ball further than DeChambeau, who has consistently been in contention during the weekend rounds in five of the last six majors. He clinched his second U.S. Open trophy at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina last year and was in the final pairing at the Masters in April. Furthermore, his putting skills are often underestimated. After going 0-3 in his debut Ryder Cup in Paris in 2018, DeChambeau rebounded with a 2-0-1 record at Whistling Straits. Omitting him from the 2023 team was likely a misstep. He is anticipated to be a fan favorite at Bethpage Black and will inject considerable energy into the team room.
Justin Thomas
Thomas faced significant form issues for two years but managed to recover, winning the RBC Heritage on April 20 at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Despite not performing well at the Masters and surprisingly missing the cut at the PGA Championship, he is expected to make the team unless his game deteriorates significantly again. Thomas is recognized as one of the U.S. team`s most effective players in team competitions, holding a 7-4-2 record across three appearances. His selection for the Rome team was debated, and he finished with a 1-2-1 record, though few other American players performed particularly well that weekend either.
Collin Morikawa
Morikawa`s Ryder Cup journey mirrors Schauffele`s, with a 3-0-1 record at Whistling Straits followed by a 1-3 record at Marco Simone. The two-time major champion hasn`t claimed a victory since the Zozo Championship in Japan in October 2023, but his current play suggests he is capable of winning before the Ryder Cup. Morikawa is once again hitting the ball with the precision expected of a top player. Heading into the previous week, he ranked highly on tour in strokes gained: tee to green (1.373) and approach (.930). Morikawa`s playing style also effectively complements almost any potential teammate on the roster.
Likely Captain`s Picks
Patrick Cantlay
Cantlay has not won on tour since his victory at the BMW Championship in August 2022. He finished in the top 25 in three of four majors in 2024 but missed the cut at both the Masters and PGA Championship this year. Cantlay is a seasoned Ryder Cup participant and has been one of the team`s stronger performers in the last two events. He posted a 3-0-1 record at Whistling Straits and went 2-2 in Rome, where he attracted attention from European fans due to the `hatgate` situation regarding potential player compensation. Credit to Cantlay, he handled the pressure well. With a 5-2-1 record in Ryder Cups and 10-4 in Presidents Cups, Bradley is unlikely to overlook his experience and success.
Russell Henley
Henley is widely regarded as one of the best iron players globally and is an excellent putter when in form. While he may not possess significant driving distance, not every player needs to be a bomber. He secured his fifth PGA Tour win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on March 9 but subsequently missed the cut at the Masters and PGA Championship. Henley achieved a 3-1 record at last year`s Presidents Cup in Montreal. He partnered effectively with Scheffler, winning two out of three matches, which could prove to be a successful pairing again at Bethpage Black.
In the Mix for Captain`s Picks
Brooks Koepka
The winner of five major championships has not performed strongly outside of the LIV Golf League over the past two seasons, failing to finish inside the top 25 in his last seven major appearances. Despite this, he is one of the most experienced American players in the Ryder Cup with a 7-6-2 record. Notably, he won the 2019 PGA Championship held at Bethpage Black Course.
Harris English
English claimed his fifth PGA Tour victory at the Farmers Insurance Open in January and demonstrated strong play in the last two majors, tying for 12th at the Masters and finishing second at the PGA Championship. The 35-year-old drives the ball adequately far and is considered one of the tour`s top putters. In his 2021 Ryder Cup debut, he recorded a 1-2-0 record.
Jordan Spieth
Spieth`s struggles last season are likely understandable given his painful wrist injury that required surgery in August. Recent performances suggest he is close to regaining form, including tying for fourth at the WM Phoenix Open and 14th at the Masters. He missed the cut at Quail Hollow Club while attempting to complete the career Grand Slam. His performance in Rome wasn`t stellar, but his career Ryder Cup record stands at 8-9-5. It`s challenging to envision Bradley leaving his extensive experience off the team.
Brian Harman
Harman secured his fourth tour win at the Valero Texas Open on April 6. Critics might argue that Bethpage Black is too long for his game, but he is one of the tour`s elite putters and had a strong match-play history as an amateur. The pairing of Homa and Harman was one of the few positive takeaways for the American side in Rome.
Maverick McNealy
The former Stanford standout earned his first PGA Tour title at the RSM Classic in November. This season, he has also achieved a runner-up finish at the Genesis Invitational and tied for third at both the Valero Texas Open and RBC Heritage. The 29-year-old would be a Ryder Cup rookie but possesses prior team competition experience from the Arnold Palmer Cup and Walker Cup teams.
Keegan Bradley
Bradley has indicated that for him to play, he would need to secure one of the six automatic qualification spots. If other American players do not step up their performance, Bradley might find himself compelled to use a captain`s pick on himself. The 38-year-old started the season with six top-25 finishes in his first 11 starts, then finished tied for eighth at the PGA Championship. This would be ironic, given that Bradley`s omission by U.S. captain Zach Johnson in 2023 was highly controversial.
Daniel Berger
Berger hasn`t won in over four years, having been sidelined by a persistent back injury for significant parts of two seasons. He has recently been appearing on leaderboards this year and was a member of the victorious Ryder Cup team in 2021.
Max Homa
Homa has experienced considerable struggles with his game over the past year, but he appears to be making progress. He tied for 12th at the Masters and played better at the PGA Championship than his tie for 60th might suggest. He was the standout performer for the U.S. team in Rome, contributing 3½ points with a 3-1-1 record. He also holds a strong 5-2 record in two Presidents Cup appearances.
Other Potential Contenders
- Andrew Novak
- Sam Burns
- J.J. Spaun
- Wyndham Clark
- Michael Kim
- Tony Finau
- Lucas Glover
- Denny McCarthy
- Ben Griffin
- J.T. Poston
- Davis Riley
European team
Likely Qualifiers
Rory McIlroy
The recent Masters champion did not replicate his Augusta success with a strong performance at the second major of the season at Quail Hollow, finishing tied for 47th (3-over). However, he has already had an outstanding season, and it`s only May. Victories at Pebble Beach and the Players Championship, in addition to the Masters win, place him comfortably atop Europe`s Ryder Cup standings. Even without these wins, he is undoubtedly the leader and premier player on this European team. McIlroy, whose event record is 16-13-4, previously stated that winning an away Ryder Cup is one of his key remaining career objectives. He will have the opportunity to achieve this in New York come September.
Jon Rahm
The PGA Championship proved to be a notable week for Rahm. Despite a poor finish, Rahm was not only in contention but held a share of the lead on the back nine of a major for the first time since his 2023 Masters triumph. The outcome, while disappointing in the end, left Rahm feeling revitalized by being competitive again, stating it had been a while since he experienced such enjoyment on a golf course. Rahm deferred questions about his Ryder Cup selection to captain Luke Donald (he is currently 24th on the Euro standings), but it is widely expected that Donald will select the three-time participant for the team.
Likely Captain`s Picks
Ludvig Aberg
Aberg`s selection for the European team in Rome was surprising primarily because the then-23-year-old was a newcomer to the event. In hindsight, Donald`s choice proved insightful and foreshadowed Aberg`s future success. He is now recognized as one of the world`s top players, and despite a disappointing week at Quail Hollow and a difficult stretch of results recently, there should be little doubt about Aberg`s place on the team, particularly as he secured a win earlier this year and was part of the victorious 2023 squad.
Sepp Straka
Perhaps the week`s biggest surprise was Straka, who, fresh off a win at the Truist Championship (his second PGA Tour victory of the year), missed the cut at the PGA Championship. Fatigue might have contributed to his performance, as Straka has played 15 events this season. Although this marks his second missed cut in two majors this season, Straka is nearly guaranteed a spot based on his high ranking (5th) in the standings and his successful participation in the previous team.
Shane Lowry
A top-15 player in the Official World Golf Ranking, Lowry is not a guaranteed qualifier in May only because Rahm and McIlroy are in a class of their own. The Irishman competed at the Masters before a challenging Sunday and missed the cut at this year`s PGA Championship. However, Lowry`s overall game remains strong, with four top-10 finishes this season, including a second-place finish behind his friend, McIlroy, at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Their success as a pairing at the Zurich Classic suggests they are likely to team up again at Bethpage.
Tyrrell Hatton
Hatton`s move to LIV hasn`t significantly impacted his consistent play, as he currently sits fourth in the European Cup standings. At Marco Simone, Hatton was a formidable player, achieving a 3-0-1 record in his matches and defeating Brian Harman in the Sunday singles. It would require significant unforeseen circumstances for him not to be included in this team.
Viktor Hovland
The past 12 months have been fascinating for Hovland, who seems consistently challenged by issues with his swing, even after nearly winning last year`s PGA Championship and securing a PGA Tour win at the Valspar Championship this season, immediately following three consecutive missed cuts. Hovland`s inconsistent performance places him 12th in the current standings, but similar to Aberg, there is little question that he will be representing Europe in September.
Tommy Fleetwood
Fleetwood may not be the highest-ranked player without a major win, but he is arguably the most consistent. He has not missed a cut this season and has recorded three top-10 finishes while still pursuing his first PGA Tour victory. He is a top-15 player in the OWGR (ranking 7th on the Ryder Cup standings), and it`s highly probable he will be on the team.
In the Mix for Captain`s Picks
Justin Rose
Many believed Marco Simone might be Rose`s final Ryder Cup appearance. That thinking appears premature. Rose not only came close to winning the Masters but also has three top-10 finishes this season and continues to play remarkably well. Do not dismiss his chances.
Rasmus Hojgaard
The 24-year-old Hojgaard benefits from having been part of the team last time at a young age, much like Aberg. However, he has only one top-10 finish this season, achieved at the Zurich Classic alongside his brother Nicolai. Despite this, the potential for him to further develop his career through Ryder Cup participation remains a factor against selecting an older, more experienced player.
Robert MacIntyre
MacIntyre, who made his Ryder Cup debut last year, presents a similar case. Although some considered him the potential weak link on the European team in Rome, he performed exceptionally well, finishing with a 2-0-1 record in his matches. He is currently positioned 15th in the standings.
Thomas Detry
Following his win at the WM Phoenix Open this year, Detry entered the Ryder Cup discussion and has risen to 9th place in the European team standings. However, Detry`s performance in the majors (two missed cuts) is not ideal, and he will likely need to improve his consistency over the coming months to convince Donald to select him.
Other Potential Contenders
- Aaron Rai
- Stephan Jaeger
- Nicolai Hojgaard
- Alex Noren
