As Vermont-born Keegan Bradley was walking to sign his scorecard following his victory in the Travelers Championship last month, he was carried by more than the joy shared with the legion of New England fans celebrating his popular win.
Bradley’s mind went immediately to earning a spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team that will play in Rome in late September.
“The first thing I said to my wife walking up to sign my card: This is a pretty big step towards doing that,” Bradley said.
“I’m 37 years old. I hope to play in multiple more. I don't know how many more, with everybody so good and the younger kids; just the team is incredible. I’ve still got a lot to show the captain. I would love to go to Rome and be a part of that team.”
Even as the summer heat builds across the country and the Open Championship looms on the not-too-distant horizon, it has become Ryder Cup season.
In less than three months, captain Zach Johnson will send his American team out at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club near Rome to do something it hasn’t done since 1993: win the Ryder Cup on foreign soil.
Bradley was a flag-waving member of the 2012 and 2014 U.S. Ryder Cup teams, and his focus on being a part of a third team speaks to the meaning that comes with being one of the 12 players who will go to Rome.
His Travelers victory pushed Bradley to seventh in the Ryder Cup points race, which will award the top six with automatic spots on the team when qualifying concludes. Given the depth of talent from which Johnson will create his team, being among the top six in points at the conclusion of the BMW Championship on Aug. 20 becomes paramount to Bradley and others.
“It could be a really no-brainer, easy decision. I don't want to have any sort of misconceived notions or pressures, because there's nothing there yet. There’s just so much fluidity and so much unknown.”
Zach Johnson, U.S. captain
Johnson will fill out his roster with six more players following the Tour Championship one week later, then take his 12 players to Rome for a pre-Ryder Cup bonding/reconnaissance trip two weeks before the event is played September 29-October 1.
In other words, there is much to be determined between now and Labor Day.
“My No. 1 goal as the leader is to go put these guys in a position to win, whatever that looks like. Time will tell,” said Johnson, who has been careful not to overshare his thoughts about the team this far out.
At the moment, the top six in points are, in order: Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Brooks Koepka, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay and Max Homa. All seem virtually certain to be on Johnson’s team, despite Homa’s results being relatively flat recently. He went 4-0 in the Presidents Cup last year, and his personality is like a 15th club for him.
Though there has been no formal statement, it has become clear that if Koepka – or any other LIV Golf member – automatically qualifies for the Ryder Cup team, he will be allowed to play.
The question is whether Dustin Johnson might get one of the six captain’s picks, assuming he doesn’t automatically qualify. No other LIV player – Patrick Reed and Bryson DeChambeau, in particular – has shown the form needed to warrant a pick. Johnson, who went 5-0 at the last Ryder Cup in Whistling Straits, may be too talented to pass up.
Despite some struggles this year, Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa seem certain to be on the team, as will Jordan Spieth who, along with Thomas, has been the emotional heart of recent U.S. teams.
That leaves Bradley, Sam Burns, the quietly consistent Denny McCarthy, the resurgent Rickie Fowler, Tony Finau, Harris English, Sahith Theegala, Brian Harman and Chris Kirk among those chasing one of the precious spots.
Zach Johnson sounded prescient before the PGA Championship when asked about how his roster might come together this fall.
“I just think there's so much golf,” Johnson said. “Honestly, it would not surprise me if there's a guy, like I said, on either tour that pops up that we are not discussing, because that’s happened so many times: When Scottie Scheffler came out of the blue two years ago; Ryan Moore came out of the blue in 2016 because of his play coming down the stretch.”
Hello, Wyndham Clark.
We see you, Keegan Bradley.
Most of the American players have not played Marco Simone, a hilly layout that hosted the Italian Open in May and will play differently than Whistling Straits in 2021. Johnson expects the setup to lean toward the European side, with thick rough and relatively narrow fairways intended to blunt the Americans’ power game.
A similar strategy worked for the Europeans in Paris in 2018, and they have demonstrated a belief and commitment to their formula.
Johnson, with the help of assistant captains Fred Couples, Jim Furyk, Davis Love III and Steve Stricker, will put his own touches on an American approach that will provide an almost overwhelming amount of data to go along with the eye test and gut feelings.
“Quality of play and form relatively recent to the event – either cup, Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup – has shown to be a proven factor. Horses for courses is a proven factor,” Johnson said of his thought process.
Rome awaits.
E-MAIL RON
Top: Zach Johnson isn't letting Justin Thomas or anyone see his hand regarding his six captain's picks.
RICHARD HEATHCOTE, GETTY IMAGES