US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson wasted very little time in announcing the first six starters in the team to take on Europe, but half a dozen more golfers will have a nervous week.
The two-time Major Championship winner spoke to Scotti Scheffler and Wyndham Clark last week already, and did not wait long after the last putt dropped after the BMW Championship played in Chicago over the weekend.
Four players booked their spot on Sunday, with Patrick Cantlay, Brian Harman, Max Homa and Xander Schauffele getting the nod.
Johnson said that getting hold of their four and personally congratulating them proved a bit chaotic, with last minute flights, but wanted the quartet to understand the ethos of ‘this is our team’.
The 2007 Masters champion asked the six to talk amongst themselves as to who might be their fellow teammates, and he admitted that up to 20 players are still in with a shout to make the final cut.
Johnson, who also won the Open Championship in 2015, will captain the team in the Ryder Cup, which will tee off in Rome later this year.
The team will be off to Italy in September for what is expected to be a rowdy welcome.
Players like multiple Major winner Brooks Koepka will be in his hands, and it will be seen whether the LIV status will count against the five-time Major champion.
Koepka’s inclusion could be a bit controversial, but Johnson is keeping all options open.
"I’m going to be fully transparent. It’s hard because I’m not able to witness what they have been doing and see their form, with the exceptions of the four events [Majors] a year. I’m just glad he’s [Brooks] is healthy," he said.
Other LIV players like Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau would have been distinct probabilities but their LIV status could count against them.
Players looking to make the grade at this week’s Tour Championship include Collin Morikawa, Tony Finau and Jordan Spieth.
There could be wildcard sports for Justin Thomas, Lucas Glover and Rickie Fowler, as the US try to defend their shellacking of the Europeans at Whistling Straits.
