Tiger Woods: Expected to return to the Ryder Cup side
Tiger Woods: Expected to return to the Ryder Cup side

US Ryder Cup wild card options and key talking points


With the eight US Ryder Cup qualifiers confirmed, Ben Coley looks at the options as Jim Furyk prepares to complete his side with four wild cards.

Bryson DeChambeau

Landed his second PGA Tour title courtesy of a teak-tough play-off win at The Memorial Tournament and looked set to add to it with a win in Europe, until now famous capitulation. Handshake furore there well overblown but does underline the fact that, perhaps unfairly, he's not universally popular and if that's also true of his fellow professionals, therein lies a potential problem. That said, reports suggest he's long been earmarked for the side with Tiger Woods lined up as a potential partner and it's likely reports of his supposed popularity problem are overblown, especially as he seems such a decent sort. Long game works at Le Golf National, has more overseas experience than some, and odds-on to get the call despite missed cut in the PGA Championship.

Overall record: n/a

Sky Bet odds: 1/2

Phil Mickelson

Ever-present since 1995, playing in 11 consecutive renewals, and fared really well at Hazeltine when beaten just once and unfortunate not to win phenomenally high-standard singles game given how well he played. That came at the end of summer in which he'd finished second in the Open and form lately hasn't been as strong, but did win a World Golf Championship event back in the spring when playing as well as he has in years. Has never needed a captain's pick before but wasn't far off automatic qualification and surely gets to cash in an IOU having built strong relationships with the youngsters at the core of this US side. Recent form would be a worry though and unless it improves, unlikely to play a key role.

Overall record: 18-20-7
Singles: 5-5-1
Foursomes: 5-7-4
Fourballs: 8-8-2

Sky Bet odds: 1/10

Xander Schauffele

Like Brooks Koepka before him, is quickly developing a reputation for being big-time, one which can be traced back to a strong US Open performance in 2016. After that, added two titles - including the lucrative and elite TOUR Championship - and while winless since, has continued to show up in the most important events. All told he has three top-six finishes in just six major starts and fact the latest of them came in the Open on foreign soil helps strengthen case. Yet to represent the US in team golf so would be a rookie in the purest sense, yet a lack of experience has been no barrier in what's been a rapid ascent to the world's top 20.

Overall record: n/a

Sky Bet odds: 2/1

Justin Thomas celebrates with the FedEx Cup trophy alongside Xander Schauffele with the TOUR Championship trophy
Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele

Matt Kuchar

Having a fairly quiet time of things and that's been the case since he fell victim to Jordan Spieth at Birkdale last summer. Most troubling is the fact he'd missed three cuts in four prior to the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and while ninth place in the Open is high-class form, for a player whose hallmark is consistency, missing weekends isn't good enough. No win since 2015 and even that was a low-grade Fiji success so the case against is very easy to make, especially as he's been cannon fodder for Europeans in singles golf even if he did win a point at Gleneagles. Selected in 2016, but luck may run out despite popularity in team room and very solid record when playing with a partner and looks a shocking price.

Overall record: 6-7-2
Singles: 1-3-0
Foursomes: 2-2-0
Fourballs: 3-2-2

Sky Bet odds: 11/8

Kevin Kisner

Struck up a friendly partnership with Phil at the Presidents Cup, where he played well enough without booking his place here. This season has been largely low-key, but at least popped up with a big run in the WGC-Match Play, again in the Open Championship, where tied for the lead with 18 holes remaining, and again through the first 36 holes of the PGA. Does have that handy knack of stepping forward on big occasions (also contended in last year's PGA) and fairway-finding ability could be invaluable at Le Golf National. Still needs to do something very good over the next couple of weeks to get in, though.

Overall record: n/a

Sky Bet odds: 7/1

Tony Finau

Considered by many to be the man most likely to be given the benefit of doubt and a wild card pick. Much of that belief comes from his performances in majors - 10th, fifth, ninth and 35th this year - and Open record in particular (18-27-9) catches the eye. Power-based game wouldn't necessarily be an obvious fit for Le Golf National but he's shown a versatility which would suggest he'll cope if given the nod. Very popular among his peers, and only quibble would be the fact he's still only won the low-key Puerto Rico Open and that a couple of years ago. Schauffele on the other hands has more wins, has gone deeper in a major, is higher in the world rankings than Finau has ever been and is therefore more compelling on paper. Suspect Finau's birdie-blitz alongside captain Jim Furyk last week still has him just ahead, though.

Overall record: n/a

Sky Bet odds: 7/4

Tony Finau
Tony Finau could make his Ryder Cup debut having impressed Jim Furyk

Zach Johnson

Rock-solid Ryder Cup team member whose efforts in Sunday singles have been particularly noteworthy. Some way down the standings having failed to convert solid weeks into spectacular ones - see current run of top-20 finishes - but tenacity, experience and ability to find a fairway make for a fairly compelling case. Did struggle at Gleneagles but far from alone there and was joint-top US scorer at Medinah, where he again held his own on Sunday as all around him were failing to do so. Strange that he's only played two fourball matches in his life as looks an ideal partner for just about anyone. Likely needs to make some serious late headlines but underlines strength in the options at Furyk's whim and for my money would improve the side.

Overall record: 8-6-2
Singles: 3-1-1
Foursomes: 4-4-1
Fourballs: 1-1-0

Sky Bet odds: 5/1

Tiger Woods

This time last year could be backed at 16/1 for a Ryder Cup pick but, after contending in the Open and then again in the PGA, most now consider him to be the first name on the sheet as it were. Clearly, it's a bold captain who ignores a back-to-form Tiger and his supposedly poor Ryder Cup record is misleading; too often, he's been hamstrung by the wrong partner but has still built up a solid return given that he's usually been on the losing side. Possible that Le Golf National proves a really nice fit for the latest model of his game, as it doesn't demand driver. Welcome back.

Overall record: 13-17-3
Singles: 4-1-2
Foursomes: 4-8-1
Fourballs: 5-8-0

Sky Bet odds: 1/16

Brandt Snedeker

Unbeaten in three matches at the 2016 Ryder Cup, forming a brilliant partnership with Brooks Koeoka which saw them win their sole fourball and their sole foursomes match, both convincingly. Went on to see off a vulnerable opponent in singles, coming from two-down early, and with that put to bed some ghosts from Medinah where he'll have been particularly disappointed to lose heavily to Paul Lawrie. Injuries and loss of form threatened to see him fall out of the picture altogether but three recent top-10s, plus that link-up with the reigning US Open champion, have brought him back into it. Still needs Playoff fireworks but that's exactly what he conjured up in 2012 and he's not out of this at a massive price.

Overall record: 4-2-0
Singles: 1-1-0
Foursomes: 2-1-0
Fourballs: 1-0-0

Sky Bet odds: 25/1

Patrick Cantlay

One of the stories of 2017 as he made his long-awaited return from a serious back injury, not to mention personal loss, to recapture his PGA Tour card and make it all the way to East Lake, site of the season-ending TOUR Championship. Won for the first time soon after and has held form throughout 2018, missing just two cuts, contending on several occasions and bagging a sneaky 12th place in the Open. Along the way has been rightly criticised for snail-like pace of play and that could make him a difficult man to pair, even if he's long looked born for this stage, so looks another who needs to win or string together a couple of top-five finishes. If he doesn't quite make it, have the lot on him debuting in 2020.

Overall record: n/a

Sky Bet odds: 6/1

Verdict

Expect Woods and Mickelson to be named as two of the three selections on September 3, following the completion of the Dell Technologies Championship. Just who is there with them is open for debate but reports suggest DeChambeau has long been earmarked for the side and that leaves just one spot left.

The simple option in some respects would be Kuchar, who is experienced, popular, a good partner and a nice fit for the course, but his recent form is a big issue and if experience is needed, personal preference would be for either Zach Johnson or Snedeker.

Johnson is playing by far the most solid golf of the trio and is of course the most decorated, but while a run of top-20 finishes catches my eye it probably doesn't do him all that much good versus the more high-profile efforts he's up against. He needs more.

Clearly, Finau has definitely turned Furyk's head and the likelihood is that the US will add two rookies with their four wild cards, and it could just be a case of whether Schauffele can do enough to leapfrog Finau in the captain's calculations. For now, the former is considered to be in pole position despite having less compelling paper credentials.

Much should depend on how the play over the next two weeks - the point of holding back a pick is to give it to an in-form golfer, which makes the BMW Championship in particular a huge four days for several of those mentioned.

Bryson DeChambeau
Bryson DeChambeau: Fancied by many to make the US side

Waving goodbye to a winning formula

Much has been written about the strength of this United States side, and a look at the names above underlines it: when you're adding Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods to your line-up, you're in a very good position; when you can even consider leaving them out in favour of other world-class players, you're talking about one of the deepest pools of talent in this event's history.

Yet one wonders whether Furyk, vice captain to Davis Love in 2016, expected so much upheaval from that dominant side, and whether he'd have welcomed it at the time even if, as things stand, it's clear that several of the 12 are not playing well enough.

Just five of the 2016 line-up - Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed and Rickie Fowler - have qualified again, and of those to have failed only Phil Mickelson appears certain to be selected. Names like Jimmy Walker, Brandt Snedeker, JB Holmes and Ryan Moore aren't really in the conversation; Matt Kuchar and Zach Johnson, both of whom boast strong records in the event, are far from certain to feature, either.

The Hazeltine dozen featured a wonderful blend of youth and experience. Mickelson brought to it the lessons of 10 previous appearances, the Johnsons six combined, Kuchar three and Fowler two, which balanced well with those who'd featured in one but did not carry significant battle scars - Spieth, Reed and Walker, for instance; less so Snedeker given that his previous appearance was in that Medinah meltdown.

Expect, then, Furyk to bring in at least one rookie with DeChambeau, Finau and Schauffele all in the mix, especially as he looks likely to select both Woods and Mickelson. Taking one of that trio leaves the option to find room for another Hazeltine winner. Might Snedeker find a run in the FedEx Cup Playoffs similar to that which saw him earn his debut in 2012?

A deadly putter with plenty of form on foreign soil, one who was the USA's second-highest points scorer in 2016, his recent return to form and full fitness gives him the opportunity to force his way into the reckoning. But only serious Sundays will do and the same goes for Zach Johnson. As things stand, neither has done enough and it's the rookies who hold the aces.

United States captain Jim Furyk
Click on the image for Sky Bet's latest Ryder Cup markets

What to do with Watson

Clearly, Furyk welcomes the addition to his playing ranks of Justin Thomas, whose rapid rise began just after Hazeltine, but what of Bubba Watson?

Here we have a character whose colleagues were keen to stress was a key part of the team room at Hazeltine, but the fact is he'd been in losing sides from debut in 2010 through to a third consecutive defeat at Gleneagles in 2014, either side of which the US have been victorious without him.

Watson is a polarising figure and his previously successfully partnership with Simpson was exposed on foreign soil in 2014. Perhaps, then, Furyk will be forced into a rethink and just who plays with the left-hander, who shot 74 twice to miss the cut at this course in the 2011 Open de France, could be key to their chances of retaining the trophy.

Rickie Fowler looks the obvious option. He's a close friend of Bubba's, a wildly popular figure even with fans outside of the US, and might just get the best out of him. Fowler played with Thomas at the Presidents Cup last year but while they started brilliantly, by the end of the week they hadn't quite done enough to guarantee a renewal of the partnership here in France.

How to get the best out of Tiger

What Furyk does with Woods, assuming he's selected, will be fascinating, but the correct use of him actually looks straightforward: four-balls and singles.

Once Woods started contending again it became clear that it would be difficult for Furyk to leave him out of the side, and should he continue to play well in the run-up to Paris it will be no easier to sit him on the bench regardless of the format.

Yet Woods is now 42, he's gone through all manner of physical issues and, crucially, he now looks like the team player the USA needed him to be at his peak.

As we approach the end of a superb comeback season but ultimately one which may end without silverware, Woods will see the Ryder Cup as an important part of his end-of-year personal review and he'll do whatever is necessary to help his side to successfully defend on foreign soil.

From Furyk's perspective, perhaps that should mean leaving him out of foursomes altogether.

Tiger's inability to rely on driver and occasional frailties on the green are serious issues when only one ball is in play, and historically there have also been many world-class players who can't produce their best when sharing a ball with the greatest player in modern history.

That he plays a Bridgestone ball may part explain why Woods has been tasked with integrating DeChambeau, but it may make more sense to simplify things further and using Woods only in the format which suits him best.

His form this year and expected suitability to Le Golf National means Tiger could well reward such a decision with three invaluable points.

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