Zach Johnson has selected his wildcards for the 2023 Ryder Cup. Following the conclusion of the Tour Championship, the Team USA captain has six captain’s picks with which to complete his squad for the continental competition in Rome. In addition to season performance, current form, Ryder Cup experience and input from players who have already qualified will play a role in the selection process, among other factors.
Ryder Cup 2023: The six wildcards for Team USA
The following players will attempt to defend the American title at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club:
- Sam Burns
- Rickie Fowler
- Brooks Koepka
- Collin Morikawa
- Jordan Spieth
- Justin Thomas
Book the tickets, gentlemen ✈
— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) August 29, 2023
With his six Captain’s Picks, @ZachJohnsonPGA selects:
🇺🇸@BKoepka
🇺🇸@JordanSpieth
🇺🇸@collin_morikawa
🇺🇸@RickieFowler
🇺🇸@JustinThomas34
🇺🇸@SamBurns66 pic.twitter.com/V7PbDlzaZZ
Johnson explains his selection by the versatility of the players and how those choices give him a lot of flexibility in creating the pairings. “They fit well with Marco Simone, but they also fit well with each other,” he also alludes to the team aspect of his team composition.
With three rookies and three players with just one Ryder Cup on their resume already on the team via qualifying, Johnson opted for five experienced Ryder Cup players and another rookie in Sam Burns, but a match-play champion who should be a secret weapon for the team. Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth both have five Ryder Cup appearances to their credit. Spieth has been an integral part of the continental competition since 2014 and Johnson emphasizes his performance on and around the green, which should serve him well in the Marco Simone. Rickie Fowler returns to the Ryder Cup after 2018 and, in addition to his playing performance, will be an important element in the team room for the captain.
Brooks Koepka was also an obvious choice for the American captain with his win at the PGA Championship and runner-up finish at the Masters: “He’s made for the big stage and there’s no bigger bean than the Ryder Cup.”
Zach Johnson: “You just don’t leave JT at home.”
What may be controversial is the appointment of Justin Thomas to the team, who did not play his best season and even missed the PGA Tour Playoffs. But according to Johnson, “You just don’t leave JT at home.” “His passion for the Ryder Cup is obvious,” the captain said. “In my opinion, he was born for it.” Thomas will definitely have to prove himself on the course.
Already firmly qualified were world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, U.S. Open winner Wyndham Clark, Open Championship winner Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa and Xander Schauffele. The Ryder Cup will be played a month from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, Italy.