The four majors for the 2023 PGA season are in the books, but the drama of the golf world continues. Sure, there are a few more tournaments followed by the FedEx Cup playoffs, but this goes beyond that. In just two months, the Ryder Cup is set to begin, which brings a USA vs. Europe in head-to-head battle that is sure to produce fireworks. This year the tournament is on European soil, which makes the task that much tougher for the U.S. team. Even though there are still two months until tee-off, there is plenty to talk about right now, specifically who the U.S. plans to send to take on the Euros. Let’s break down Team USA roster predictions, including who is in, who is out and who needs to make some noise to make the Ryder Cup squad.
2023 Ryder Cup Team USA Predictions: Justin Thomas In Or Out?
Current Automatic Bids
The first thing to understand is the format of the team, with six automatic qualifiers punching their ticket followed by six captain’s picks. The automatic qualifiers are based on Ryder Cup points accumulated over the year, and they are filled with major winners and top-end guys. Here is the current list of the top 6 for the USA team:
- Scottie Scheffler
- Wyndham Clark
- Brian Harman
- Brooks Koepka
- Xander Schauffele
- Patrick Cantlay
Right off the bat, there is a major question with one name on that list. Brooks Koepka is a LIV Golfer whose status is up in the air for this competition. He remains eligible, and if he earns an automatic bid, it will be another storyline for this tournament. The rest of the guys on this list make sense based off their years, and they will be playing in Rome.
Captains Picks
This is where it gets fun, as Zach Johnson now has to decide who will go to as his captain’s picks. Some of these seem easy, with Jordan Spieth, Cameron Young and Max Homa all up there in terms of Ryder Cup points, and in Spieth’s case, he has plenty of experience in these moments. Taking them makes nine players with three more spots.
Continuing down the list, Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler and Collin Morikawa round out this squad for America. Seeing the resurgence of Fowler and him breaking through for a win solidified his spot on the team, and it is hard to argue with Bradley’s consistent play or the talent of Morikawa.
In the Hunt
Now it is time to examine who is on the outside looking in.
With such a deep pool of talent for Team USA, it is no surprise some big names are on the cusp of not making this team. Sam Burns is on the cusp of the top 12 in points and could be a hotly debated name. Denny McCarthy and Tony Finau have been close, but right now it seems a little far-fetched that they would make the squad. That leads to the man of the hour in Justin Thomas, who currently is sitting 14th in the standing and has a game trending downward.
Thomas is no stranger to Ryder Cups, having played in the last two, and he was actually the top point scorer for the U.S. in the 2018 version. Normally he would be towards the top of the list, but after another missed cut at a major (three in 2023), Thomas’ game seems to be in a dire position. It is so rough that Thomas actually is teeing it up at the 3M Open in hope of sparking some form for both the FedEx Cup and his Ryder Cup hopes. Barring a massive showing at that tournament, Thomas is unlikely to make a squad that will have its hands full on European soil.
Final Thoughts
The U.S. has a good problem to have, with so many golfers to choose from when building out this roster. Nine or 10 spots are known for certain, but the final two or three could be fascinating. Thomas has all the experience with no current form, while others are looking to make their mark for the first time on this stage. It will be a fascinating leadup to this late-September tee time, and Zach Johnson has a difficult task building out a winning roster this year.
