CHARLOTTE, N.C. – With the major championship season now at its halfway point, the Ryder Cup is just four months away. Neither the US nor the European team rosters are fully determined, as captains Luke Donald and Keegan Bradley are still evaluating players before finalizing their selections.
US Captain Keegan Bradley has been playing strong golf himself and rising in the US team standings. Meanwhile, European Captain Luke Donald, after making the cut at the PGA Championship, visited Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York, on Monday for a scouting trip; Bethpage Black will host the Ryder Cup from September 26-28.
Donald commented, “I`m going to have a quick look.”
The top six players in each team`s points list will secure automatic spots. Both Captain Bradley and Captain Donald will then add six captain`s picks to complete their respective 12-man squads.
Here is a breakdown of the current situation for each team.
USA Team
Automatic Qualifiers (Likely)
Scottie Scheffler
The world No. 1 golfer recently claimed his third major championship title at the PGA Championship, regaining his dominant form. Scheffler will be aiming for a better performance after his 0-2-2 record in the US team`s 16½-11½ defeat at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club near Rome in 2023. Scheffler and Brooks Koepka suffered the largest margin of defeat in an 18-hole Ryder Cup match history, falling 9 & 7 to Ludvig Åberg and Viktor Hovland, a result that left Scheffler visibly emotional.
Scheffler`s combination of driving power and accuracy, along with his elite iron play, should make him a formidable asset at Bethpage Black. He had a successful Ryder Cup debut in the US team`s 19-9 win in 2021 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, a course that also favors length, where he posted a 2-0-1 record.
Xander Schauffele
Schauffele won two major championships last year and is currently playing well despite an earlier rib injury this season. His Ryder Cup history is marked by contrasting experiences: a 3-1-0 performance at Whistling Straits followed by a 1-3 record in Rome two years later. Despite the varied results, he remains undeniably one of the world`s top golfers.
Bryson DeChambeau
Among professional golfers, few hit the ball as far off the tee as DeChambeau, who has consistently been in contention during the weekend at five of the last six majors. He secured his second U.S. Open title at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina last year and was in the final pairing at the Masters in April. Additionally, his putting skills are often underestimated.
After a tough 0-3 start in his Ryder Cup debut in Paris in 2018, DeChambeau rebounded strongly with a 2-0-1 record at Whistling Straits. Omitting him from the 2023 team was likely a misstep. He is expected to be a fan favorite at Bethpage Black and will undoubtedly bring significant energy to the US team room.
Justin Thomas
Thomas experienced a significant slump in form for two years but showed signs of recovery by winning the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, on April 20. While his performances at the Masters and a surprising missed cut at the PGA Championship were setbacks, he is expected to make the team unless his game deteriorates significantly again.
Thomas is one of the US team`s most valuable players in team formats, holding a 7-4-2 record across three appearances. His selection for the Rome team was debated, resulting in a 1-2-1 record, though many other US players also struggled that weekend.
Collin Morikawa
Morikawa`s Ryder Cup trajectory mirrors Schauffele`s, with a 3-0-1 record at Whistling Straits followed by a 1-3 record at Marco Simone. The two-time major champion hasn`t won since the Zozo Championship in Japan in October 2023, but his current form suggests he could easily pick up a victory (or two) before the Ryder Cup. Morikawa is back to hitting his irons like one of the game`s best, ranking highly in strokes gained: tee to green (1.373) and approach (.930) before last week`s event. His game is also highly compatible with many other players on the potential roster.
Strong Contenders
Patrick Cantlay
Cantlay`s last tour victory was at the BMW Championship in August 2022. He finished in the top 25 at three of the four majors in 2024 but missed the cut at both the Masters and the PGA Championship this year.
Cantlay is an experienced Ryder Cup participant and has been one of the US team`s better performers in the last two events. He went 3-0-1 at Whistling Straits and 2-2 in Rome, where he faced criticism from European fans regarding the `hatgate` issue. Despite this, Cantlay remained unfazed. With a 5-2-1 record in Ryder Cups and 10-4 in Presidents Cups, Captain Bradley is unlikely to overlook his experience and success.
Russell Henley
Henley is recognized as one of the world`s top iron players and a strong putter when performing at his best. While he doesn`t possess extreme length off the tee, not every player needs to be a bomber. He secured his fifth PGA Tour win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on March 9 but subsequently missed the cut at the Masters and PGA Championship.
Henley posted a 3-1 record at last year`s Presidents Cup in Montreal. He formed a successful partnership with Scottie Scheffler, winning two out of three matches together, a pairing that could potentially be effective at Bethpage Black.
In the Mix for Captain`s Picks
Brooks Koepka
The five-time major champion has not performed exceptionally well outside the LIV Golf League circuit over the past two seasons, failing to finish inside the top 25 in his last seven major starts. However, he is one of the more seasoned American golfers in the Ryder Cup with a 7-6-2 record. Notably, he won the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black Course.
Harris English
English captured his fifth PGA Tour title at the Farmers Insurance Open in January and demonstrated solid form in the last two majors, tying for 12th at the Masters and finishing second at the PGA Championship. The 35-year-old has sufficient length off the tee and is among the tour`s best putters. He recorded a 1-2-0 record as a Ryder Cup rookie in 2021.
Jordan Spieth
Spieth`s struggles last season were likely influenced by a painful wrist injury that required surgery in August. Recent performances, including a tie for fourth at the WM Phoenix Open and 14th at the Masters, suggest his game is improving. He missed the cut at Quail Hollow Club while attempting to complete the career Grand Slam. Although he had a less than stellar performance in Rome, his career Ryder Cup record stands at 8-9-5. It`s difficult to envision Captain Bradley leaving such experience off the team.
Brian Harman
Harman secured his fourth tour victory at the Valero Texas Open on April 6. While some critics might argue that Bethpage Black is too long for him, he is an excellent putter and demonstrated strong match-play skills as an amateur. The pairing of Homa/Harman was one of the few highlights for the American side in Rome.
Maverick McNealy
The former Stanford standout earned his first PGA Tour win at the RSM Classic in November. This season, he has also achieved a runner-up finish at the Genesis Invitational and tied for third at the Valero Texas Open and RBC Heritage. The 29-year-old would be a Ryder Cup newcomer but possesses valuable team experience from the Arnold Palmer Cup and Walker Cup.
Keegan Bradley
Captain Bradley has indicated that he would need to be among the six automatic qualifiers to consider playing as a captain. If other American players don`t elevate their performance, Bradley might face pressure to select himself with a captain`s pick. The 38-year-old recorded six top-25 finishes in his initial 11 starts and tied for 8th at the PGA Championship. This situation would be ironic, given that Bradley`s exclusion by Captain Zach Johnson in 2023 was controversial.
Daniel Berger
Berger hasn`t won in over four years, partly due to a significant back injury that kept him sidelined for extended periods over two seasons. He has recently been appearing on leaderboards again this year and was part of the victorious Ryder Cup team in 2021.
Max Homa
Homa`s form has been inconsistent for much of the past year, but he appears to be finding his rhythm lately. He tied for 12th at the Masters and played better at the PGA Championship than his tie for 60th might suggest. He was the standout performer for the US team in Rome, earning 3½ points with a 3-1-1 record. He also holds a strong 5-2 record in two Presidents Cup appearances.
Other Players to Watch
- Andrew Novak
- Sam Burns
- J.J. Spaun
- Wyndham Clark
- Michael Kim
- Tony Finau
- Lucas Glover
- Denny McCarthy
- Ben Griffin
- J.T. Poston
- Davis Riley
Europe Team
Automatic Qualifiers (Likely)
Rory McIlroy
Following his Masters victory, the reigning champion didn`t contend for a second consecutive major title at Quail Hollow, finishing T47 (3-over). However, he has already had an exceptional season, and it`s only May. Wins at Pebble Beach and The Players Championship, alongside the Masters, place McIlroy comfortably at the top of Europe`s Ryder Cup standings.
Regardless of recent wins, there`s no question about his status as the leader and premier player on the European team. McIlroy, with a career Ryder Cup record of 16-13-4, mentioned earlier this year that winning an away Ryder Cup is a primary career goal. He will have that opportunity in New York this September.
Jon Rahm
Jon Rahm had a notable week at the PGA Championship. Despite a challenging finish, he was not only in contention but held a share of the lead on the back nine of a major for the first time since his 2023 Masters win. Although disappointed by the outcome, Rahm felt revitalized by being back in the competitive mix, stating he hadn`t had that much fun on a golf course in a while.
Rahm deferred questions about his Ryder Cup inclusion to Captain Luke Donald (he is currently 24th in the European standings), but it`s highly probable that Donald will select the three-time participant as one of his captain`s picks.
Strong Contenders
Ludvig Aberg
Ludvig Aberg`s selection for the European team in Rome was surprising mainly because the then-23-year-old was a Ryder Cup rookie. In hindsight, Captain Donald`s choice proved insightful and a precursor to Aberg`s rise. Aberg is now one of the world`s leading players. Despite a difficult week at Quail Hollow and a challenging stretch of results recently, there should be minimal concern about his place on the team, especially as he already has a win this year and was a successful member of the last team.
Sepp Straka
Perhaps the most unexpected result of the week was Sepp Straka, fresh off his second PGA Tour win of the year at the Truist Championship, missing the cut at the PGA Championship. Fatigue from playing 15 events this season might have affected his performance. Even with two missed cuts in two majors this season, Straka`s position at 5th in the standings and his participation in the last Ryder Cup make him almost certain to be on the team.
Shane Lowry
Currently a top-15 player in the OWGR, Shane Lowry isn`t an absolute certainty in May only because Rahm and McIlroy occupy their own elite tier. The Irishman competed at the Masters before a disappointing final round and missed the cut at this year`s PGA Championship. However, Lowry`s overall play remains strong, with four top-10 finishes this season, including a second-place finish behind his friend McIlroy at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Their successful partnership at the Zurich Classic suggests they are likely to be paired together at Bethpage.
Tyrrell Hatton
Although Tyrrell Hatton has joined LIV Golf, his performance has remained consistent, placing him as high as fourth on the European Cup standings. Hatton was a key player at Marco Simone, recording a 3-0-1 record in his matches and defeating Brian Harman in the Sunday singles. A lot would need to go wrong for him not to be included in this team.
Viktor Hovland
The past 12 months have been fascinating for Viktor Hovland, whose ongoing swing concerns seem to trouble him despite nearly winning last year`s PGA Championship and securing a PGA Tour victory at the Valspar Championship this season, notably after missing three consecutive cuts. Hovland`s inconsistent play places him 12th in the current standings, but like Aberg, there is little doubt he will be part of the European squad come September.
Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood might not be the most prominent player without a major, but he is certainly one of the most consistent. He hasn`t missed a cut all season and has three top-10 finishes while still seeking his first PGA Tour win. He is a top-15 player in the OWGR (7th in Ryder Cup standings) and is highly likely to be on the team.
In the Mix for Captain`s Picks
Justin Rose
Many believed Marco Simone would be Justin Rose`s final Ryder Cup appearance. That might not be the case. Not only did Rose nearly win the Masters, but he has also secured three top-10 finishes this season and continues to play remarkably well. Don`t discount his chances.
Rasmus Hojgaard
The 24-year-old Rasmus Hojgaard benefits from having been on the team last time at a young age, similar to Aberg. However, he has only one top-10 finish this season, achieved alongside his brother Nicolai at the Zurich Classic. Nevertheless, the potential for him to further develop his career through Ryder Cup participation versus selecting an older, more experienced player remains a consideration for Captain Donald.
Robert MacIntyre
Robert MacIntyre shares a similar story, having debuted in the last Ryder Cup. Although some perceived him as a potential weak link for the European team in Rome, he performed exceptionally well, posting a 2-0-1 record in his matches. He is currently ranked 15th in the standings.
Thomas Detry
After winning the WM Phoenix Open this year, Thomas Detry entered the Ryder Cup discussion and has climbed to 9th place on the European team standings. Detry`s performance in the majors (two missed cuts) isn`t ideal, however, and he will likely need to improve his play over the next few months to give Captain Donald a compelling reason for selection.
Other Players to Watch
- Aaron Rai
- Stephan Jaeger
- Nicolai Hojgaard
- Alex Noren
Wesley Dunham 
Marcus Blakely