We are only a few weeks away from the start of the 2021 Ryder Cup, and excitement is building for this popular golf event. The Americans are eager to regain the trophy at Whistling Straits after a disastrous showing against Team Europe in 2018. Here are the players who have sealed their spots in Team USA's lineup for this year's Ryder Cup.
Morikawa and Cantlay are the rookies to watch for Team USA
Collin Morikawa solidified his place in the team by winning two major championships the past two years. Last year, he captured the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park, sealing the victory with a dramatic eagle on the par-4 16th hole after his drive landed on the green and settled just seven feet away from the pin.
He then made sure that major win was no fluke, taking the 2021 Open Championship home in an impressive fashion. He held off furious challenges by fellow major winners Jordan Spieth, Louis Oosthuizen, and Jon Rahm to grab the coveted Claret Jug at Royal St. George's. This will be Morikawa's first Ryder Cup appearance.
Dustin Johnson has failed to set the golfing world alight this year, with only one victory on the European Tour thus far. He is slowly rounding into form, though, as evidenced by his 20-under-par score at the recently concluded BMW Championship. The two-time major winner, who won the Masters in dominating fashion last year, has appeared in four Ryder Cups before, with Johnson carrying an overall record of 7-9.
Justin Thomas is another player who has been having problems with his golf game this year. Even though he won the Players Championship earlier this year, Thomas' game has noticeably dropped compared to last year, with his putting being the main culprit. He loves the Ryder Cup, though, with Thomas posting an impressive 4-1-0 record in his debut appearance in 2018.
One guy who's playing well at the moment, though, is Patrick Cantlay. He is coming off one of the biggest wins of his career, outlasting Bryson DeChambeau in a six-hole playoff to capture not only the BMW Championship but also the final auto-bid spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team. He joins Morikawa as a Ryder Cup rookie for the United States this year.
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Can Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka co-exist for Team USA?
Bryson DeChambeau has been the talk of the town ever since he bulked up heading into the 2020 golfing season. That transformation worked wonders for DeChambeau, who won last year's US Open and the Arnold Palmer Invitational this year.
His game is picking up at exactly the right time, with DeChambeau losing in an epic playoff with Patrick Cantlay at the BMW Championship. He made his Ryder Cup debut in 2018, with DeChambeau finishing with a 0-3-0 record. All eyes will be on him and Brooks Koepka at this year's event, with tensions between the two still simmering at this stage.
Koepka is a big-time player and will be a major asset for Steve Stricker at this year's Ryder Cup. He has 12 top-7 finishes in the last 16 major championships. Injuries have hit Koepka in the past years, but the four-time major winner says he is fit and ready to go for the Ryder Cup. He has appeared in the Ryder Cup twice before, posting a 4-3-1 record in this event.
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