Ryder Cup Tracker: Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, four more are locked in for Bethpage
Six players — three from each team — have mathematically qualified their way onto their respective squads. The final automatic American spots will be solidified after this week's BMW Championship, while the final European spots will be determined after next week's British Masters. Here's what we know:
Locked in
United States: No surprises here, as the first three — Scheffler, Spaun and Schauffele have amassed enough points to mathematically play their way onto the American squad. Scheffler remains the best in the game, Schauffele is rebounding from early-season injury, and Spaun is proving that his U.S. Open win at Oakmont was no fluke. DeChambeau, back on the LIV tour, has no more opportunities to earn points, but even if he doesn't automatically qualify — he's currently fifth in the standings — he's such a force that team captain Keegan Bradley has already stated he will be on the team.
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Europe: You can write Rory McIlroy onto every Ryder Cup team from now through the 2030s and probably feel pretty good about it, but Rose and Fleetwood are more interesting cases. Both have played their way onto the team by virtue of consistent strong performances, if not necessarily wins. Rose is enjoying a late-career surge, while Fleetwood continues to get close enough to victory to stack up Ryder Cup points, if not actual trophies.
In position to qualify automatically
United States: Henley is riding a series of strong finishes, capped by his win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, to Ryder Cup glory. English won the Farmers Insurance Open and finished second or T2 in both the PGA and the Open Championship … both behind Scheffler, who fortunately for English is now a teammate rather than a rival.
Europe: Hatton is in the same position as DeChambeau — unable to earn more points playing on LIV, but a proven commodity — just with more swearing. Big Shot Bob was one massive Spaun putt from winning the U.S. Open, and Straka has two Tour wins already this season.
In contention for captain's picks
Each captain — Bradley for the U.S., Luke Donald for Europe — will have six picks, and here's where it gets interesting. Do you select a player who's performed well in lower-stress events, or a player with a spottier resume but big performance under pressure? Do you go with a talented rookie or a Ryder Cup veteran? Do you go with … yourself? (More on that in a minute.) Here are some of the notable faces who can count on a captain's pick:
United States: Despite cycling through roughly 50 caddies this year, Morikawa remains one of the odds-on favorites to make the team as a captain's pick. Thomas, meanwhile, was a controversial selection two years ago, but the locker room glue guy made sure there was no doubt about his value this time around.
Europe: Lowry continues to trundle along with strong finishes, and his close friendship with McIlroy can't be ignored. Åberg has tailed off a touch since his arrival on the pro scene, but remains one of the iciest competitors in the game. Also lurking: Jon Rahm, who's buried in the standings because he's spent so much time on the LIV tour without commensurate major success.
The big question: Will Keegan Bradley pick himself?
Bradley is already one of the most fascinating figures in Ryder Cup history — shunned by then-captain Zach Johnson in 2023 despite dedicating himself to the pursuit of a Ryder Cup spot, he was suddenly elevated into the role of captain for 2025. The Ryder Cup captain is generally a player with his best on-course days behind him, but Bradley has kept his run going, playing himself all the way up to 10th in the U.S. standings. If he were 'just' a player, he'd be a no-brainer for the team. But now, he has a choice to make: Will he pick himself as a player, and be a playing captain? Will he leave the spot for someone else? Will he select himself and abdicate the captain role? Each option would be second-guessed no matter what happens at Bethpage in September. It's just one of many fascinating elements of this year's Ryder Cup … and we're still weeks away.
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