August 22, 2023

Ryder Cup 2023: Brooks Koepka awaiting US selection as the Walker and Solheim Cups also approach

If he wants to save his spot on the US Ryder Cup team, Brooks Koepka will require a captain’s wildcard.

The 33-year-old LIV tour member and winner of the US PGA Championship dropped out of the top six automatic slots on the final weekend of qualifying.

Following a crucial week in the golf season, captain Zach Johnson is familiar with half of his team. While the Great Britain and Ireland and US teams for the Walker Cup next month have been decide, the door has also close on automatic eligibility for Europe’s Solheim Cup team.

Koepka has seem a lock for a spot in the team ever since it became evident that Americans competing on the LIV circuit could still represent their nation in the Ryder Cup.

Ryder Cup

LIV tournaments are not taken into account during the qualifying process, but Koepka appear to have accomplish enough in just two events after coming in second to Jon Rahm at the Masters and then winning sixth major at Oak Hill.

However, Max Homa tied for fifth place at the BMW Championship last week, earning him an automatic spot in the US team’s title defense against Europe in Rome the following month.

Homa said, “Last year, I told Zach that I was kissing up to him, but he also said, “Well, I’d want to not have to pick you,’ and I said Okay, I’ve made good on my pledge to try to obtain an automatic.

Koepka overtaken by Xander Schauffele, who now automatically qualifies along with world number one Scottie Scheffler, previous major champions Brian Harman and Wyndham Clark, as well as Patrick Cantlay.

If Johnson ignored Koepka, with whom he shared a practice round at the Open at Hoylake last month, it would be a hugely contentious snub. But during the course of his career, the US captain has had mixed feelings about LIV players.

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