Some big names are in danger of missing out on Whistling Straits...
5 Big Names In Danger Of Missing The Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup begins on 24 September at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin for the delayed tournament, and both the United States and European teams are beginning to shape up.
While most of the big names will feature at the event for both teams, there could potentially be some big names missing after failing to qualify automatically.
The six leading players on the Ryder Cup Points List make the United States Ryder Cup team, with captain Steve Stricker offered six picks thereafter.
Collin Morikawa and Dustin Johnson have both qualified automatically, while Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, and Xander Schauffele currently occupy the remaining spots.
Team Europe is decided by three separate ways, with the four leading players on the Race to Dubai Points List automatically make the team.
The leading five players on the World Points List who haven’t already qualified for the team will then be included, before captain Padraig Harrington is given three picks, regardless of their standings on either list.
Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrell Hatton and Rory McIlroy are the current leading four players on the Race to Dubai Points List, while Viktor Hovland, Paul Casey, Matt Fitzpatrick, Lee Westwood and Shane Lowry are the five leading players on the World Points List who haven’t currently earned a spot on the Race to Dubai Points List.
5 Big Names In Danger Of Missing The Ryder Cup
Justin Rose
Justin Rose currently has 161.79 World Points, while Shane Lowry, the fifth player on the World Points List, is currently making the team with 214.89.
With Rose failing to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs, he will need to win either the Omega European Masters or BMW PGA Championship to have any chance of automatic qualification.
Rose is also 19th on the Race to Dubai Points List with half the points of McIlroy, so the former World No. 1 clearly has some work to do.
He made the top-ten just three times out of 17 events on the PGA Tour this season too, so he clearly isn’t performing like his form suggested a few years ago.
Rose does have pedigree in the Ryder Cup though, having represented Europe on five occasions, most recently in their 2018 win – meaning Europe team captain Padraig Harrington will have a tough decision to make for his three captain’s picks.
Poulter and Garcia are seemingly locks, whilst Rose is probably still favourite for the third wildcard pick.
Francesco Molinari
Molinari was Europe’s star man at the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris, scoring an astounding five points from five matches to propel the team to victory.
However, the Italian’s form has nose dived dramatically since then, and he currently sits 82nd on the Race to Dubai Points List.
Like Rose, Molinari’s season record has produced just three top-tens, and he has also missed the cut in eight of the 15 events he has played.
The 2018 Open Championship winner has little chance of making the Ryder Cup team automatically, but after his heroics at the tournament three years ago, Harrington could decide to take a chance on him if he manages a win prior to Whistling Straits.
Henrik Stenson
Henrik Stenson also produced a brilliant performance at the 2018 Ryder Cup, his fourth time representing Europe in the tournament.
The Swede won all three of the matches that he played in, but this past season he has seriously struggled for form and currently sits 92nd in the Race to Dubai Points List.
Stenson has managed just three top-25s this season, and has missed 11 of 18 cuts.
Again, like Rose and Molinari, Stenson does have Ryder Cup pedigree, meaning Padraig Harrington could take a chance on implementing him into the team through one of his captain’s picks.
Serious form needs to be shown over the coming weeks, however.
Tony Finau
Tony Finau still has a chance at making the top-six of the Ryder Cup Points List to qualify automatically for the United States team, as he currently sits in 12th, though he would need to pull out some incredible performances at the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
The American has finished twice on the PGA Tour this season and he’s also finished in the top-ten on a further five occasions, showing that he is still displaying some kind of form.
Finau made the 2018 US team as a captain’s pick, where he picked up two points from his three matches.
However, he hasn’t won on the PGA Tour since the Ryder Cup and hasn’t had a top-ten since May.
The 31-year-old still may well make the team as one of the six captain’s picks again, but his performances mean that he is danger of missing out of the Ryder Cup altogether, depending on what team captain Steve Stricker decides.
Rickie Fowler
Rickie Fowler is 41st on the Ryder Cup Points List, and hasn’t produced performances anywhere near what he is capable of this season.
The five-time PGA Tour winner failed to make the top-125 on the FedEx Cup Point List this season too, meaning he misses out on the Playoffs for the first time in his PGA Tour career.
Fowler has played at four Ryder Cups before though, meaning he has an abundance of experience that could benefit the United States should Stricker opt to choose him.
The 32-year-old is in serious danger of missing out on the Ryder Cup and it would probably be a surprise to see him handed a wildcard pick.
This article 5 Big Names In Danger Of Missing The Ryder Cup appeared first on Golf Monthly.