19 August 2023 , 21:06
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American hopes of retaining the Ryder Cup are still being hit by an ongoing civil war days before Team USA captain Zach Johnson is due to finalise his six captain's picks.
The potential inclusion of LIV Golf rebels remains contentious, and seemingly everyone - on both sides - has an opinion on the matter. Brooks Koepka is currently the only former PGA Tour player toward the top of the standings and within a shot of automatically qualifying.
However, it is conceivable that he still slips from fifth and out of the top six to give Johnson a decision. Only Scottie Scheffler and Wyndham Clark have guaranteed their places on the team.
Behind them, Patrick Cantlay and Open champion Brian Harman are next in line to book their flights to Italy. However, despite winning the PGA Championship and finishing as the runner-up at the Masters, Koepka is still not a unanimous pick for some.
Notably, player-turned-pundit Brandel Chamblee is not keen. “Koepka being at the Ryder Cup, regardless of what he does, will not be about whether it will be great for the United States or the Ryder Cup,“ the Golf Channel analyst said.
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"In making this team more cohesive, being all on point, and pointing in the right direction, Brooks Koepka missing this team would be good for this team.” Johnson has recently addressed Koepka, and LIV golfers generally, during a recent appearance on GOLF.com ‘Subpar’ podcast.
He admits that "there hasn’t been much communication” between them. “I’m gonna be fully transparent," he prefaced.
Koepka could be the only LIV Golf player participating for the US at the Ryder Cup (AP)"It’s hard because I’m not able to witness what they’re doing and see their form, with the exception of four events a year. What Brooks has done this year, well no one’s surprised. I’m just glad he’s healthy.”
Fellow LIV player Bryson DeChambeau agrees there has been a lack of communication. “It is true," he told Golfweek.
"I talked to [Johnson] at the PGA [Championship] a little bit. He said, ‘Good luck, play well, man. Rooting for you.’ After that, nothing.
“But I don’t expect anything. I’ll be rooting them on if I’m not there. And if I do so happen to get the opportunity to play, I’m there for Team USA, and I’m going to give it my full-force effort.
DeChambeau continued: “Problem is, I understand the position that they don’t see us playing enough, so it’s kind of difficult to make a decision, I get that. But at the end of the day, it is what it is, and I’ll be rooting for Team USA no matter what.”
Considering these comments, the likelihood of any LIV golfers outside of Koepka - should he not make the team automatically - being among Johnson's picks seems slim. Regardless of how many - if any - make it to Marco Simone, the civil war raging away from the course shows no signs of abating.