Ryder Cup 2018: Furyk's USA team profiled

Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and golfing great Tiger Woods feature in Jim Furyk's United States team. We profile all 12 Ryder Cup stars.

Published : Sep 11, 2018 07:40 IST

United States team-mates Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth
United States team-mates Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth
lightbox-info

United States team-mates Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth

Jim Furyk has completed his United States line-up for the Ryder Cup, selecting Tony Finau with his final pick.

Finau was chosen over Xander Schauffele after the delayed conclusion of the BMW Championship on Monday, the 2017 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year missing out on a place in a play-off with Keegan Bradley and Justin Rose by one shot.

Finau, 28, joins a number of big names in Furyk's team, with Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth included alongside high-profile veterans Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.

With both teams now set, we profile the 12 men who will represent the USA this month.

 

BROOKS KOEPKA

Koepka has enjoyed a fine year, retaining the U.S. Open and adding the US PGA Championship following a wrist injury early in the season. He will hope to build on a fine showing in USA's 2016 triumph at Hazeltine and qualified in first place in the points list.

DUSTIN JOHNSON

Replaced as world number one by Europe team member Justin Rose on Monday, Johnson's missed cut at The Open was out of character for a consistent performer. The 34-year-old has won all three of his previous singles matches at the Ryder Cup.

JUSTIN THOMAS

Thomas is the only rookie to have qualified automatically for the USA and he has put together a strong run in high-profile events in recent months. Victory at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational was immediately followed by top-10 finishes at the US PGA Championship and the Northern Trust.

PATRICK REED

Masters champion Reed has been a key member of the last two USA Ryder Cup teams, scoring 3.5 points in each, and his experience on golf's biggest stages will again be called upon in Paris this month.

BUBBA WATSON

Watson returns to the team after a tough stretch, having only made the cut at two of the last eight majors, although he tied for fifth at this year's Masters. Winning the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in March will have been a boost, but his Ryder Cup record is very ordinary.

JORDAN SPIETH

Although Spieth failed to make the season-ending Tour Championship by finishing outside the top 30 in the FedEx Cup playoff rankings, his place at the Ryder Cup was never in doubt. He remains one of the very best on the PGA Tour, evidenced by top-10 finishes at two majors this year.

RICKIE FOWLER

He has come close in recent years, but Fowler is still waiting on his first major win. The Californian's Ryder Cup record is a little underwhelming, too, having won only two of the 11 matches he has been involved in across three appearances.

WEBB SIMPSON

The final automatic qualifier on the USA team, Simpson has finished in the top 20 in all four majors this year. His triumph at the Players Championship in May was his first on the Tour since 2013, hinting at a return to form.

BRYSON DECHAMBEAU

DeChambeau may have missed out on automatic qualification for the team, but he was always considered a contender, even as a rookie. Wins in the first two FedEx Cup playoff events secured his spot.

PHIL MICKELSON

A veteran of 11 previous Ryder Cups, Mickelson is also the oldest member of the team, just over a month younger than 48-year-old captain Furyk. He has had an eventful year, winning the WGC-Mexico Championship but enduring a tough time at majors that included his incredible U.S. Open meltdown.

TIGER WOODS

Another veteran and another big name, Woods looks to be approaching his best form once more. He has not had a Tour win since 2013 or a major triumph since 2008, but the 42-year-old - a vice-captain until surging into contention - knows what it takes to deliver on the big stage and hit form at the right time by coming second at the US PGA Championship.

TONY FINAU

Although Finau has won only once on the PGA Tour – before the last Ryder Cup two years ago – he has consistently been in the mix this year. The 28-year-old achieved top-10 finishes in the first three majors of 2018, although his failure to deliver again when playing alongside Furyk at the US PGA Championship perhaps worked against him. There is no doubt that Finau is a man in form once more, as he sits third in the FedEx Cup standings ahead of the season-ending Tour Championship.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment