Ryder Cup Player Guide: Profiles of Team USA

Zach Johnson - captain

Record: 5 appearances (Won 8, Lost 7, Halved 2)

A steady rather than spectacular influence in his five starts but, unlike Donald, he was a major champion and, moreover, on two occasions. His first triumph, the 2007 Masters, witnessed a strategic coup when he opted to lay up on every par-5. He might need another canny plot if he is to become the first winning US captain in seven visits to Europe.

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Xander Schauffele

Record: 1 appearance (Won 3, Lost 1, Halved 0)

There was once a time when US captains had an almost kamikaze-like desire to split successful partnerships. A pairing would win and immediately be carved up. It's changed in recent times and Schauffele's combination with best friend Patrick Cantlay has proved fruitful with six wins against three defeats across two Presidents and one Ryder Cup. Personally, the Californian is 9-4-0 across those three starts.

Angle? He and Cantlay are undefeated in foursomes, winning two at the 2019 Presidents Cup, two at the 2021 Ryder Cup and one at the 2022 Presidents Cup.

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Scottie Scheffler

Record: 1 appearance (Won 2, Lost 0, Halved 1)

Something strange happened this time last year: Scheffler had a poor match play experience in the Presidents Cup, earning only one half in three matches with best friend Sam Burns and also losing in the singles. In contrast, he was excellent on his Ryder Cup debut in Whistling Straits and loved the WGC Match Play finishing second on debut, winning it in his second start and making the last four this year.

Angle? It's widely assumed (rightly or wrongly) that Sam Burns earned a wildcard because of his friendship with Scheffler which seems a bit weird in light of their misfiring combination last year.

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Wyndham Clark

Record: debut

The US Open champion has never played the WGC Match Play and this will be his professional team debut but we do have a tiny clue about his head-to-head capabilities because he played the Palmer Cup (effectively the college Ryder Cup) in 2014. He halved a foursomes match, lost in the fourballs, halved the first singles and then Jon Rahm beat him 4&3 on the final day. Quite what all that info is worth is debatable however.

Angle? Above and beyond his two wins this season (he also landed the Wells Fargo Championship) he has been very consistent: just one missed cut since October.

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Jordan Spieth

Record: 4 appearances (Won 8, Lost 7, Halved 3)

The above record looks a lot better when you factor in that he's had a terrible time of it on Ryder Cup Sundays. Three defeats and a half, in fact, which means he's a lot better on the first two days. In foursomes he has three wins, two loses and a pair of halves. In fourballs he has five wins and just two defeats. Moreover, he's very good alongside best friend Justin Thomas (see below). Oh, and he top scored with five points in last year's Presidents Cup when his final three matches were polished off before the 16th hole.

Angle? He's also lost three of four Presidents Cup singles. Beware Spieth on Sunday?

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Brian Harman

Record: debut

"I like match play," he said after winning the Open. "I had a good junior and amateur record. I enjoy head-to-head competition." He was a strong 4-1-2 in two Walker Cup starts and had contrasting experiences in the Palmer Cup: 0-for-4 on debut and 4-for-4 when he had a second go. He also reached the final eight at the 2021 WGC Match Play.

Angle? If the gimlet-eyed manner with which he dealt with both press questions about his hunting and the boos of the Open galleries are anything to go but, Harman is not a man to be easily riled. In fact, he's probably at his most dangerous with a bit of niggle.

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Patrick Cantlay

Record: 1 appearance (Won 3, Lost 0, Halved 1)

See above for his quality with best friend Schauffele and also note that Cantlay - whose record across his two Presidents Cup and one Ryder Cup appearances is 9-3-1 - landed a return in the US top scorer market in his first two of those (both joint second, full pay out) and was a bit unlucky after netting three points in the third. Perhaps the only fear for Zach Johnson about Schauffele and Cantlay is that they've done so well over those first three starts can they keep it up?

Angle? He's won all three of his singles matches in professional team events and won two, halved two in his Walker and Palmer Cup appearances.

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Justin Thomas

Record: 2 appearances (Won 6, Lost 2, Halved 1)

A controversial pick for some - a diabolical example of the team going full out frat, in fact - but an entirely sensible move for others who value off-the-course vibes as much as on course points. His excellent professional team record is on par with what he achieved as an amateur. He won 8.5 of 11 points on offer in the Walker and Palmer Cups, is 10-3-2 in the Presidents Cup and if you add in this event it comes to an exceptional 23-7-5 in all.

Angle? He's brilliant in fourballs: eight wins and a half in pro team events and had eight wins from 10 outings with best mate Jordan Spieth.

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Max Homa

Record: debut

The popular Californian continues to be something of a puzzle. A golfer who has won six times on the PGA Tour, three of them on major championship-hosting courses, but who has found the majors a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma (he did finish tied tenth in the Open but that was his first top 10 in 17 attempts). He's never threatened in a World Golf Championship either but none of that stopped him going 4-0-0 on debut for USA in last year's Presidents Cup.

Angle? He'll need a new partner this week because he went 3-for-3 with Tony Finau and Billy Horschel last year.

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Brooks Koepka

Record: 3 appearances (Won 6, Lost 5, Halved 1)

An unavoidable factor in the team room, the media centre and maybe out on the course will be LIV but if any golfer is capable of shrugging off such tittle tattle it is Koepka who, at his best, comes across as inscrutable and, at his worst, as a smart but irritable jock. Most of his foursomes and fourball action in team events has been played alongside Daniel Berger and Dustin Johnson. In fact, he's played just one match with anyone on this week's team - a fourball defeat with Spieth two years ago.

Angle? Has his form fizzled out? From early April to mid-July he landed 10 consecutive top 20s including two wins but since has three starts without a top 30.

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Rickie Fowler

Record: 4 appearances (Won 3, Lost 7, Halved 5)

There really is not much doubting that the ever-popular Fowler has something of a rum Ryder Cup record. Consider this: he halved no less than five of his first six matches (across the 2010 and early 2014 clashes) and has lost six of his last nine (mid-2014-2018). He's a revived performer this year, with a bold showing in the US Open and a first victory in four years, but his match record in Europe is not great: one win, six losses, five halves.

Angle? He's best when playing with Justin Thomas - unbeaten, in fact, with three wins and two halves (across Presidents and Ryder Cups).

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Collin Morikawa

Record: 1 appearance (Won 3, Lost 0, Halved 1)

The tee-to-green flusher won two foursomes and one fourball in his debut two years ago. Then, in last year's Presidents Cup, he only played foursomes, winning one and losing the other. It's a fine record but he'll need a new partner because Dustin Johnson helped him out at Whistling Straits and Cameron Young did so at Quail Hollow. Both missed out this year. He's lost the knack of winning (he hasn't done so in over two years) but his long game will make him a popular partner.

Angle? Keep it simple: he's 3-for-4 in foursomes.

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Sam Burns

Record: debut

Like Homa - but worse, he has a best of T20th in 14 starts - Burns has a problem with major championships but he has thrived in elite company, making the play-off at the 2021 WGC St Jude Invitational and winning the WGC Match Play on debut in March. He's good friends with Scheffler but, as noted, above, it didn't go too well at the Presidents Cup last year before he shared a point with Hideki Matsuyama in the singles.

Angle? He hails from Louisiana and loves playing in the Deep South: all six of his wins were there in fact. Rome is a long way away and he has a best of T18th in six starts in Europe.

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