5 Golfers Needing Strong FedEx Cup Playoffs to Clinch US Ryder Cup Spots
You could be excused for feeling the golf calendar has been stuffed fuller than the wallets of Dustin Johnson and Jason Day this season. But with the Wyndham Championship wrapped up, the FedEx Cup playoffs are upon us.
And with the arrival of the FedEx Cup comes the staggered end of Ryder Cup qualifying. The process of making the team differs depending on your continent of birth, so before we look at five golfers needing good things to happen in the coming weeks to tee it up at Hazeltine National Golf Club, an explanation.
For the U.S. side, eight players will earn spots at the conclusion of The Barclays on Sunday. With respect to Davis Love III's captain's picks, he will make three following the BMW Championship and a fourth after the season-ending Tour Championship.
The current standings have Brandt Snedeker and Bubba Watson in the ninth and 10th spots, respectively. We'll assume based on pedigree and past inclusion that they'll get nods. Likewise, Patrick Reed, who sits in the No. 8 spot, will either make the team on points or get a captain's pick, as he's the human embodiment of the American flag.
Here are five golfers vying for the final spot and what each would have to do to earn it.
Matt Kuchar
1 of 5
Ryder Cup points standing: 11
Ryder Cup appearances: 2010, 2012, 2014
Recent form: Bronze-medal winner in Rio, Matt Kuchar tied for 17th at the Travelers Championship in his most recent PGA Tour start. He missed the cut at the PGA Championship and tied for ninth at the RBC Canadian Open prior to that.
What he needs to do: A front-runner for a captain's pick thanks to his experience, pedigree and impressive performance at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Kuchar needs to stay the course, and captain Love will surely choose him. Unless he falls on his face in the playoffs, Kuchar—who at 15th in the FedEx Cup standings is likely to make it all the way to the Tour Championship—should be on the squad.
Rickie Fowler
2 of 5
Ryder Cup points standing: 12
Ryder Cup appearances: 2010, 2014
Recent form: After a lackluster start to his summer, Rickie Fowler has made six consecutive cuts. Unfortunately, a tie for 33rd at the PGA Championship is his best work. He tied for 37th at the Olympics.
What he needs to do: For a variety of reasons, not least of which is Fowler's dynamic presence, you have to feel Love would like to snap him up with a captain's pick. But while he's been good (not great) this season, his recent form hasn't been particularly noteworthy. Fowler doesn't necessarily need a playoff win, but a few top-10 finishes would go a long way.
Jim Furyk
3 of 5
Ryder Cup points standing: 15
Ryder Cup record: 1997, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014
Recent form: Jim Furyk finished 13th at the RBC Canadian Open but didn't impress at either The Open Championship or the PGA Championship. His final-round 58 at the Travelers Championship earned him a T5 finish. Most recently, Furyk put together another quality showing at the Wyndham Championship, where he finished tied for 10th.
What he needs to do: The Ryder Cup stalwart is positioned further back in the rankings than he'd like to be, to be sure. But captain Love will be keen to give him a nod assuming his game is anywhere near in-form over the next few weeks. Fortunately, it is. Furyk merely needs to stay the course to get a look as the best-performing veteran of the group.
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Bill Haas
4 of 5
Ryder Cup points standing: 14
Ryder Cup record: N/A
Recent form: Bill Haas tied for ninth at The Open Championship. Bookending that performance, though, he tied for 38th at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and tied for 56th at the PGA Championship.
What he needs to do: A strong performer at the Presidents Cup last year, Haas is due a Ryder Cup appearance. He won't make the team on points, though, and will need to step up his game and show a little more consistency to get the nod from Love and the Ryder Cup spot his body of work suggests he deserves.
Daniel Berger
5 of 5
Ryder Cup points standing: 16
Ryder Cup record: N/A
Recent form: A winner at the FedEx St. Jude Classic in early June, Daniel Berger has dealt with injury lately, withdrawing at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and tying for 73rd at the PGA Championship. He returned to form with a T5 finish at the Travelers Championship.
What he needs to do: Hoping for his first Ryder Cup berth, the best bet to inject a bit of youth and enthusiasm into the U.S. side, Berger needs a strong playoff showing. If Berger makes some noise in the first couple of playoff events with top-10 or top-15 showings, Love could consider bucking tradition and going with a hot young gun.
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