With the 2016 Barclays in the books, two-thirds of Ryder Cup USA is now officially set.
Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Jimmy Walker, Brooks Koepka, Brandt Snedeker and Zach Johnson — in that order — were the eight players who automatically qualified for the 2016 team when points closed on Sunday at the conclusion of the Barclays — the opening event in the PGA Tour’s Playoffs for the FedExCup.
‘We have an extremely talented group of eight automatic qualifiers for this year’s U.S. Ryder Cup team,’ Captain Davis Love III said. ‘Each has a real passion for the Ryder Cup.’
The 46-year-old Mickelson will be making his 11th consecutive Ryder Cup start at Hazeltine National, Sept. 30-Oct. 2, which is a US record. He has been a member of two winning U.S. teams — 1999 and 2008 — over that stretch, which covers 21 years dating back to Oak Hill in 1995.
‘Having Phil Mickelson, who’s made a record 11 US teams, will be incredibly valuable,’ said Love, who was also the U.S. Captain at Medinah in 2012. ‘Phil will be a leader for us both on and off the golf course at Hazeltine National.’
Attention now shifts to Love’s four Captain’s Picks.
There are two key dates in the coming weeks. The first is Monday, Sept. 12, the day after the third leg of the PGA Tour Playoffs, the BMW Championship. On that morning at 10 a.m. ET, Love will hold a press conference at Hazeltine National to announce three of his four Captain’s Picks.
Thirteen days later on Sept. 25 — the same day that the Tour Championship ends — Love reveals his fourth and final Captain’s Pick.
From rydercup.com
