Ryder Cup Team USA - As It Stands Ahead Of Rome 2023

The US team will travel to Italy’s Marco Simone Golf and Country Club confident of winning its first Ryder Cup in Europe for 30 years.

That’s partly because the US beat Europe emphatically in the most recent match at Whistling Straits and also because of the depth of US talent.

Here are the key things you need to know about how Team USA is shaping up for the match, which takes place between Friday 29 September and Sunday 1 October.

Team USA Captain

Zach Johnson takes on the role of captain, and he has big shoes to fill after Steve Stricker led the team to a sizeable 19-9 victory over Padraig Harrington’s Team Europe at Whistling Straits in 2021.

Not only that, but he’s faced with the challenge of leading the US to its first win in Europe since Tom Watson achieved the feat at The Belfry in England in 1993.

However, a look at Johnson’s vast experience in the game, including the Ryder Cup, leaves little doubt he has what it takes.

In a 25-year professional career, the 47-year-old has 26 wins, including two Major titles. During that time, he also made five Ryder Cup appearances, and was on the winning team in 2016 at Hazeltine.

As well as that, Johnson has also played on four US Presidents Cup teams, with wins in all four matches.

Vice Captains: 

• Stewart Cink
• Steve Stricker
• Davis Love III
• Jim Furyk
• Fred Couples

Team USA Players

Scottie Scheffler

After an impressive breakout year in 2022 that included a Masters win and first spell at the top of the world rankings, Scheffler has continued that form in 2023.

That has included wins in the WM Phoenix Open and The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, making his automatic qualification all but assured for several months before confirmation came in July.

Despite making such huge strides since 2022, Scheffler had already made a name for himself as part of the winning team at Whistling Straits, which included a singles victory over Jon Rahm.

Wyndham Clark

Clark wouldn’t have been a name in many people’s thoughts for a Ryder Cup place at the start of the year, but his maiden PGA Tour win in the Wells Fargo Championship was followed soon after by victory in the US Open after an assured performance that left few in any doubt he has the temperament for the big occasion.

Thanks to his excellent year, Clark was the second player to automatically qualify for Johnson's team in Italy, where he will make his Ryder Cup debut.

With solid approach play and an improved ability on the greens in 2023, Clark will likely play a pivotal role if the team is to retain the trophy.

Brian Harman

Harman was the surprise winner of The Open, but his form had already been good before the final Major of the year at Royal Liverpool with a T2 at the Travelers Championship among several other top 10 finishes. 

Those contributed to his elevation to one of the automatic qualifying places in the points list, and a T5 at the BMW Championship rubber-stamped his involvement at Marco Simone.

This will be Harman's maiden Ryder Cup appearance, and he'll be confident of maintaining his recent form - which has included some outstanding results on the greens - in the biennial match.

Patrick Cantlay

Another characteristically solid season for Cantlay ensures his participation in Zach Johnson's side. 

This will be Cantlay's second Ryder Cup after his maiden appearance in 2021. Back then, he won three of his four matches. 

Heading into the match off the back of a season that included finishes of third in two designated events, the Genesis Invitational and RBC Heritage, and strong performances in the Majors, Cantlay will once again be expected to bring his best game to the big stage.

Max Homa

There were signs that Homa would be an excellent candidate for the Ryder Cup in the 2022 Presidents Cup, where he won all four of his matches. 

Homa has followed that performance up with an excellent season on the PGA Tour that has included two wins as he became a regular in the world's top 10. 

Three top-10 finishes in succession between The Open and BMW Championship suggest he's heading into the match in good form, too, as he looks to make the most of his maiden Ryder Cup appearance.

Xander Schauffele

For several months, it had looked as though LIV Golf player Brooks Koepka would take one of the automatic qualifying places. However, Schauffele had others ideas, and pipped the PGA Champion courtesy of his T8 in the BMW Championship. 

While that leaves Koepka hoping to make the team as a captain's pick, Schauffele can begin looking ahead to building on the 3–1–0 record he achieved in his maiden appearance at Whistling Straits. 

Sam Burns

Burns has yet to make a Ryder Cup appearance, but that hasn't deterred Johnson from making him one of his wildcards, and there's plenty of evidence as to why.

As well as being on the winning team in the 2022 Presidents Cup, Burns again demonstrated his competence in a match play setting when he won March's WGC-Match Play at Austin Country Club. 

Burns is also a close friend of Scheffler, and in what could be a tightly fought contest, camaraderie could be all-important.

Rickie Fowler

Another player sure to be a popular choice with his teammates is the six-time PGA Tour winner. However, it's not just team spirit Fowler is in the team for. He also has plenty of experience in the Ryder Cup with five appearances, while he's played in the Presidents Cup three times. 

Fowler also had an excellent season on the PGA Tour, including a win in the Rocket Mortgage Classic, and there was little surprise when Johnson opted for the 34-year-old as one of his wildcards to help Team USA retain the trophy.

Brooks Koepka

After missing out to Schauffele for the last automatic qualifying place, Koepka didn't need to wait too long for his appearance on the team to be confirmed with Johnson's wildcard picks the week after. 

That makes Koepka the sole LIV Golf player to make the team, but it's hard to dispute he's a worthy pick. As well as finishing runner-up at The Masters and winning the PGA Championship, Koepka has had three Ryder Cup appearances with an overall record of 6-5-1. As Team USA attempts to win the trophy in Europe for the first time in 30 years, that experience could be pivotal.

Collin Morikawa

The two-time Major winner emerged from the 2021 match with an impressive 3-0-1 record, and Johnson will hope Morikawa can find that kind of form again two years later.

After naming Morikawa as one of his captain's picks, Johnson said of his credentials: "Great young talent, great guy on and off the golf course, ball-striking machine. Consistent would be the word that comes to my mind, year after year, and he is a very strong fit for Marco Simone and what we feel the course will demand."

Jordan Spieth

Spieth will make his fifth Ryder Cup appearance after Johnson selected him as a wildcard and he will be particularly reliant on the 30-year-old in the fourballs, where he boasts a record of 5-2-0 from an overall record of 8-7-3. 

Another factor working in Spieth's favour is he never knows when he's beaten, having come from behind in six of those eight wins. 

After a decent PGA Tour season that included runner-up in the RBC Heritage, there's every reason to believe he'll produce more magic in Italy. 

Justin Thomas

After a 2022 that included a win in the PGA Championship, few would have had Thomas down as a controversial selection for the Ryder Cup team. 

However, a disappointing 2023 that saw him fail to reach the FedEx Cup Playoffs left many wondering if some other players would be better candidates for the role. 

A look at Thomas' Ryder Cup record would go some way to alleviating any concerns, though. An overall record of 6-2-1 from his two appearances is enviable, while his partnership with Spieth - which is likely to be rekindled - will surely give Team Europe plenty to think about.

How They Qualified

USA Points List

• 1. Scottie Scheffler (Q) 
• 2. Wyndham Clark (Q) 
• 3. Brian Harman (Q)
• 4. Patrick Cantlay (Q)
• 5. Max Homa (Q)
• 6. Xander Schauffele (Q) 
• 7. Brooks Koepka 
• 8. Jordan Spieth 
• 9. Cameron Young 
• 10. Collin Morikawa 
• 11. Keegan Bradley 
• 12. Sam Burns 
• 13. Rickie Fowler 
• 14. Denny McCarthy
• 15. Justin Thomas 

Captain's Picks

• Sam Burns
• Rickie Fowler
• Brooks Koepka
• Collin Morikawa
• Jordan Spieth
• Justin Thomas