Qualifying for the U.S. Ryder Cup team will conclude after Sunday’s final round of the PGA’s BMW Championship with four points-based spots still available in the penultimate FedEx Cup playoff event.
That has heightened excitement at Olympia Fields in suburban Chicago, where Ryder Cup points and captains’ picks will shine, with the top 30 in season points advancing to next week’s Tour Championship in Atlanta.
“We have so much at stake in the next two weeks, whether it’s money, the Ryder Cup,” said American standout Keegan Bradley. “There’s so much to play for and it’s really exciting.”
World number one Scottie Scheffler, last year’s Masters champion, and reigning US Open champion Wyndham Clark are the only players to have won Ryder Cup spots on points for next month’s showdown against Europe in Italy.
Currently in the other four Ryder Cup spots are Patrick Cantlay in fourth place, the two-time defending BMW champion; British Open champion Brian Harman, LIV Golf’s Brooks Koepka, who won his fifth major at May’s PGA Championship, and Max Homa.
Among those in the hunt at this week’s 50-player event with a chance to bump into the Ryder Cup ranks are reigning Olympic champion Xander Schauffele, three-time major winner Jordan Spieth, two-time major winners Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas, 2022 British Open -runs. -up Cameron Young, 2011 PGA Championship winner Bradley and 2009 US Open champion Lucas Glover, who won the past two PGA Tour events.
“I’ve never made it and I want to,” Glover said of the Ryder Cup. “It was a goal from the day I turned pro back in 2001.”
US captain Zach Johnson will name his six picks after the Tour Championship.
Asked if he would pick himself with his hot form, 43-year-old Glover said: “I play pretty good golf and I think I’d be pretty good in the team room and be a good partner, so yeah I would absolutely.”
Bradley, 37, played on the losing Ryder Cup teams in 2012 and 2014.
“I would really like to be on a winning Ryder Cup team one day,” he said. “I think about the Ryder Cup every second I’m awake.
“I feel like I could bring some experience to the team. I feel like I could be a good partner for a lot of guys.”
Cantlay, who is third in points to almost secure his place in Italy, is confident Johnson can figure out what this week doesn’t fix.
“There is no one better able to make educated choices than him,” Cantlay said. “This round looks like it might be tougher than years ago. There are a lot of horses for a limited number of places. It’s going to be a tough set of choices. I trust him. He’ll do a great job.”
In the FedEx Cup playoff chase, reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm of Spain remains in the points lead ahead of Scheffler. That would give Rahm a two-stroke edge at the start of the Tour Championship at East Lake if he can stay in front this week.
“The point of making the playoffs is to give yourself the best chance to get to East Lake in first place,” Rahm said. “I’ve done a pretty good job so far. Hopefully this week I can have a good performance and give myself the best shot.”
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