CHASKA, Minn.— A look at the U.S. team in the 41st Ryder Cup on Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at Hazeltine National in Chaska, Minnesota. Players are listed in the order they made the team.
DUSTIN JOHNSON
Age: 32.
Ryder Cup record (2 teams): 4-3-0.
World ranking: 2.
Career victories: 12.
Majors: U.S. Open (2016).
2016 victories: U.S. Open, Bridgestone Invitational, BMW Championship.
Ryder Cup partners: Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Matt Kuchar.
Outlook: Johnson has emerged as the best American, if not the best player in the world, at the moment. He missed the last Ryder Cup, when he was sitting out for six months to seek help for what he described as "personal challenges." He can win when he's not putting his best. He's hard to beat when he is.
JORDAN SPIETH
Age: 23.
Ryder Cup record (1 team): 2-1-1.
World ranking: 4.
Career victories: 10.
Majors: Masters (2015), U.S. Open (2015).
2016 victories: Hyundai Tournament of Champions, Colonial.
Ryder Cup partners: Patrick Reed.
Outlook: Spieth has yet to win a singles match in his two appearances in a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup. He is playing reasonably well; it just doesn't seem like it because last year was among the best. He and Dustin Johnson were formidable in fourballs at the Presidents Cup last year.
PHIL MICKELSON
Age: 46.
Ryder Cup record (10 teams): 16-19-6.
World ranking: 15.
Career victories: 45.
Majors: Masters (2004, 2006, 2010), British Open (2013), PGA Championship (2005).
2016 victories: None.
Ryder Cup partners: Corey Pavin, Jay Haas, Davis Love III, Tom Lehman, David Duval, Jim Furyk, David Toms, Chris DiMarco, Anthony Kim, Hunter Mahan, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Keegan Bradley.
Outlook: He is playing on his 11th straight team, an American record. And he has qualified for every one of them, a record that will be hard to beat. But which Mickelson will show up at Hazeltine? The player at Royal Troon who took Henrik Stenson to the wire? Or the guy who can miss fairways and short putts? Plus, he has taken on a big leadership role for this team and thus carries a little more of the burden.
PATRICK REED
Age: 26.
Ryder Cup record (1 team): 3-0-1.
World ranking: 8.
Career victories: 5.
Majors: None.
2016 victories: The Barclays.
Ryder Cup partners: Jordan Spieth.
Outlook: Reed is tough in match play because he makes it personal. He whipped up the Scottish crowd by hushing them with his finger over his lips, and he's sure to whip up the home crowd. But it starts with good golf, and his golf was ordinary at the Presidents Cup. His only victory was fourballs with Spieth.
JIMMY WALKER
Age: 37.
Ryder Cup record (1 team): 1-1-3.
World ranking: 16.
Career victories: 6.
Majors: PGA Championship (2016).
2016 victories: PGA Championship.
Ryder Cup partners: Rickie Fowler.
Outlook: He was among the best rookies at Gleneagles last time, but he was only 1-3-0 at the Presidents Cup. His season was pedestrian until he put it all together to win the PGA Championship, and he showed more good form was on the way by contending at the Deutsche Bank Championship. He's one of the better putters on the U.S. team.
BROOKS KOEPKA
Age: 26.
Ryder Cup record (rookie): 0-0-0.
World ranking: 22.
Career victories: 2.
Majors: None.
2016 victories: None.
Ryder Cup partners: None.
Outlook: The only American rookie in this Ryder Cup, he missed a month because of ankle injury, returned and sewed up a spot on the team with a tie for fourth in the PGA Championship. His results have been ordinary during the FedEx Cup playoffs, and he was one of three Americans who missed the Tour Championship.
BRANDT SNEDEKER
Age: 35.
Ryder Cup record (1 team): 1-2-0.
World ranking: 23.
Career victories: 8.
Majors: None.
2016 victories: Farmers Insurance Open.
Ryder Cup partners: Jim Furyk.
Outlook: Snedeker went from winning the FedEx Cup to playing in his first Ryder Cup in 2012. He was at his best the opening two months of the season. Driving and power are not strengths. Putting is what makes him dangerous. His only partners in the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup — Jim Furyk, Hunter Mahan and Webb Simpson — will not be at Hazeltine.
ZACH JOHNSON
Age: 40.
Ryder Cup record (4 teams): 6-6-2.
World ranking: 28.
Career victories: 12.
Majors: Masters (2007), British Open (2015).
2016 victories: None.
Ryder Cup partners: Chad Campbell, Scott Verplank, Stewart Cink, Hunter Mahan, Jason Dufner, Matt Kuchar.
Outlook: He made the team on the strength of his British Open victory — last year. Johnson's best finish this year is fifth place at Bay Hill, and he never really contended there. He switched golf equipment at the start of the year. But he is tough in match play because he keeps the ball in play and his strengths typically are the wedges and putter.
RICKIE FOWLER
Age: 27.
Ryder Cup record (2 teams): 0-3-5.
World ranking: 9.
Career victories: 6.
Majors: None.
2016 victories: Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.
Ryder Cup partners: Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson, Jimmy Walker.
Outlook: He has yet to win a match in the Ryder Cup, and his record in the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup is 1-6-5. But he is popular with his teammates and is versatile when it comes to pairings. He wasted a good chance to make the team outright at The Barclays. This will be his first Ryder Cup on home soil.
J.B. HOLMES
Age: 34.
Ryder Cup record (1 team): 2-0-1.
World ranking: 21.
Career victories: 4.
Majors: None.
2016 victories: None.
Ryder Cup partners: Boo Weekley.
Outlook: Holmes and Mickelson are the only American players who have been on a winning Ryder Cup team. Holmes is long and aggressive, but he can be shaky with the putter. His last victory was the Shell Houston Open in April 2015. He won the B-flight at the British Open by finishing third (14 shots behind Henrik Stenson).
MATT KUCHAR
Age: 38.
Ryder Cup record (3 teams): 4-5-2.
World ranking: 17.
Career victories: 9.
Majors: None.
2016 victories: None.
Ryder Cup partners: Stewart Cink, Dustin Johnson, Jim Furyk, Bubba Watson, Zach Johnson.
Outlook: Kuchar won the bronze medal at the Olympics, the highlight of his year thus far. He is reliable in match play and easy to match based on having five partners in three Ryder Cups. His last PGA Tour victory was in April 2014 at Hilton Head.
RYAN MOORE
Age: 33.
Ryder Cup record (rookie): 0-0-0.
World ranking: 31.
Career victories: 5.
Majors: None.
2016 victories: John Deere Classic.
Ryder Cup partners: None.
Outlook: Moore is a product of the U.S. waiting until after the Tour Championship to make the final pick. He won the John Deere Classic the week of the Olympics, and he pushed Rory McIlroy to the fourth playoff hole before losing at East Lake. Not a big hitter, but he has a great history in match play. He won the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Amateur Public Links and the NCAA championship in 2004.
This article was written by Doug Ferguson from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.
