Ryder Cup: Spieth and Schauffele among Stricker’s picks as Reed misses out

Spieth
will
appear
at
the
biennial
competition
for
a
fourth
time
in
a
row,
while
Schauffele
is
set
to
make
his
debut
against
Europe
in
next
month’s
tournament
at
Whistling
Straits
after
recently
winning
Olympic
gold.

Schauffele
was
one
of
three
rookies
chosen
by
Stricker
on
Wednesday
along
with
Daniel
Berger,
Harris
English
and
Scottie
Scheffler,
with
Tony
Finau
–
part
of
the
USA
side
that
lost
in
Paris
three
years
ago
–
completing
the
captain’s
picks.

Speaking
at
a
news
conference
to
announce
his
final
selection,
Stricker
said:
“All
six
of
these
guys
have
been
playing
some
really
good
golf
for
a
long
period
of
time.

“It’s
more
about
a
body
of
work.
They
have
all
played
great
throughout
this
year
and
very
well
deserving
of
these
picks.”

The
top-six
qualifiers
–
Collin
Morikawa,
Dustin
Johnson,
Bryson
DeChambeau,
Brooks
Koepka,
Justin
Thomas
and
Patrick
Cantlay
–
had
already
locked
in
spots
for
the
USA,
who
are
seeking
to
regain
the
trophy
after
that
17.5-10.5
loss
in
2018.

Team.
Complete.

With
his
Captain’s
Picks
locked,

@SteveStricker
selects:

@DanielBerger59

Harris_English
@tonyfinaugolf

@XSchauffele
Scottie
Scheffler
@JordanSpieth
pic.twitter.com/wFGR3bw8IH

—
Ryder
Cup
USA
(@RyderCupUSA)

September
8,
2021

Reed
is
the
most
notable
name
overlooked
by
Stricker,
the
31-year-old
having
featured
in
every
American
team
since
2014.

He
made
his
return
from
a
month-long
absence
at
last
week’s
Tour
Championship
after
being
hospitalised
with
pneumonia
in
both
lungs.

Asked
to
explain
his
decision
to
leave
out
Reed,
who
top-scored
for
USA
in
their
2016
victory
at
Hazeltine,
Stricker
said:
“That
was
a
very,
very
difficult
call.
I
lost
sleep
over
that
one.

“He’s
a
tremendous
competitor,
he
brings
a
lot
of
match
play
golf
and
his
record
at
the
Ryder
Cup
is
pretty
darn
good.

“I
think
it
was
the
uncertainty
of
his
health
and
the
lack
of
play
that
led
to
our
decision
down
the
stretch.”

Team
Europe
captain
Padraig
Harrington
will
announce
his
final
three
picks
on
Sunday.