Issued on: 29/08/2023 – 17:13

1 min

Koepka grabbed his fifth major title at the PGA Championship this year, just weeks after a runner-up finish at the Masters.

He is a three-time Ryder Cup player, but his inclusion comes after LIV Golf roiled the golf world and with European players who jumped to the Saudi Arabia-backed league banned from Ryder Cup participation.

US players remained eligible because even though they were suspended by the PGA Tour they remained members of the PGA of America.

Tensions between the established tours and LIV Golf rebels have eased somewhat since the announcement that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour announced a deal to merge with LIV’s Saudi backers.

Johnson’s other captain’s selections were Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, Sam Burns and Justin Thomas.

Thomas could be Johnson’s most controversial selection.

The two-time major winner has struggled this season, finishing 71st in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup standings and missing the playoffs.

He missed the cut in three of four major championships.

But Thomas has been a solid performer in international match play competition. In two Ryder Cup appearances he has a 6-2-1 record.

Thomas, 30, has been one of the Americans’ best performers in international match-play competitions. He has a 6-2-1 record in two previous Ryder Cup appearances and a 10-3-2 mark in three Presidents Cups.

Johnson said his aim in making the selections was to complement the six automatic qualifiers — world number one Scottie Scheffler, US Open winner Wyndham Clark, British Open champion Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa and Xander Schauffele.

The Ryder Cup will take place in Rome from September 29 until October 1.

The United States will be trying to retain the trophy that they won in a crushing 19-9 triumph at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin in 2021.

The Americans lead the all-time series 27-14 but have not won the Cup on foreign soil since 1993.

© 2023 AFP