It’s not just that putts don’t drop or stars like nachos and hodophobes are bad at traveling. In retrospect, decisions made before even leaving the departure gate are often seen as indicators of failure. In 2010, the U.S. squad arrived in Wales wearing rain suits that were not suitable for rain. Officials had to buy alternatives at the merchandise shop. In ’14 the team was decided so far in advance, that America’s hot golfer Billy Horschel was left in the cold.
Ryder Cup captains’ mistakes and inept pairings can be attributed to the heat of the battle. But decisions made at home before the wheels leave the tarmac are not as easily forgiven. Corey Pavin’s disaster in Cardiff aside, it’s hard to mess up the uniforms and no one cares who assistant cart jockeys. The most dangerous advance call for a Ryder Cup captain is deciding on which players will get the nod if they haven’t earned their place automatically. Jim Furyk can attest to this. Five years ago, he was dissed in the Paris postmortem when not one point was scored by three of his picks. One of them — Phil Mickelson – was more likely than not to hit Luxembourg on his diving shot rather than the punishingly tight fairways of Le Golf National.
Zach Johnson will select the second half his team on Tuesday. This decision was once as difficult as choosing the three colors for the uniform. The LIV defectors tore apart the U.S. Ryder Cup team of ’21, but the squad that competed in the Presidents Cup of ’22 was dominant and united. Johnson’s team only has four players from the ’21 Ryder Cup squad, and they are all out of shape. It is risky or even indefensible to pick them. The European team that looked destined to spend a decade in limbo after Whistling Straights is looking more formidable by the day.
Captains can feel safe with six choices. If others perform well, a couple of underperformers will not be as noticeable and they won’t be remembered. Six decisions, on the other hand, cast a negative light on the captain’s judgement, increasing the likelihood of making choices that are more loyal than legitimate, and adding pressure to half the team in order to justify their vote of confidence. Cap’n Johnson is facing a difficult 48-hour period that will determine his Ryder Cup history before a single ball has been struck.
Justin Thomas may be playing badly, but he brings a leader’s vibe to the team. Lucas Glover has a hot-hand, but he’s not going to be intimidated by a Rory McIlroy. Keegan Brad spends his waking hours thinking about Rome. No one on the team has had more wins than him. Tony Finau also has two wins and a solid team record but his form has cooled. Rickie has rediscovered form in recent months and is a favorite amongst his peers. Cameron Young has had a career of near misses, and that’s the mark of his success. Did I forget to mention Jordan Spieth and Sam Burns? Nine out of six are not good enough.
All of those mentioned above finished lower than Brooks Koepka in the points race. He was seven, just one spot short of automatic qualification. It’s meaningless now; he could as well be 70th. The first six are determined by points. The final six are determined by metrics that we do not know — intangibles that Johnson values, such as statistical factors (complimentary skill sets for foursomes or strengths that compensate for weaknesses elsewhere), populist criteria (personalities who fit, performance on previous teams) or personal considerations (advocacy from influential voices and antipathy towards LIV). Johnson may care about all of them or none, but the selection of Koepka by Johnson is a political decision.
Legally problematic is the sentiment, which is common among some quarters, that Koepka shouldn’t play for the U.S. since he joined LIV. The PGA of America, or its agents in this case Johnson are liable for filing an antitrust lawsuit if they punish a LIV golfer out of misplaced loyalties to the PGA Tour. Johnson must evaluate Koepka using the same criteria as all other candidates, even if he has a dislike for LIV. If he doesn’t include him, then he must explain his reasoning in detail.
Koepka did not earn a spot in Rome, but he deserves it. Koepka deserves a place in Rome, not because of what he did at LIV but despite it. He only plays exhibition golf to boost his bank account, but he was able to deliver when he faced the best in the world this year: a victory at the PGA Championship and runner-up finish at the Masters. He was his old self — competitive and ornery. Focused, cutthroat. Even Europe’s top stars would be under pressure to perform, something that cannot be said for many of the Americans. He did not sign lawsuits nor take shots at the former circuit. The Ryder Cup is not concerned with PGA Tour politics, and he’s by far the most competitive member of LIV.
Johnson’s options are limited, and Koepka has more. Ryder Cup captains are often on a tightrope between making decisions that will be praised as bold and those that will be criticized as botched. Johnson will be criticized for any decision he makes about Koepka. It’s better to be criticised for bringing in a controversial soldier than for keeping him at the barracks because he is a mercenary.
