7 big names who missed out on US Ryder Cup team 

Zach Johnson has named his six captain’s picks and the US Ryder Cup team is complete.

Justin Thomas has been handed a huge show of faith by his skipper, while Brooks Koepka is the only LIV golfer included.

Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and Collin Morikawa were always likely to make the cut, but plenty of American players will count themselves unfortunate after Sam Burns was selected as the fourth debutant on the team.

• Zach Johnson reveals six captain’s picks 

• Zach Johnson: Why I didn’t call LIV golfers

Here are the biggest names who won’t be on the plane to Rome….

Keegan Bradley

No wonder Bradley was “super bummed” to miss out on the US team. The resurgent 37-year-old was desperate to make his third Ryder Cup appearance and perhaps couldn’t have done much more after victories at the ZOZO Championship and, more recently, the Travelers.

Bradley competed in the 2012 and 2014 Ryder Cups and finished 11th on the US points list this time round.

“I thought I put together a really good year with two wins,” he told the Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis.

Cameron Young

“Cam Young will be in Italy.”

Those were the words of US vice-captain Fred Couples on his own radio show just last month – with Young seemingly destined to make his debut. He finished ninth in the US standings after top-tens in the Masters and The Open and the bizarre assurance made by Couples makes his snub all the more awkward.

On breaking the bad news to Young, Johnson said: “It did keep me up at night having to make those phone calls, specifically Cam. Phenomenal player, better person. He was nothing but class.”

That endorsement will provide little consolation.

Bryson DeChambeau

So there will be no Mr.58 at the Ryder Cup. As it transpired, DeChambeau’s mind-blowing 13-under round to win LIV Golf Greenbrier three weeks ago was not enough to get the nod. Experience and popularity over form certainly won the day with Johnson’s selections. It also appears that DeChambeau did not receive a courtesy phone call to notify him of his omission. The US skipper clarified that he only spoke to players who were around the top-25 in the US standings.

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Dustin Johnson

DJ was not a surprise omission given his quiet LIV form but his Ryder Cup record alone warranted reasonable wildcard discussion. The former world No.1 went 5-0-0 in America’s demolition job at Whistling Straits and there can be few more composed performers in the most intimidating of battlegrounds on European soil.

“I love DJ,” Johnson said when asked about his namesake’s snub. “He’s a dear friend. Obviously, a stud when it comes to playing in competitions. Through & through, his record speaks for itself. You know, it was one of those situations where it’s hard to gather form. It’s hard to see how guys are doing when they’re not competing against these guys that earned their way in the team.”

Lucas Glover

Glover emerged from nowhere into 16th in the US standings. The Ryder Cup was not even on his radar after his second of back-to-back wins at the Wyndham Championship and FedEx St. Jude Championship. But there was a feeling that the 43-year-old may have even needed a third straight victory for his pick to be guaranteed. A valiant late charge perhaps came too little too late for Glover, who has had a remarkable renaissance nonetheless.

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Talor Gooch

Three victories in LIV Golf events this season had Gooch’s colleagues calling for Johnson to include him, but it is unclear whether the 31-year-old was ever truly in the frame. Johnson has been reserved on the Saudi-based series during his tenure as skipper and clearly used the majors as an important barometer. Gooch controversially missed the US Open, finished T34 at the Masters and missed the cut at the PGA Championship and The Open.

Patrick Reed

Of course, Reed was never a serious candidate to make this US team, regardless of three top five finishes in his last three LIV starts. But the man who earned the Captain America moniker was once box-office as the firebrand in the US locker room and the fact he wasn’t considered in such a long-running debate is the latest indication of the 2018 Masters champion’s fall from prominence. Reed has a formidable 7-3-2 record in three Ryder Cup appearances but has now missed out on his second straight contest.

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.