Phil Mickelson: “Four or five” LIV golfers warrant US Ryder Cup picks

Phil Mickelson has named the handful of LIV golfers he believes would deserve a spot on the US Ryder Cup team – but he stopped short of offering any advice to captain Zach Johnson.

Mickelson insisted on Wednesday that he “doesn’t want to step on Zach’s toes” and tell Johnson exactly who he should select for his six wildcard picks for the looming showdown near Rome.

But the record 12-time US Ryder Cup player did share his views on his LIV Golf colleagues who he believes would deserve to tee it up at the Marco Simone Golf Club next month.

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“[Johnson] has got to be the one making the decisions on what he thinks is best for the US team,” Mickelson said at LIV Golf Bedminster, before offering his verdict on the LIV contenders.

“I think Talor Gooch is one of the best performers of the year, and Brooks [Koepka] is one of the toughest competitors, and then you always want to throw DJ [Dustin Johnson] or Patrick Reed in there because of their consistency,” the six-time major champion added.

“It’s also understandable if as a captain you decide to go with a team that brings about a certain chemistry, but if you’re looking just straight for the best players, there’s four or five guys here that warrant that.”

As it stands, Brooks Koepka appears the only LIV golfer nailed on to compete against Europe.

The PGA Championship winner is currently inside the automatic standings on major performances alone and would surely be selected as one of Johnson’s captain’s picks if he was edged out after the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

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But Bryson DeChambeau also staked his claim with a mind-blowing 61-58 finish over the weekend to win LIV Golf Greenbrier, while in-form Gooch has won three LIV individual events this season.

“He brings an element of experience and intellectual perspective that is sometimes different and unique that can be very additive as well as an incredible golf game and a very tough competitor,” Mickelson said about DeChambeau.

“I can say that about Brooks, and I can say that about Talor Gooch and I can say that about DJ, especially after his last Ryder Cup, the way he played at Whistling Straits going 5-0, and I can say that about Patrick Reed and the history he’s had in that event.

“There’s a lot of guys that would be very additive to the U.S. Team, but again, as a captain, you’re looking at other intangibles, too.”

Mickelson, though, will not get too emotionally involved in the latest edition of the battle with Europe.

“I’ve kind of detached from that a little bit,” he admitted. “I’ve accepted the fact that I’ve had 12 or 13 years of great Ryder Cup experiences, 12 as a player, one as a vice captain. I’ve enjoyed my time. But I’ve detached and kind of let it go and let others take others as players as captains, and kind of let myself be a fan watching now.”

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.