Ryder Cup: Team USA as it stands after Lucas Glover stakes claim

Should Lucas Glover be selected in the US Ryder Cup team?

Glover may have brushed this question off as a poor attempt at a joke at the start of the month but, if we have learned anything from his extraordinary renaissance, it is that a fortnight is a long time in golf.

So when the 43-year-old American was asked whether he had even thought about the upcoming showdown after his second straight win, he replied: “About 15 minutes ago. I’ve never made it and I want to.”

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“Right now, yes,” he emphatically added, when asked if he would pick himself for Team USA. “Playing pretty good golf, and I think I’d be pretty good in the team room and be a good partner, so yeah, absolutely I would.”

The back-to-back PGA Tour victories Glover has somehow pulled off at the Wyndham Championship and now at the FedEx St Jude Championship have been extraordinary.

Glover has jumped to world No.30, fourth in the FedEx Cup standings and 16th in the US Ryder Cup qualification race.

This run of form has not only changed the outlook of his career but also possibly Zach Johnson’s selection thoughts as the US skipper weighs up his six captains picks.

The 2009 US Open champion held off a stellar chasing pack at TPC Southwind before edging a play-off against Patrick Cantlay, the world No.4 who secured his own place on Johnson’s team with his runner-up finish.

Elsewhere, Max Homa finished T6 to jump ahead of Xander Schauffele into the sixth and final automatic qualifying spot.

Scottie Scheffler and Wyndham Clark have unsurprisingly been confirmed as guaranteed qualifiers, while Open champ Brian Harman and PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka are set to make the team.

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It is inconceivable that Schauffele will not receive one of six captains picks, so that leaves five wildcard spots remaining for Johnson to use for the battle at Marco Simone Golf Club.

Intriguingly and unusually in equal measure, vice-captain Fred Couples has already confirmed that two of the chasing pack – Jordan Spieth and Cameron Young – will be given the nod by Johnson.

Therefore, the three remaining spots are up for grabs and Glover’s unlikely brilliance has made Johnson’s call even more uncertain.

Will he go form over experience in the contest with Glover over Justin Thomas? Will one of Collin Morikawa, Keegan Bradley or Rickie Fowler miss out?

Here are the US Ryder Cup rankings as it stands…

US automatic standings 

1.  Scottie Scheffler (Q)
2. Wyndham Clark (Q)
3. Patrick Cantlay (Q)
4. Brian Harman
5. Brooks Koepka
6. Max Homa

The chasing pack

7. Xander Schauffele
8. Jordan Spieth
9. Cameron Young
10.  Collin Morikawa
11. Keegan Bradley
12 Sam Burns
13. Rickie Fowler
14. Justin Thomas
15. Denny McCarthy
16. Lucas Glover

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.