BIG Ryder Cup Shake-Up – Who’s in and Who’s OUT?!

With the regular season coming to a close, the Ryder Cup conversation continues to heat up with fans eagerly awaiting Keegan Bradley’s captains picks.

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In this week’s episode of The Golf Podcast we’re breaking down the red-hot debate over who will make Team USA’s Ryder Cup roster—and who’s likely to be left off. With just two FedEx Cup events remaining to earn Ryder Cup points, the picture is far from settled. We cover every angle of this year’s captain’s pick drama, starting with Keegan Bradley’s rare situation as both the team captain and a potential player. Will he name himself to the team, or step aside to make room for a rising star like Cameron Young? Speaking of Young, his recent win at the Wyndham Championship has launched him back into the conversation in a big way—especially given his New York roots and past success at Bethpage Black. We also dig into where things stand with bubble players like Maverick McNealy, Ben Griffin, Brian Harman, and Andrew Novak, while questioning if veterans like Patrick Cantlay, Brooks Koepka, and Jordan Spieth have done enough to earn a spot this time around. Then we flip the script and take a hard look at the European squad, where Jon Rahm’s eligibility, Sergio Garcia’s legacy, and Matt Wallace’s recent form are all under the microscope. If you want to know who’s trending in, who’s falling out, and what it all means for one of golf’s biggest stages, this episode has it all. From team chemistry and course fit to experience and current form—we’re covering every factor that could influence Keegan Bradley’s final call.

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All right, we have what’s shaping up to be another very exciting captain’s pick debate when it comes to the RDER Cup teams. And of course, this could mean big-time redemption for Keegan Bradley. Is he going to end up putting himself on the team or not? But very similar to what we saw with Keegan just two years ago where he got overstepped. There’s the possibility that happening. And now, even with Keegan’s the one who’s calling the shots, there are some guys who are in that top 12 right now as we stand, as we just finished up the regular season, there are some guys who just might not make the team because looking further down the list, we are seeing some guys making waves, including Cameron Young, who just jumped up four spots and is now in the mix in the discussion because of his big win at the Windom. So, what we’re going to do is we’re going to take a full look at this where all of these RDER Cup standings stand at the moment with only two events left for these guys to qualify points. There are of course some guys who were locked in like Scotty Sheffler. I feel like he was locked in when he teed it up for the first uh tournament of the year, but there are some guys in there who couldn’t be in that conversation and whether or not that’s going to create some controversy and debate. So, we’ll look through them one by one. See who’s on the bubble. See, he who might be those kind of like longot sleepers who might sneak in at that last second. Lots to go over. First, of course, we want to thank this week’s sponsor, Titus. And guys, we’re excited to share some exclusive opportunities from Team Titus. But to be part of the team, you have to join Team Titus. The best part about it is it’s 100% free to do. Just go to titalist.com/teamtitist to join the team with us. And what it does is it gives you access to opportunities like prototype testing. That’s when you see those white boxes come in the mail every once in a while. Guys get to get be some of the first to test out brand new balls because Titus does value the feedback of its team. So you have that. They’ve also got some exciting trips that they plan throughout the year. All a lot of exciting stuff to be a part of. But again, to do it, you got to join Team Titus. So go to titlist.com/teamtitist, get signed up. It’s free. It’s a no-brainer. and it is uh it is the place to be. So, go and check that out. Now, Mike, taking a kind of a high up look at this. Um I think you obviously the guys right now who are in those six, I don’t see a lot of shuffling at the very top here. Um I I either way, one way or another, even if a guy moves down to seventh and somebody comes up to six, like we could see that with Justin Thomas. Justin Thomas right now I think he’s on the team anyway you look at it but sitting at seventh right in striking distance of that locked in picks and I kind of feel like because he was so directly a part of the controversy just two years ago where he got picked for the team a lot of people said he wasn’t in form he wasn’t the guy and he was the guy who leapfrogged over Keegan Bradley I think for his own you know personal ego and also to make life a lot easier on Keegan I think he’d like nothing more to play really well in these first two events of the postseason and lock himself in, but it remains to be seen there. Yeah. No, you see where I’m at at Ryder Cup standings right now. I kind of feel like top 10 is locked in. If you looked at the current rankings today, um I think 1 through 10 is and should be on the team. And that includes Keegan. Keegan’s in the 10 spot. I feel like he’s deserved it. He has a win. He’s got some top tens. He’s played pretty well. Uh and he’s just got the fire, right? And the fact that you were saying how he missed it two years ago, he kind of was snubbed. So here he has an opportunity to come back, play it, be the captain, be a hero, grand stage, New York City, all that good stuff. So I like 1 through 10. Where I struggle with this list, I know we’re going to dive into it even more. And I like that we’re going to do some long shots is who’s going to be 11 and 12 cuz that’s like always the major debate every year. You know, do you look at a Cam Young who’s in 15th? Do you look at guys that are trending? Do you look at a guys that were hot at the beginning of the year? They might be up there, but they fell off. Yeah. So, that’s part of this process. I think it’s pretty cool. But I’ve got a pretty uh by the end of this episode, I’m going to give you my top 12. I’ll give you those two picks who I think should be on this team. Okay. Well, I would say I agree for the most part. The only thing I don’t agree with is that it the 10 is a lock when it comes to Keegan Bradley. I think there’s still a lot of debate that’s going to go on between him and his uh his vice captains. He does have an incredible staff of vice captains. You got Jim Fur, Ke Kevin Kizner, Webb Simpson, Branson Netker, and Gary Woodland. Uh, and I think it’s really going to come down to whether Keegan truly feels that he can put his best self forward as a player of whether he puts himself on that team. Because keep in mind, even though he sits at the 10 spot, based on what we see here, where there’s a lot of guys who could make the team, him playing at the end of the day bumps somebody else off this team. and with so much talent as we’re going to kind of go through here sitting in that you know 10 well Keegan’s in 10 11 12 13 14 spot even now like I said with a guy like Cam Young pushing his way up let’s see Cam now sits at 15th right this is where I think Keegan now has to weigh the answer saying like do I am I better served to just take on full captain’s duty and give a guy like that the option to be on the team so I think that’s where it’s going to kind of weigh in. But where I sit on the other side of the fence is me personally is just thinking, why not? Why not play? Now, I understand like and and it’s very hard for me to fully put myself in his shoes cuz I’m not a player. I don’t know what it takes for these guys to get mentally ready to perform at their best and compete. Where I can empathize and sympathize with Keegan is the fact that the amount of obligations for a captain has gone through the roof in in modern day for RDER Cups. Totally. It’s not like back when, you know, Arnold Palmer did it, you know, 30, 40, whatever many years ago it was. He’s going to have all types of press obligations. They’re going to be getting him all over the place. He does that for him, and I think this is a personal decision he has to make. Does that take him out enough that he’s not able to practice the way he wants to prepare? Does that, you know, all those types of things? I think that’s what needs to weigh. But when it comes to if he can switch all of that and put all of that aside and lock in when he plays, I think he can still do the dual role. I think he can certainly, you know, make the selections and the pairings as needed before he goes out there on the field. and then once he goes out on the field having such a deep bench when it comes to vice captains totally I think that they can handle what needs to be handled while he’s out there. So I think that’s not the issue at hand. I think the issue at hand for him and he’s the only one who can make this decision ultimately is whether he feels that he can perform his best while also having all of the duties that lead up to it and how exhausting that can be. Because if you look at him as a player, I don’t think that there’s many guys on right here outside of the top six who have a better resume. Keegan’s got one win this year, five top 10s. He’s 10th in the Ryder Cup points. Uh, I’m sorry, in the FedEx Cup points and 10th in Ryder Cup points. He if he wasn’t a captain, if we were like waving a magic wand and we could forget for a second that he was even a captain, then he’s one of those no-brainer picks for me. It’s just whether or not he feels like he can handle all of the responsibilities. Yeah. And and me saying that he’s a lock and he’s going to be on the team is me just like guessing he’s going to play. Obviously, it’s going to come down to him, but you’re right, the vice captains there are of high caliber. They’ll be able to run the show while he’s doing it. They’re seasoned vets. They’ve been there before. Furick, Stricker, those guys. Yeah. Um, you know, so Kizner, I mean, there’s going to be guys there that can that can help Keegan along. You’re right. It is a lot of responsibility. Is he going to be able to perform at the highest level? Who knows? But I think he should be on the team and I think if he’s on the team, that dude’s got so much fire. Yeah. Like I think he’s going to kill it as a player and kill it as a co captain. So, and and I don’t read Keegan as the type of guy who’s going to make a decision based on his own personal agenda, right? I think his decision will be made, you know, based on how he thinks, well, what will be best for the team, right? So, if he feels like he’s going to be put someone that’s going to put them in the best position to win, then I think he’s going to play. I think one thing that’s got to be weighing on the back of his mind though is at his age and he’s he’s playing incredible at his age. I have to think that somewhere in his mind he’s got to be thinking if I perform well here like even as a captain he could possibly have another at bat at some point in his life as a Ryder Cup captain again. I mean look at Luke Donald on the other side. He’s been the captain now twice, right? So it’s there’s a precedent for that. that he could be captain again. I think this is his very last shot as a player. So, I think that that’s got a way in his mind somewhere and being like, “Hey, I can I can captain the ship again and I could get the full experience of being captain and being off the field um in a in a future iteration of the RDER Cup, but this is probably my last real great shot with all the up andcoming young talent of being a player.” But and and so I think it would be he’s not he’s not human if that’s not in his mind somewhere. Yeah. But I truly do believe and I think that’s why he’s gonna make such a great captain is that he’s going to do what’s still what’s best and he’s going to make that decision and I think it’s going to boil down to and we’ll be watching and waiting on some of the interviews to come out to see what he says about this. But I think it’s going to really boil down to him saying whether or not he feels like he can perform as a player at his best with all of those responsibilities. Yeah. I mean it’s going to be tough to see. I mean, I know we’re all going to be waiting on the edge of our seats in the next couple weeks to see if he goes with that. Keegan’s captain’s picks are in and one of them is him, you know, it’s crazy, you know, but it’s exciting. It makes for exciting golf news. Um, I mean, regardless, if he chooses to play, great. If he chooses not to play, I still think there’s a couple of guys on that bubble that can slot in. Um, you know, leading up to this this conversation, I was going to come in here saying, send Kantlay to the Hills like they sent JT last year, President’s Cup. Yeah, you didn’t have a great year. You’re not going to be on the team. Go figure it out. offseason, come back stronger. That’s what JT did. Canley had a horrible year, I think, for his standards. Yeah. So, how can you put a guy like that on the team, even though he’s got a pretty decent REDR Cup resume and experience? I think, you know, between him, Brian Harmon, another guy with experience. So, like that bubble’s hot right now. Um, but I kind of feel like for me, honestly, McNeely and Cam Young, if Cam Young finishes in the top five in this next playoff this week, if he stays hot, I think you go with Maverick McNeely. I believe he’s 11 in the bubble on the standings. Correct. Yeah, I think you’d go mad because look, if you look at him this year, I know he was hot earlier on and he’s kind of fell off. But I still think he’s a good pick and then if Cam Young stays hot, I think that’s that’s my 112 right there. Yeah. Well, I one thing I will say is that I think and we’ll move on to each pick individually, but just wrapping up on what Ke with Keegan, I think one good thing that Keegan has done for himself, one huge service is his play has spoke for itself to the point where even if he does make that announcement, you know, that kind of historic announcement that one of his his captain’s picks is himself, he’s justified it through his play. And I don’t see anyone who can debate or uh be disappointed or upset in any way with that pick. If he had sat right at, you know, outside where he had to bump somebody, I I said this, you know, when we started talking about this um when there was even the potential of him being a playing captain, you know, two three months ago, I said if he’s 134, I do not see him bumping someone. I think though he’s put himself in a great position where there’s no one who can argue with that pick. He’s played his way into the 10th spot and possibly even higher as we get into the Fax Cup playoffs. So, I think if anything, it might go the other way. There might be some people who are disappointed that he doesn’t pick himself, but he is in a a great spot to allow himself to do that pick from a standpoint again what he thinks is best for the team. By the way, one one thing that I I don’t know if people know this that you can still accumulate Ryder Cup points, especially Team USA, through the first two weeks of the FedEx Cup. Yes. Correct. Right. So, a win by Keegan, is he bumped up to Oh, into the qualifying automatically. It’s totally possible, right? I don’t know if one win will get him up there from 10 to six, but it’s possible. I mean, where he’s at 10, it’s possible. I mean, if nothing else, a win and a second place finish. I mean, he if he goes on a tear, he goes on a tear, it’s possible. That’s what I’m saying. Ultimately, there’s not a lot of time left with only two, you know, events left, right? But in a way, there’s also kind of a lot of time left. You know what I mean? Like, if somebody goes crazy hot, this could this conversation could change. But let’s stay let’s talk about where we stand right now. So you got the two that I think that are not necessarily something we have to dive too deep into because they I think they’re on the team one way or another as captain’s picks is Justin Thomas and Colin Morawa. Yep. Uh they sit at seven and eight. They are it would be a complete upset. It would be uh there would have to be something dramatic for one of them to be overlooked at this point. Their play is there. Uh they’ve they’ve they’ve proven it with points. They’re right on the bubble of being automatic qualifiers. And as I said, Justin Thomas may be an automatic qualifier. So, I’m not going to spend too much time there. I think those guys are a lock. Let’s move on. The next one, Ben Griffin, who made some of his own waves uh in the past week or so. Uh, and I think it’s a in a way some people are just looking for something to like twist his words a little bit. Catching some headlines talking about like again if you take it out of context him saying that you know he can beat Rory, he can beat John Rom. He was also talking about him personally wanting to get his play to a level where he could beat those guys. But the headline grabbers will do what they will and you know stirring up a little bit of controversy. But this is one thing I like about Ben. He has been very vocal and very one, you know, single-minded focused on making the RDER Cup team. And that’s the type of fire and passion that you want to see of a guy on the team. You want a guy who is itching to be there, who wants the big stage, who wants the big match against Roy Moy. That to me is something that as a captain’s pick I would be looking at and saying like especially Keegan, a guy who knows and understands that fire, seeing that in Ben Griffin, but he also again is backing it up with play this year. So he’s got two PGA Tour wins this season. You know, one of the few guys on this entire list with with more than one win. He’s got a a one runner up, eight top 10s. He’s currently sixth in the FedEx Cup points. I would be shocked, you know, currently sitting at ninth. If he’s not a captain’s pick, I would be completely blown away. I think that this is a guy who is one of the first, you know, picks out of Keegan’s mouth when it comes to those captain’s picks. Yeah, I think he is a lot um basically the numbers you just rattled off. He’s had a quality year. He’s made a name for himself. Um New York stage. I think he’s going to do well, man. I really think he’s going to do well. This will be his rookie year. I mean, you’re going to have rookies on a Ryder Cup team almost every year. Yeah. You know, it’s going to happen. So, I think this is his time. And and you said New York stage. I’m going to tell you to put a pin in that. Hold that one under your hat cuz when we come back to Cameron Young, I think there’s a real big reason why even though he sits at 15th, he could be very well in the mix because of his own association, not only with New York, but with Beth Paige Black. We’ll talk about that, but let’s keep moving down the list. Keegan Bradley, we already went over, sits in the 10th spot. Uh, again, record kind of speaks for itself. If if you had just kind of redacted his name and you didn’t know who it was and you were just looking at guys and their their track records in that, you know, top 12, I think Keegan Braggley is like, “Oh, I got to put that guy on the team.” Again, it all boils down to what he’s comfortable with with his obligations as captain. But another name that you uh you mentioned, Maverick McNeely. Yeah. Um, a little bit, you know, no wins. It’s a tough one. I I think he to me is one of those guys who’s very firmly on the bubble y because of current form. So he does have six top 10s this season. He This again is how he’s earned those points. One runner up. He’s uh 11th in FedEx Cup points. And to his credit, we always look Ryder Cup. You look big stage. What can these guys do on the big stage? Well, the biggest stage of all of course is the majors. He made the cut in all four majors. He has not however done much since the memorial. Yeah. Uh his his record other than you know making cuts you know kind of that journeyman type of thing not make you know making cuts not making waves if I would say anything. And it it would concern me that he he’s a spot that is very fragile right now that a guy who’s in current form might be a better selection. It would it would be tough, you know, cuz he did put together a pretty strong season overall holistically. It’ be tough to kind of sit him in that way, but this is where as a Ryder Cup captain, you got to make some tough decisions. I’ve always wondered, and I would love insight into this from the RDER Cup captains, how much they weigh, you know, success early season versus current form. 100%. Because you got a lot of these guys who who stack up points, you know, January through April and then do don’t do anything in May, June, July, and they start to like they’re falling out of form. How much of that is what you earned then? Did you earn your spot versus current form? I would love to know that formula. We kind of know what Zack Johnson’s formula was, right? Cuz he had Lucas Glover who won twice at the end of the year, snubbed him and then I think Keegan won towards the end of the year or like closer in the summer and he was snubbed. So, I guess it’s individual like how these captains put like current form just based or maybe they put more emphasis on Ryder Cup experience, which kind of brings me to the next guy is Brian Harmon, right? But that’s the thing. There’s a lot to factor in Ryder Cup experience. You want you always want a good balance of veterans and and you know, rookies. You think who plays well together? Harmon we’re getting into here as a lefty. How does that set up for the course? How does that set up for some of the the matches that might play into it? So, there’s a lot there, but I think, and you’re right, every captain is going to be different and and for all the reasons that we all know, and it’s been beat to death at this point, Zack Johnson was highly highly questioned for those those uh picks that he did make. Um, but for me, I think if if I was sitting in that seat, and I have zero qualification to sit where where Keegan’s sitting right now, but if I was, I think I would put current form in my formula at like 60% or more of what it goes into my pick because we all know golf, you know what I mean? Form comes and goes, and just because you were great in the in the beginning of the season doesn’t mean you’ve got it right now. I would rather pick a guy who’s really hot and is playing, you know, trending his in the right direction, playing his best golf, than a guy who won early season and has been struggling since. Yeah. You know, um, but let’s look at that. So, Brian Harmon is is your true bubble boy. He’s number 12. 50 coin flip between him, McNeely. I don’t know if you stick both of them on the team, but he was like my coin flip and I kind of ruled him out earlier saying go Maverick then Cameron. But, okay. So, with with Brian, what you got is he’s got one win this season, but again, came way back in April, four top 10s. Um, and what did he do in the majors, do we know? I don’t have his full major record right here, but I I will tell you he’s 12th in RDER Cup points. So, like again, putting together a strong season, but there’s other factors to it. There is the fact that he, you know, he’s older. I will say off the top of my head, he did do well at the Open Championship. Um I forget if it was a top 10 finish, but I remember he was in the hunt. Um seemed to be like a very much a specialist for that, you know, after winning the Open a couple years ago. Um by quite a few strokes. But here too, 38 years old, right? Um would be if not the oldest, one of the oldest guys on the team. And I think this is where a lot of it’s relationship driven. I think there you’re going to get a guy like Keegan who’s going to be calling these guys and there’s going to be stuff that we’re never even privy to. You know him picking up the phone. How are you feeling? Yeah. What do you give me, you know, give me your honest, you know, unfiltered. We all want what’s best for the team. How are you feeling? How’s the game feel right now? How are you feeling physically? Do you feel like you could, you know, keep up with competition at at Funny at your age? He’s not that old, but you know what I’m saying, 38 years old, you know? How do you feel at Beth Paige? Another question. Exactly. cuz that’s a whole another beast. How’s Beth Paige set up for your game, for your for your eye? So, I think there’s a lot of that that might go into it. But here’s a guy that again, I don’t think you’re going to see as big of a controversy that we saw two years ago when Keegan was overstepped for Justin Thomas. I think whether it be uh McNeely, Harmon, or Novak, which we’re gonna talk about in a second, if any one of those guys does not make the team, I don’t think it’s a he was snubbed headline. I think it was just like any of those guys kind of know that they are they’re in the mix. They’re in the discussions, but they’re far from locked in. Yeah. No, no, I agree with that. I agree with that. And you know what’s so interesting? I think this whole time we’re talking about the USA team. I think a lot of the the emphasis on the pick can also be on what the European team is doing. And I’m looking at their roster right now and I don’t even think they have as many rookies. I mean, guys like Rory and I think Robbie McIntyre was on the team before unless I’m thinking of um Yeah, I think he was on the team. Fleetwood, Hatton, Shane Lowry, uh you know, Justin Rose, Aberg, Havlin, Matt Matt Wallace, Matt Fitzpatrick. Yeah. You know, here’s the question though. John Rom is 23rd. Is he on the team? Yeah. Does he get picked? That’s a whole another story. And and and you got a very strong team overall there. Um and you got a team that’s also, don’t forget, very similar lineup of names who won two years ago, right? They mesh well together. They play well together. And I do have some some of those that I want to run through too uh here in a second. Just running through that, I wanted to just make that point because maybe that kind of tilts the hand towards Harmon. Maybe maybe they go towards more experience or Keegan does. I don’t know. I think they’re fortunate in that with or without Harmon, they’ve still got the US team still has a lot of veterans and experience on the team. Even now, we’re thinking guys like Justin Thomas, Colin Morawa, um Scotty Sheffller, the these guys are are veterans now. They’ve now been around it long enough. They’re not I no longer consider these guys young guns who are going to need someone out there to hold their hand and show them how to navigate through their first RDER Cup. So, there’s plenty. I don’t think it’s where they need to like hunt out veterans to help get these guys through at this point. Okay. Um, rounding that out though, Andrew Novak, he’s just bel beyond that that cut line right now as he’s in the 13th spot. Um, one win, four top 10s. Again, early season recent form has been rough. Uh, I just don’t see this guy making the team. I don’t see him sticking out. No top 10 since April. Not a single top 10 since April. I think a Sam Burns has a better chance than Novak at this point. Sam Burns, if he win again, if he wins this week, I could see him making the team and he sits at 16th. I think a Novak uh kind of rekindle, he’s going to have to make some noise and win an event, maybe win both playoff events. Other than that, I can’t see him making and that’s the the again the pure nature of golf is that anything can happen at any time. If somebody could click the the flat stick gets crazy hot and all of a sudden they they win once or twice of these next, you know, two events. Who knows? But based on the information we have now, I just think that his form has gone the opposite direction. I don’t see that one. Similarly, as you brought up earlier, 14th spot, Patrick Kentlay just this is, you know, so not Kentlay. It’s better. I say he’s better than this. He’s Yeah, this was a bad year for him though. I think the perfect reference you made is like Justin Thomas the way we saw him turning around. I think that Canlay’s got a lot more, you know, lot lot more juice that he could squeeze out of it, you know, in future seasons. I think he’s got to find something. But for him to have just he used to, you know, Mr. Automatic only a couple seasons ago, just three top 10s this season, only one top 10 finish since May. So, he hasn’t even been really in the mix most of the summer. Uh, I I just don’t I don’t see it for curious if it had something to do. Can he didn’t he pick up Joe Lava like a year or so ago? And I just don’t know if they’ve clicked since. I don’t know. I I don’t know the exact stats on that, but maybe something changed. Right. All I know is that it was a couple years ago. Lava. That’s right. At the Ryder Cup and all. Yeah. His record and his form and Hatgate. Hatgate. Remember, his record and his form are just not enough right now to get him over that line to say the old argument that Zack Johnson made for Justin Thomas. How do you have a Ryder Cup without JT? You know what I mean? How do you have a Ryder Cup without Patrick Kentlay? I I think you can at this point right now. Without Speed, we are. You know what I mean? Like I always thought that years ago with Patrick without Patrick Reed, you know? Right. Right. Um and then that last one, let’s go to 15, and then I want to I want to talk about some wild cards, some longer shots, and if they even really have a shot or should be in the conversation. But Cameron Young, um, here’s a guy who, you know, you always notice like he’s got that potential to turn that corner and you you wonder, has this gotten the monkey off his back? He finally gets his his win. He gets his win at the Windom just, you know, this past weekend. Um, he’s a he’s a guy with a ton of power. He’s a guy who’s got five top 10s this season. Um he finished tied for fourth at the US Open in an incredibly difficult track. Um he’s got, you know, if you want to put it that way, like a little bit of of experience playing in these kind of team matchplay environments with, you know, playing uh now in the TGL. I don’t know if you can make that reference yet. We’ll see. But I may be stretching. But one thing that I think is going to be looked at is he is a local guy, right? He grew up playing the game here and he won the New York State Open at Beth Paige Black at age 17. Yeah. So, he’s got a win here. He’s he, you know, on this course. It’s a course that he knows well. I’m sure it’s a course that he could lend a lot of knowledge to for the rest of the team. Um, again, having the local crowds behind him, being a New York guy, uh, I just I I think that this is he, if he puts together one more strong performance in these next two, I think that he for me leapfrogs um, at least Harmon, Novak, Klay, and he popped up in that possible 12th spot. And going back to what I said earlier, if Keegan decides to take his name out of, you know, out of the ring, take, you know, withdraw his name for as a player, that to me kind of opens up, you know, an additional spot where now you could mix in, you know, Cameron Young and still keep uh, you know, right at the end like a Harmon or or flop flop in Well, again, Novak I don’t see happening, but you get what I mean. It does open up the additional spot. Exactly. I got you. It’s going to be interesting. But I’ll tell you what, I’ve never won a golf tournament in my life. Neither of you, right? Not that I know of, right? And I got to think that if you win on a golf course, the confidence is always going to be there. And I know Keegan knows that. And uh New York guys, father’s the head pro at Sleepy Hollow right here. Um New York crowd going to come out. His family support him. Energy. It’s going to be electric. I think Cam Young needs to be on this team. So I’m hoping he he continues to stay hot and he makes it. just it just has to back it up with a with a good performance this week and and show it’s not a one and done. That’s it. Uh let’s break down. Let’s do a quick word from our sponsors and I want to talk about some long shots and I want to flip-flop and talk a little bit about that European team. All right guys, you got to check out the Fjoy Premier golf shoes. They’re one of my favorite golf shoes on the market. And not only are they clean and classy, but they’re totally comfortable and they have the details of that iconic look that players are looking for, style and comfort. And they come with the Versat Plus outsole. It’s engineered with those traction elements to create an outsole that’s perfect for any type of, you know, oncourse performance. As you’re swinging through the golf ball, you want that traction. It’s so important. And the guys at Fjoy, they have nailed it. They also, they’ve nailed that comfort. They got the Ortholite Eco Plush Fit. I love saying that. Uh to ensure all day comfort. Uh and it’s key. You know, uh you guys are walking courses, you’re going on golf trips, you’re walking 36 in a day, you’re just out there on your feet, so you need comfort. And these are the shoes for you. So check out the entire lineup. say the entire line because there’s so many. The colorways, the patterns, the leathers, everything. Go check it out. Fjojoy.com. Pick yourself up a pair today. All right. One name that we’ve got to talk about here uh is Brooks Kepka. I think one thing that’s difficult is obviously the guys who are on live are, you know, they’re really their only chance to make any points right now as it currently stands is in majors. So, you know, here too, like these guys are going to be way down the list. Like for example, Kepka’s 76th. Um, you have to think like if a guy like Keepa was just playing regularly on the tour, he’d probably be somewhere in the 20s and be able to be a little bit more in the conversation without it seeming like such a long shot. Uh, and he’s another guy who is just like he’s always going to be mentioned right now because of how he’s a rise to the occasion type of guy. He’s a powerhouse when it comes to uh these types of like international types of events. You think about, you know, RDER Cups, you think about majors, but he’s just not himself this season. He just isn’t because for a guy who’s a major specialist, he missed the cut in three out of four majors this year. He’s got no wins on Liv this year event on live, dude. He’s got no top 10 on Liv this year. Struggling. Struggling. Struggling. This is not his year. Uh he’s not I don’t think he’s definitely not the same Brooks who won at uh PGA at Beth Page years ago. That’s not the game you’re going to see. I think Brooks is a total miss for this one. I think that’s a 0001% chance he makes, right? Because as much as Yeah, you can make that stretch and talk about the win and we you know, talk about like just like we said with with with Cam Young, we’re coupling the fact that he’s got that pedigree of winning at Beth Paige Black, but he also has the form. Kepka just does not. and you just you just can’t you just can’t make the case for it. But it it gets to that it gets to that same argument going back to like with um with Zack Johnson saying like how could you have a RDER Cup team without uh Justin Thomas. It’s like it seems kind of funny like having a Ryder Cup team, a US Ryder Cup at Beth Page without Brooks Kepka and without the next guy we’re gonna talk about which is Jordan Speed, right? 27th. Jordan is a guy who, you know, lots of experience, has has provided us with so many fireworks through the years, uh, at, you know, playing in these RDER Cups, um, would bring a ton of, you know, levelheadedness, would bring a ton of, uh, veteran experience to the team, but it’s just not there. He’s searching this year again. Four top 10s, just working, trying to find it. His last top 10 though was way back the first week in June at the memorial. Um he did make the cut at the last two majors, but again he made the cut out of three out of four majors, but it’s just not there. I would almost rather see a guy like and I know the reasons you wouldn’t take like a guy who could be in the conversation and make him a vice captain, you know, cuz you make those picks early. almost feels like you’re taking a guy out of the mix, out of the team too early where it’s like, hey, you got the whole season, you could win something, but here’s a guy who I think would make an incredible vice captain. I think so. I mean, I don’t imagine a world where you could kind of add them on late, but imagine having uh Kepka and Spe as vice captains and bringing them there for all of that that fire and knowledge and veteransship, but just not the current form to be out there actually swinging the sticks. Yeah. You know, I think even Jordan said it this week at the Windom, he had an interview and he said like next year he thinks is going to be his comeback year, you know, the way he’s feeling. So, I hope we see a healthy speed next year because he’s great to watch, you know, and uh yeah, he’d be awesome on the Ryder Cup. And by the way, some some local breaking news for us here as we’re talking live on this show. I just got in my inbox our 2025 RDER Cup media credentials. So, we will be there. Beautiful. Okay. We will be on site during Ryder Cup. Hopefully, grabbing a couple interviews. Maybe we’re going to see what we’re able to do to bring you guys. So stay tuned for that. So that’s exciting. That’s that’s cool. Um but I mean it’s in our backyard here. So we got to be there. We got to be there. Uh let’s flip the script real quick and I want to just talk about the European team. I think here you’re going to see less debate. I think here you’re going to see less movement. To me it really comes down to the guys that are currently 11, 12, 13. And which one of those guys I think is going to sit for John Rom because I think Rahm’s on the team now. Really? I definitely think Ron’s on this team. Let me put it this way. First and foremost, keep in mind that with the recent kind of rules changes and things lightening up. It was the the European was team was even more strict when it came to letting guys from Liv on in prior years. Remember on the American side, it’s the PGA, not the PGA Tour that is the ones who are basically putting that team forward. So a PGA Tour suspension due to being unlived does not necessarily leak into the Rider Cup, right? Other than the fact that qualifying points and stuff like that, the European team was a little bit stronger in their relationship with the DP World Tour. But now, as long as you maintain DP World Tour status and your fines are paid up, these guys are fine for when they’re not played, they’re eligible. I don’t see that being a problem whether whether Rahm pays the fines out of his own pocket or whether Liv fronts the money for him, right? The thing the thing that I’m looking at here and and just like the kind of the case to be made with John Rom is he first of all, he’s not the dominant dominant John Rom that we we’ve seen. We see we’ve seen frustration in him in the majors. He’s not the guy that we saw two years ago right before he went to live. No doubt about it. But he still made the cut in all four majors and he continues to perform week in and week out on Liv. He’s now made I mean he’s setting a record that’ll probably stand forever as this new league emerges. 21 consecutive top 10 finishes on Liv. Now, he’s got no wins in 2025, but he sits firmly in second place for the overall for individual right behind somebody that no one’s catching, which is Neman. So, right, he’s two he’s he’s your number two guy on Liv. He’s a guy who’s got the experience. And I’ll go back to it. Remember when I think a lot of the pressure where where things started to change and lighten up for Liv was when you had your kind of headline guy Rory Maroy saying he wanted Rahm on that team. He wanted him on that team and he pulled hard for him. I can’t imagine as I look towards the the bottom half of this which is the guys in the 11 and 12 spots are Matt Wallace and Matt Fitzpatrick. Number 13 is Thomas Dietri. I can’t imagine not one of those guys not sitting to slot in Rom. Mhm. I just don’t see it. Yeah. And I’m looking up just some reports. I mean, they’re they’re the the the six wild card spots for Luke Donald right now. The rumors are to be John Rom, Ludvig Aberg, Victor Havlin, Justin Rose, and get this potentially Sergio Garcia. Now, I know he’s like a Ryder Cup legacy. Yeah. Excellent record, but another guy I think would be better served as a uh a vice captain. Absolutely. You know, I think he’s not Yes. Correct. Correct. But look, I mean, here’s the thing. This is where I where I look at this team holistically. You got your six locks, right? Then you you know, I’m going even say seven is right on that. I feel like seven’s a lock spot. I think something would have to be very dramatic to to take the guy in seven when it’s on on the US team or the European team and skip over him where I start to see where guys start to get in the mix on the bubble. Justin Rose eight. This is his current standing. Ludberg Aber Aberg uh ninth, Victor Havlin 10th. I think those guys are all locks. I think the all all those guys are are rise to the occasion RDER Cup guys. Even Justin Rose at his age just brings the fire every single time in a Ryder Cup. I can’t imagine sitting those guys. Now you look at the, you know, 11 and 12. So here’s where I see the biggest hole. Matt Wallace. Um, he’s got a top three finish at the 3M Open, but otherwise not a whole lot of success lately. Yeah, he just again another guy, you know, similar to what we reviewed on the US team, more success early in the season, but whether it’s on the DP World Tour or whether it’s on the PGA Tour appearances, not a whole lot. A lot of his his uh points were earned early in the season. And I think that no one is going to debate you if you sit him in place of John Rom. I don’t see this being a Justin Thomas uh, you know, situation where it’s like, oh, you know, the headlines is that he got burned. I don’t see it. Number 12, Matt Fitzpatrick. Here’s a guy that I do see you putting on the team. 100%. Um, he’s got trending in the right direction. He’s got top 10s in each of his lo last four PGA Tour starts. So, he’s putting together the case of saying current form and uh having that experience like he’s a he’s a he’s a veteran to have on that team. I think he brings a lot of the type of knowledge and energy that team is going to want. So, I could see him being there. But then number 13, Thomas Dietri. He won the Waste Magic Phoenix Open. Again, early season performance, but really not in good form as of late. So, if you just took 11, 12, 13 for me, I just go and I let’s say I’ve only got like the the two spots, 11 and 12. I go Matt Fitzpatrick, John Rom. That’s it. Scary looking team. It’s a great looking team. I mean, but I don’t see and you guys wave in the comments. I don’t see a world where John Rom’s not on that team. Yeah, you’re making more of a case of it. I mean, at first I was like, no way. But, you know, when you put it together like that, um, especially talking about Matt Wallace and his recent, you know, form and play. Yeah. How can you not have a Rob? It’s true. You can’t you you again like you have to look to where he, you know, his performance where he’s playing, which is on live, and he’s top 10 every single week. He’s always in the mix. You know, you you could make an argument. It’s it’s kind of like uh the days of of Tiger and Phil. Like if if um if Neman didn’t have the season that he had, this this breakout five win live season, then I think that you see, you know, Rahm getting a win or two this season on Liv and again making the cut in all four majors. So I don’t see as much drama going on on the European side and I think they they’re happy for that. I don’t think they I think they want to lock their team in and gel and go out there and do what they did two years ago and just upset the US team and I think that they’ve got a very good chance of doing it. Right now I look at these two lineups and my money is 50/50 right now. It’s 50/50 and if I give any edge I think it’s to the US team on the home field advantage. The home field advantage I think is going to be important. It always proves to be important in these RDER cups. Yeah. So, there’s a lot left to be done here. A lot left that can happen, but we’ve only got two events left. So, if there are those bubble boys we were talking about, they better do something quick. Yeah, man. I’m I I’m telling you right now, I’m leaning I’m like 60 40 euro. If I was a betting man today, just guys like Hatton, when Justin Rose shows up to play, especially for Ryder Cups, can’t beat him. Rory Lowry. Yeah, it’s a great team. I mean, it’s a great team. Um, and yeah, it’s going to be really tough. I mean, Havlin could show up and just go off. It’s going to be hard, but but they got to get through Scotty Sheffller. They got to get through Bryson Dashambo. They got to get through Xander Schoffé Henley Henley’s one of the best players on the planet right now. if this could be, you know, especially at that venue at Beth Paige Black, one of the hardest courses in the world, this could be a great the RDER Cup that we talk about for years and years to come. So, if we missed any long shot names, just let us know in the comments of anybody you think that might make some real big waves. Uh, but they’ve got to bump some big names to get in there. Uh, lot to keep an eye on. We’ll keep watching this as it unfolds these next couple of weeks. Uh, really excited for this big RDER Cup. Guys, make sure that you subscribe wherever you get your podcast and we’ll see you in the next