Brooks Koepka’s (USA) victory at the PGA Championship has been hailed as a major victory for LIV Golf. This is because Koepka’s victory is likely to open a crack in the PGA Tour’s pressure campaign to shut down LIV Golf.
With Koepka’s victory, the hot topic is whether or not he will play in the Ryder Cup. For the U.S. team, Ryder Cup points are awarded based on major championships and PGA Tour money, and the top six players are selected by the captain regardless of points. The 2023 Ryder Cup will be held in September at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, Italy.
Koepka’s win at the PGA Championship moved him into second place in the Ryder Cup points standings for Team USA. If Koepka finishes in the top six for automatic entry by the cutoff, the PGA Tour will have to wait to see if he makes the cut. Koepka has a 1,537-point lead over Xander Schauffele, who is third in the Ryder Cup Order of Merit.
“I would be happy to play in the 2023 Ryder Cup for Team USA,” the three-time Ryder Cup player said ahead of the PGA Championship. But right now, my focus is on the PGA Championship.”
Founded in 1927, the Ryder Cup is a biennial intercontinental competition between the United States and Europe, co-organized by the PGA of America and the DP World Tour. With continental pride at stake, the Ryder Cup is a war that neither side can afford to back down from. Like a soccer match between Korea and Japan, there is a sense of urgency to field the best team and win.
The United States leads the all-time series with 27 wins, two draws, and 14 losses. However, their recent record against Europeans is a dismal 3-7. Given this situation, Koepka is a key resource for the Americans. For the PGA Tour, however, Koepka is a “hot potato,” as the organization has been forced to reject LIV Golf, which is backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
Shortly after Koepka’s victory, Ryder Cup U.S. team captain Zach Johnson spoke highly of Koepka, saying, “He’s a player who gets the best out of difficult and challenging situations,” but he was coy when it came to a Ryder Cup appearance, saying, “It’s too early to have that discussion”. Johnson, who has six picks, has said in the past that he would “never pick a LIVGolf player.”안전놀이터
After the PGA Championship, Scottie Schauffler, who currently leads Team USA’s Ryder Cup standings, said, “Whatever happens on the Tour, what I care about most is winning the Ryder Cup,” adding, “We have to beat the Europeans. We have to build a team that can bring the Ryder Cup back to the United States.” The U.S. team hasn’t won the Ryder Cup in Europe in 30 years.
There could be more LIV Golf players who earn automatic qualification for the Ryder Cup. Bryson DeChambeau tied for fourth at the PGA Championship to improve his Ryder Cup points ranking from 64th to 35th. Patrick Reed also tied for 18th, moving from 41st to 34th. There are still two more majors to go, the U.S. Open and The Open, so we don’t know what will happen. The PGA Tour’s woes are only deepening.