Ryder Cup Team U.S.A. Captain Keegan Bradley has confirmed that two-time major winner Bryson DeChambeau will receive an invite to play for the team this fall, regardless of where he finishes in rankings.
DeChambeau’s performances throughout the season have made him seemingly indispensable for an American squad that is heading to Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York, from September 26-28.
Bradley quickly confirmed after the Open Championship that DeChambeau will have a chance to play for Team U.S.A. at the Ryder Cup, regardless of whether that be as an automatic qualifier or as a captain’s selection.
“Bryson is going to be a very important piece to us winning the Ryder Cup,” wrote the team captain in a text message sent to Sports Illustrated.
“He brings so much. He brings energy, passion but most importantly, he’s one of the best players on the planet.”
As the captain for Team U.S.A., Bradley is granted a total of six personal selections to join the team alongside the six automatic qualifiers, who are granted spots based on the Ryder Cup rankings.
Currently, DeChambeau is sitting in fifth place in the Ryder Cup rankings with 10,774.98 points, though he could continue to slip in these rankings due to certain regulations.
DeChambeau is a member of the LIV Golf League, which only awards Ryder Cup points to PGA Tour tournaments and majors.
Unfortunately, these rules mean that DeChambeau will be unable to earn any more Ryder Cup points before the tournament takes place; however, it is not an issue, as he has already secured a spot on the team in some manner.
Dechambeau said during the Open Championship that he is hoping to “bring a lot of energy” to the tournament, noting that he will also attempt to bring a lot of eyes to the event.
“And a tsunami of a crowd that’s going to be rooting for Team USA,” he added, per Golf.com.
Bradley has also discussed whether he will choose to join the team as a playing captain, explaining that he is prepared to do whatever it takes to give Team U.S.A. a chance to secure a victory over Europe.
“It certainly won’t be easy. Nothing about picking whoever it is is going to be easy, but if I get to that position and I feel like I’m going to help the team, then I’ll consider playing,” he said, according to ESPN.
“I want to obviously wait until the time comes to pick the players and see how I’m doing, and if there’s somebody that is playing great that can take my spot, I’ll be thrilled for that. I just want to put the best team on the course at Bethpage.”
Currently, Scottie Scheffler is the only player to have qualified for an automatic bid; however, a group of golfers has seemingly separated themselves as the top players with the potential to make the list.
Notably, both Scheffler and DeChambeau have roots in Dallas.
Scheffler grew up playing in Dallas and attended Highland Park High School, later choosing to join the University of Texas at Austin golf team for his collegiate experience.
Meanwhile, DeChambeau grew up in California but attended SMU for college, becoming just the fifth player to win both the NCAA and U.S. Amateur titles in the same year in 2015.
The full Ryder Cup rankings can be seen here.