With the major championship season now at its midpoint, the 2025 Ryder Cup is just four months away. Neither the United States nor European teams have finalized their rosters yet, as captains Keegan Bradley and Luke Donald continue to assess player performance before making their selections.
While Bradley is playing well and moving up the U.S. rankings himself, Donald, after making the cut at the PGA Championship, visited Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York, on Monday. This course is set to host the Ryder Cup from September 26-28.
“I`m going to have a quick look,” Donald stated regarding his visit.
The top six golfers from each team`s points standings will automatically secure a spot. Both Bradley and Donald will then each choose six additional players as captain`s picks.
Here is the current situation for each team:
U.S. Team
Locks to make the team
Scottie Scheffler
The world`s top-ranked golfer recently won his third major championship at the PGA Championship, returning to his dominant form. Scheffler will be seeking redemption after his 0-2-2 performance in the U.S. team`s 16 ½-11 ½ defeat at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome in 2023. Scheffler and Brooks Koepka suffered a record 9 & 7 loss to Ludvig Åberg and Viktor Hovland in an 18-hole match, leaving Scheffler visibly emotional. His driving length and accuracy, combined with his excellent iron play, should be assets at Bethpage Black. As a rookie in 2021 at Whistling Straits, another long course, he went 2-0-1 in the U.S. team`s 19-9 victory.
Xander Schauffele
Schauffele won two majors last year and is playing well again after recovering from a rib injury earlier this season. His two previous Ryder Cup outings were contrasting: a strong 3-1-0 showing at Whistling Straits followed by a 1-3 record in Rome two years later. Nevertheless, he remains one of the world`s elite players.
Bryson DeChambeau
Few players in professional golf drive the ball further than DeChambeau. He has been a contender on the weekend in five of the last six majors, including winning his second U.S. Open title at Pinehurst No. 2 last year and playing in the final group at the Masters in April. His putting is also significantly underrated. After a tough 0-3 debut in Paris in 2018, DeChambeau bounced back with a 2-0-1 record at Whistling Straits. His omission from the 2023 team was likely a mistake. He is expected to be a crowd favorite at Bethpage Black and will bring considerable energy to the team.
Justin Thomas
Thomas struggled with his game for two years but showed recovery by winning the RBC Heritage in April. Despite surprising missed cuts at the Masters and PGA Championship, he is expected to make the team if his form remains stable. Thomas is one of the U.S. team`s most effective players in team formats, holding a 7-4-2 record in three appearances. His selection for Rome was debated, and he finished 1-2-1 there, though few U.S. players performed significantly better that weekend.
Collin Morikawa
Morikawa`s Ryder Cup history mirrors Schauffele`s, with a 3-0-1 record at Whistling Straits and 1-3 at Marco Simone. The two-time major champion hasn`t won since October 2023 but is currently playing well enough to potentially win before the Ryder Cup. He has returned to hitting the ball exceptionally well, ranking high in strokes gained: tee to green and approach. Morikawa`s game is versatile and complements many potential partners on the roster.
Should be on the team
Patrick Cantlay
Cantlay`s last tour win was in August 2022. In 2024, he finished in the top 25 in three of the four majors but missed the cut at the Masters and PGA Championship. Cantlay is an experienced Ryder Cup player and performed well in the last two events, going 3-0-1 at Whistling Straits and 2-2 in Rome. In Rome, he faced criticism from European fans regarding the `hatgate` issue concerning player compensation but remained unfazed. With a 5-2-1 Ryder Cup record and 10-4 Presidents Cup record, his experience and success make him a likely pick for Captain Bradley.
Russell Henley
Henley is renowned for his excellent iron play and strong putting. Although not a long hitter, his precision is a valuable asset. He secured his fifth PGA Tour victory in March but missed the cut at the subsequent Masters and PGA Championship. Henley went 3-1 at the Presidents Cup last year, pairing effectively with Scheffler to win two matches. This pairing could be successful again at Bethpage Black.
In contention
Brooks Koepka
The five-time major champion has not performed well outside the LIV Golf League in majors over the past two seasons, missing the top 25 in his last seven appearances. However, he is one of the most experienced American Ryder Cup players with a 7-6-2 record and previously won the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black Course.
Harris English
English won his fifth PGA Tour title in January and played strongly in the last two majors, tying for 12th at the Masters and finishing second at the PGA Championship. At 35, he hits the ball far enough and is an excellent putter. He had a 1-2-0 record as a rookie at the 2021 Ryder Cup.
Jordan Spieth
Spieth`s recent performance has been affected by a wrist injury that required surgery last August. There have been signs of recovery, including tying for fourth at the WM Phoenix Open and 14th at the Masters. He missed the cut at Quail Hollow while attempting to complete the career Grand Slam. Despite a less-than-stellar performance in Rome, his career Ryder Cup record is 8-9-5. It`s hard to see Captain Bradley leaving such an experienced player off the team.
Brian Harman
Harman recently won his fourth tour title in April. While some might argue Bethpage Black is too long for him, he is one of the tour`s best putters and has a strong history as a match-play amateur specialist. The Homa/Harman pairing was a positive point for the Americans in Rome.
Maverick McNealy
The former Stanford standout earned his first PGA Tour win in November. He also had a runner-up finish at the Genesis Invitational and tied for third at the Valero Texas Open and RBC Heritage this season. The 29-year-old would be a Ryder Cup rookie but has prior experience on the Arnold Palmer Cup and Walker Cup teams.
Keegan Bradley
Bradley has stated he would need to be among the top six automatic qualifiers to serve as a playing captain. If other American players don`t improve their standings, he might feel compelled to use a captain`s pick on himself. The 38-year-old had six top-25 finishes in his first 11 starts and tied for 8th at the PGA Championship. This situation is somewhat ironic given he was a controversial snub by Captain Zach Johnson in 2023.
Daniel Berger
Berger hasn`t won in over four years due to a severe back injury that sidelined him for nearly two seasons. He has been a prominent name on leaderboards again this year and was part of the winning 2021 Ryder Cup team.
Max Homa
Homa has faced challenges with his game over the past year but seems to be improving. He tied for 12th at the Masters and his play at the PGA Championship was better than his tie for 60th suggests. He was the top performer for the U.S. team in Rome, earning 3 ½ points with a 3-1-1 record. He also holds a 5-2 record in two Presidents Cups.
Other names to keep an eye on
- Andrew Novak
- Sam Burns
- J.J. Spaun
- Wyndham Clark
- Michael Kim
- Tony Finau
- Lucas Glover
- Denny McCarthy
- Ben Griffin
- J.T. Poston
- Davis Riley
European Team
Locks to make the team
Rory McIlroy
Although the Masters champion did not follow up his Grand Slam victory at Augusta with another strong major performance this past week, finishing tied for 47th (3-over), he has already had an exceptional season. Wins at Pebble Beach, the Players Championship, and the Masters place him significantly ahead as the top player on Europe`s Ryder Cup standings. Beyond these victories, McIlroy is undoubtedly the leader and key player for the European team. With a Ryder Cup record of 16-13-4, he has expressed a career goal of winning an away Ryder Cup, a chance he will get in New York this September.
Jon Rahm
The PGA Championship was notable for Rahm. Despite a difficult finish, he was in contention and held a share of the lead on the back nine of a major for the first time since his 2023 Masters win. The result, though disappointing, re-energized Rahm, who commented on how much fun he had being back in the mix. Rahm directed questions about his Ryder Cup selection to Captain Luke Donald (he is currently 24th on the European standings), but there is little doubt that Donald will include the three-time participant on his team through a captain`s pick.
Should be on team
Ludvig Åberg
Åberg`s selection for the European team in Rome was surprising only because he was a 23-year-old rookie. In retrospect, Donald`s choice proved insightful and a preview of his potential. Åberg is now one of the world`s top players. Despite a challenging week recently and a tough stretch of results, there is little concern about Åberg, who has already won this year.
Sepp Straka
A surprising outcome of the week was Straka, who had just won his second PGA Tour event of the year (Truist championship), missing the cut at the PGA Championship. Fatigue may have contributed to his performance, having played 15 events already this season. Although he has missed cuts in both majors this season, Straka is almost guaranteed a spot given his high position on the standings (5th) and his experience from the previous team.
Shane Lowry
Ranked among the top 15 in the OWGR, Lowry is not a definite lock in May only because Rahm and McIlroy are in their own tier. The Irishman competed at the Masters before a disappointing final round and missed the cut at this year`s PGA Championship. However, Lowry`s overall game remains solid, with four top-10 finishes this season and a second-place finish behind McIlroy at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Their success as a team at the Zurich Classic suggests they are likely to be paired together at Bethpage.
Tyrrell Hatton
Hatton has moved to LIV Golf, but his performance has remained consistent, placing him fourth on the European Cup standings. At Marco Simone, Hatton was a strong performer, going 3-0-1 in his matches and winning his Sunday singles match. It would take a significant downturn in form for him not to be on this team.
Viktor Hovland
Hovland`s journey over the past year has been fascinating, marked by ongoing work on his swing despite nearly winning last year`s PGA Championship and adding a PGA Tour win (Valspar Championship) this season, notably after three consecutive missed cuts. Hovland`s inconsistency places him 12th in the current standings, but like Åberg, his presence in blue and gold come September is almost certain.
Tommy Fleetwood
Fleetwood might be considered the most consistent player without a major championship. He has not missed a cut all season and has three top-10 finishes while still seeking his first PGA Tour victory. He is a top-15 player in the OWGR and ranked 7th on the Ryder Cup standings. It would require a lot to prevent him from being on this team.
In contention
Justin Rose
Many believed Marco Simone might be Rose`s final Ryder Cup appearance. However, he has proven them wrong. Not only did he come close to winning the Masters, but he also has three top-10 finishes this season and is still playing remarkably well. He should not be counted out.
Rasmus Højgaard
The 24-year-old Højgaard benefits from having been on the team last time at a young age, similar to Åberg. However, he only has one top-10 finish this season, which came at the Zurich Classic alongside his brother Nicolai. The potential for him to continue developing his career at the Ryder Cup versus selecting an older, more experienced player is a factor.
Robert MacIntyre
MacIntyre, who also debuted at the last Ryder Cup, has a similar story. Although initially considered a potential weak link for Europe in Rome, he performed very well, going 2-0-1 in his matches. He is currently 15th in the standings.
Thomas Detry
After winning the WM Phoenix Open this year, Detry entered the Ryder Cup conversation and has climbed to 9th place on the European team standings. However, his performance in the majors (two missed cuts) has not been ideal, and he will likely need to improve his play over the coming months to earn a captain`s pick from Donald.
Other names to keep an eye on
- Aaron Rai
- Stephan Jaeger
- Nicolai Højgaard
- Alex Noren
Jasper Hawthorne