Way Too Early Ryder Cup Roster Predictions: Team U.S.A.
The 2025 Ryder Cup will have Team U.S.A. take on Team Europe at New York’s iconic Bethpage Black Golf Course. Keegan Bradley will be the captain on the U.S. side, while Luke Donald will look to win back-to-back Ryder Cups as he captains Team Europe after leading the team in 2023 in Rome. After losing the last Ryder Cup in upsetting fashion, Team U.S.A. will look to bounce back at Bethpage, but who will they roll out to do so, and how similar will it be to the 2024 President’s Cup team? This is a way too early list of what the 2025 U.S.A. Ryder Cup team will look like.
Automatic Qualifiers:
1. Scottie Scheffler
Scottie Scheffler will undoubtedly be on next year’s Ryder Cup team, barring anything crazy and/or surprising happening, mainly injury-related. He’s currently ranked as the number-one player in the world and continues to play like it. Sheffler was 0-2-2 for just one point in the 2023 Ryder Cup and 3-2-0 for three points in the 2024 President’s Cup. Not much more to say about the best golfer in the world right now. Scheffler should automatically qualify for the team.
2. Xander Schauffele
Xander Schauffele is currently the second-best ranked player in the world but is currently number one in Ryder Cup points for the U.S. team. He’s been the definition of consistency in recent years and is always in the hunt in big competitions, even winning two majors this year. Schauffele has been a staple on the U.S. team for the past few years as well. He went 1-3-0 for one point in the 2023 Ryder Cup and 4-1-0 for four points in the 2024 President’s Cup. Schauffele should automatically qualify for the team.
3. Collin Morikawa
Collin Morikawa is the fourth-ranked player in the official world golf ranking and finished second in the FedEx Cup in 2024. He is currently fourth in Ryder Cup points so far. Bethpage has been infamously known as a long golf course and while Morikawa doesn’t necessarily profile as a long hitter, he’s extremely accurate off the tee and with an iron or wedge in hand. He will definitely pair well with some of the longer hitters on the team who have tendencies to miss fairways and greens. He went 1-3-0 for one point in the 2023 Ryder Cup and 4-1-0 in the 2024 President’s Cup. Morikawa should automatically qualify for the team.
4. Bryson DeChambeau
Bryson DeChambeau is the 10th-ranked player in the official world golf rankings, but could probably be ranked higher if LIV tournaments were sanctioned events and awarded world ranking points. He performed well at the majors this year finishing sixth at the Masters, second at the PGA Championship, and winning the US Open, and is third on the Ryder Cup points list right now. Bethpage Black is likely going to fit well for long hitters, like DeChambeau. He was not on the 2023 Ryder Cup or 2024 President’s Cup teams. DeChambeau should automatically qualify, but if he doesn’t, he should be a Captain’s Pick, no question.
5. Patrick Cantlay
Patrick Cantlay is the ninth-ranked player in the official world golf rankings. He has been, undoubtedly, been a spark for team U.S.A. in the last couple of team events as well. In the 2023 Ryder Cup, he gave the U.S. some life and a rallying cry with “hatgate,” in his famous win against Rory McIlroy. In the 2024 President’s Cup, he shut the door on the Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim surge, late on Saturday. Despite his typical unphased demeanor week-to-week, these team events seem to wake Patty Ice up. He went 2-2-0 for two points in the 2023 Ryder Cup and 4-1-0 for four points in the 2024 President’s Cup. Cantlay can probably automatically qualify, but his team competition history alone should get him on the team, even if through Captain’s Pick.
6. Sahith Theegala
Sahith Theegala is currently ranked 12th in the official world golf rankings, but the seventh-ranked American and finished third in the FedEx Cup. Theegala can be viewed as the leader of the new school of golfers on the tour that the U.S. team should start implementing into the team moving forward. They need the young crop of players to start getting exposure to the team competition environments and atmosphere. Normal tour events have a different energy compared to team events, where fans can get loud and in your face, especially if you are the away team. Theegala getting his Ryder Cup feet wet on home soil could be very beneficial for the young American, who didn’t perform at his best in the 2024 President’s Cup. He did not play in the 2023 Ryder Cup and was 1-1-1 for just one point in the 2024 President’s Cup. Theegala could potentially automatically qualify but should be heavily considered for a Captain’s Pick, otherwise.
Captain’s Picks:
7. Max Homa
Max Homa is currently the 25th-ranked player in the official world golf rankings, 14th-ranked American player, and finished 46th in the FedEx Cup. Even though he had a less-than-ideal 2024 season on tour, Homa thrives in team competition. All his teammates continually rave about him and he’s an absolute fan favorite wherever he goes. Don’t let his subpar record at the 2024 President’s Cup fool you either. Homa played extremely well in the competition. He’s definitely a team guy and has probably taken over as Captain America for Team U.S.A. His iron play continues to be elite and there’s almost no one better in crunch time. He finished with the best record on Team U.S.A. in the 2023 Ryder Cup at 3-1-1 for 3.5 points and was 1-2-0 for one point in the 2024 President’s Cup. He’s currently 12th in Ryder Cup points, but even if Homa doesn’t automatically qualify on points he should be an automatic Captain’s Pick.
8. Russell Henley
Russell Henley is currently the 15th-ranked player in the official world golf rankings, the ninth-ranked American, and finished tied for fourth in the FedEx Cup. He showed out in his Team U.S.A. debut at the 2024 President’s Cup and paired extremely well with world number one Scottie Scheffler. His even-keel demeanor may be something the Americans can use in the raucous Ryder Cup environments and his putting could come up big. He was not on the 2023 Ryder Cup team and went 3-1-1 for three points in the 2024 President’s Cup. Henley is currently ninth in Ryder Cup points, but even if he doesn’t automatically qualify, he would be a great Captain’s Pick.
9. Sam Burns
Sam Burns is currently the 19th-ranked player in the official world golf rankings, the 11th American player, and finished tied for 12th in the FedEx Cup. He has been a steady player for Team U.S.A. in team competition and his putting alone makes him a great asset in most formats. He paired very well with Collin Morikawa in the 2024 President’s Cup and expect more of the same from him at Bethpage. He’s also extremely close with Scottie Scheffler so he could bring a great dynamic to the team room as well. He was 1-2-0 for one point in the 2023 Ryder Cup and 3-0-1 for 3.5 points in the 2024 President’s Cup. He may not automatically qualify but expect Captain Keegan Bradley to look his way for a Captain’s Pick.
10. Billy Horschel
Billy Horschel is currently the 17th-ranked player in the official world golf rankings, the 10th American player, and finished tied for 23rd in the FedEx Cup. He had a rough start to the 2024 season, but found his form later on in the year, finishing tied for second at The Open Championship and winning at the BMW PGA Championship on the DP World Tour. His fiery demeanor could bring excitement and a spark that these events need sometimes to hype up the crowd and the team. Horschel is an absolute team guy and would no doubt do anything for the benefit of the team. He was not on the 2023 Ryder Cup or 2024 President’s Cup teams. Horschel may not automatically qualify, but Captain Bradley should look his way for a Captain’s Pick.
11. Justin Thomas
Justin Thomas is the 30th-ranked player in the official world golf rankings, the 15th-ranked American, and finished tied for 14th in the FedEx Cup. He’s currently 20th in Ryder Cup points. Thomas was a controversial pick for the 2023 Ryder Cup team after having a rough season that year and being picked over some higher-ranking players, like Captain Bradley. 2024 looked a lot more like vintage Thomas though and he looked better and better as the season went on. Max Homa may have taken up the Captain America title from JT in the last few team events, but make no mistake, JT still thrives in this environment. If his form continues to get better in 2025, expect him to make a strong case for himself to be on this team. He went 1-2-1 for 1.5 points in the 2023 Ryder Cup but was not in the 2024 President’s Cup. If JT can rattle off a couple of wins and top-five finishes he can automatically qualify, but, if not, Captain Bradley should consider having the leadership of Thomas via Captain’s Pick.
12. Wyndham Clark
Wyndham Clark is currently ranked sixth in the official world golf rankings, the fourth-ranked American, and finished eighth in the FedEx Cup. Clark started off the 2024 season great, but kind of petered out in the middle of the seas. He did, however, finish the season off strong and was an automatic qualifier for the 2024 President’s Cup. He may not be the most accurate off the tee, but he’s easily one of the longer hitters on tour and Bethpage should fit his game extremely well. He can be paired with some of the shorter, more accurate hitters like Collin Morikawa or Russell Henley. Clark is currently seventh in Ryder Cup points. He went 1-1-1 for 1.5 points in the 2023 Ryder Cup and 1-2-1 for 1.5 points in the 2024 President’s Cup. Given his current ranking, he has a real shot to automatically qualify, but, with his game, he’d have a strong case to be a Captain’s Pick.
