The PGA Tour player who was backed to earn 2021 Ryder Cup spot ahead of Scottie Scheffler before injury forced him to withdraw from The Open

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There are plenty of events to pick from when it comes to the moment where it became clear that there was something different about Scottie Scheffler.

Scottie Scheffler‘s rise has been meteoric, with the 28-year-old only earning his PGA Tour card in 2020. His first win on the tour meanwhile, came in 2022. Yet, less than two years later, there are signs that Scheffler could be golf’s best player since Tiger Woods. He won nine times worldwide in 2024.

But perhaps the turning point came at the 2021 Ryder Cup. Scheffler was the last man in, with Steve Stricker handing him a captain’s pick for Whistling Straits. The Texan was the lowest-ranked player in the qualification standings, while he had not won on the PGA Tour at that stage.

But Scheffler proved a real point as USA secured a record win. He won two of his three matches, going unbeaten throughout the week. And, after impressing alongside Bryson DeChambeau over the first two days, he made a real statement when he beat Jon Rahm in the Sunday singles.

It was no surprise that Scheffler’s first win was just a few months away. But had history played out differently, perhaps Scheffler would have had to wait until 2023 for his Ryder Cup debut.

The PGA Tour player who could have taken Scottie Scheffler’s spot at the 2021 Ryder Cup

Stricker was fortunate to have so many names to pick from to complete his team for Wisconsin. Patrick Reed was 11th in the qualification standings, while Webb Simpson, Kevin Kisner and Billy Horschel were amongst those to also miss out.

He also did not pick the player who finished second at the Masters that same year. Will Zalatoris is one of the most intriguing players on the PGA Tour, with the 28-year-old finishing in the top 10 in seven of his 14 major appearances. However, he has just one win on tour at this stage.

Injury has unfortunately blighted the early stages of his career. And speaking on the Golf Channel Podcast in 2021, Ryan Lavner suggested that Zalatoris probably would have been picked ahead of Scheffler for Whistling Straits had he not withdrawn from the final major of the year.

“Best newcomer for me is Will Zalatoris. He kind of burst on the scene in 2020, played really well on the Korn Ferry Tour, we saw him pop up at the US Open, finished inside the top six there. He kind of got a special temporary membership on the PGA Tour which allowed him to receive a limited number of sponsor exemptions. Continued to play well in the early portion of 2021, and he popped up and was runner-up at the Masters, one shot behind Hideki Matsuyama in what was his first Masters appearance if you’re talking about rookies,” he said.

“I know he tailed off a little bit, was dealing with a back issue from what popped up when he hit it out of very long rough at The Open Championship. But to me, Will Zalatoris now inside the top 35 in the world ranking as 2021 comes to a close. One of the best ball-strikers already on the PGA Tour. He’s going to continue to get better, I would expect him to finally get that first PGA Tour win. I would expect him to challenge for one of those spots on the US Presidents Cup team. Will Zalatoris, for me, is the best newcomer in 2021.

“If he didn’t get hurt at The Open Championship, I think he probably would have been on that Ryder Cup team instead of Scottie Scheffler. The way that he played at the Masters, the PGA Championship, in some of those other summer tournaments, he was actually playing pretty well.”

The perplexing early career of Will Zalatoris

Zalatoris has almost become something of a forgotten man in this golden generation of American players. Despite his injuries, it almost seems remarkable that he has not represented his country in either the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup yet.

He missed the majority of the 2023 season after undergoing surgery on his back. But he did manage to register eight top 10s in 25 starts this past year.

It is remarkable that he has managed to finish second in three majors now. Clearly, there is an unbelievable talent in there and if he can enjoy some luck with injury, then the USA Ryder Cup team could finally have another phenomenal player in their ranks.