It was a surprise to absolutely no one when Scottie Scheffler became the first player to automatically qualify for the US Ryder Cup team ahead of Bethpage Black.
It does feel as if the US side’s hopes of regaining the Ryder Cup will largely depend on how Scottie Scheffler performs in New York.
The two teams look incredibly evenly matched. So much may come down to how the star players get on, with the world number one clearly the talisman for Keegan Bradley‘s side.
Scheffler has won in five of his last 10 starts. That run includes two more major titles. Meanwhile, Scheffler became the first player since 1973 to register 13 top eight finishes in a row on the PGA Tour at the BMW Championship last week.
What Keegan Bradley has said about Scottie Scheffler after a US Team dinner before the Ryder Cup
Bradley knows the six players who have automatically qualified for his team, while he will make his captain’s picks next week. And with that, he has hosted a dinner for his ranks this week ahead of the Tour Championship.
And speaking on Golf Channel, Todd Lewis explained how impressed the skipper was by Scheffler’s attitude among the ranks.
“I had a chance to talk to the captain Keegan Bradley about that dinner last night and Scottie Scheffler’s role on the team,” he said.
“He said that Scottie Scheffler is by far the biggest star on the team, he is automatically qualified, but by far he is making sure he is not a star on that team and he is just one of the guys, and the other teammates really do love that aspect in regards to Scottie Scheffler. That is his DNA and the way he is wired.”
The big decision Keegan Bradley has to make with Scottie Scheffler ahead of the Ryder Cup
Scheffler will probably not admit it, but he has a point to prove at the Ryder Cup. Rome proved to be a pretty difficult week for him, with the lowest point coming when Scheffler and Brooks Koepka were beaten 9&7 on Saturday morning.
The key decision Bradley faces is who he pairs Scheffler with. Ultimately, it may not matter a great deal if the 29-year-old produces his best form in New York.
However, it will be a huge shot in the arm for the Europeans if they are able to get the better of Scheffler.
The two partnerships which have worked well for Scheffler in these events have been with Bryson DeChambeau and Russell Henley.
Scheffler lauded DeChambeau after they went unbeaten in their two matches in 2021. Meanwhile, Henley looked to be the ideal player to complement Scheffler at last year’s Presidents Cup.
If Scheffler plays all five matches, perhaps it would not be a surprise to see him alongside Henley in the foursomes, before Bradley unleashes the marquee pairing with DeChambeau for the fourballs.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
