Ryder Cup: The biggest snubs from the U.S. and European rosters
As the Ryder Cup teams prepare to meet in Paris this week, team chemistry is of the utmost importance. However, the 12-player limit inevitably leaves some worthy players on the outside looking in.
The Ryder Cup never fails to bring the drama, and this time around, it’s at full bore well before the players even tee it up for the first time at Le Golf National.
When the European roster was finalized, and team captain Thomas Bjorn had to make some difficult and controversial decisions to fill out the roster. Jim Furyk announced Tony Finau as the last American pick earlier last week and it was by far his hardest pick out of all the roster spots.
The final rosters are Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth, Webb Simpson, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Bryson DeChambeau, and Tony Finau for the American team.
The European side includes Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy, Francesco Molinari, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrell Hatton, Alex Noren, Thorbjorn Olesen, Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, and Paul Casey.
Most of golf’s elite are included on one of the two sides competing, but there were some notable names that were left off of both sides. With only 12 spots available on either rosters, there are bound to be at least a couple of legitimate snubs with so many talented players on tour coming from both regions of the world.
The European captain picks were definitely more controversial and even caused somewhat of an uproar on social media. In a surprise move, Bjorn chose some players strictly based on their career legacy rather than their performance on tour this season, particularly with the choice of Sergio Garcia. Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods were two similar picks on the American side of things, but both of them have had far better seasons than the dreadful one Garcia put forth this year.
The two most notable players that ended up being left off of both rosters were younger up and coming players and their inexperience in Ryder Cup competition made them riskier selections. It makes sense to have the players that will not crumble on the big stage, but both captains might regret leaving off players whose games are better shape at the moment and will certainly be Ryder Cup participants in the future.
These guys did enough this season to earn a Ryder Cup call, but they will have to cheer their countrymen on as spectators when the two teams square off against each other in Paris at Le Golf National.