2021 Ryder Cup Preview: What to Expect from Scottie Scheffler

The Ryder Cup competition between Europe and the United States begins this week at Whistling Straits Golf Course in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The top 12 players from each side will meet with the winner taking home one of the most coveted trophies in golf.

As the teams prepare for competition, we will be doing the same by previewing the players in this year’s event. Today, we look at Team USA’s Scottie Scheffler.

More from Pro Golf Now

Ryder Cup experience – This will be Scheffler’s first appearance in the Ryder Cup. He did play in the 2012 Junior Ryder Cup, the 2013 Spirit International, the 2016 Eisenhower Trophy and the 2017 Walker Cup.

Worldwide experience – Scheffler was the 2019-20 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. He has not yet won on the PGA Tour but did have a pair of Korn Ferry Tour wins in 2019.

What to expect – With only one position realistically available, U.S. captain Steve Stricker picked Scheffler over more experienced players like Kevin Na, Patrick Reed and Webb Simpson.

The pick was met with a mixed reaction. Stricker seemed to be taking a young gun who is playing well over more experienced players, which was not the direction in which some would have gone. But Stricker is the captain and he did what he thought was right.

What he did was pick a guy who had an outstanding season, especially in big events. How good? Scheffler was T18 at the Masters, T8 at the PGA Championship, T7 at the U.S. Open and T8 at the Open Championship. That’s Top 20 finishes in all four majors and Top 10 in three of them.

Next. Ryder Cup: Padraig Harrington Wise to Choose Ian Poulter. dark

Scheffler also finished runner-up in the WGC-Match Play and fifth in the WGC-Workday. He was 14th in the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, showing again that he can play with anyone in the world.

Stricker will use Scheffler selectively but has full confidence in him. He can play a role in a U.S. victory but what that is remains to be seen.

Home/Ryder Cup