2021 Ryder Cup: Power ranking the top 10 players at Whistling Straits

Jordan Spieth needed a captain’s pick to make the American squad, but there was never any doubt in the weeks leading in that he’d have a spot.

He earned the right to be one of the 12 on the team both with his Ryder Cup experience and high-level consistency throughout 2021.

This is the Texan’s fourth Ryder Cup appearance by the age of 28. Spieth boasts a 7-5-2 record with the glaring hole in his resume being an 0-3-0 mark in singles.

Fortunately, he’s a menace in foursomes (5-1-0) and more than passable in fourballs (2-1-2). He’s a good pair with almost anyone on the team and has the creativity and skill to bail out teammates when left in a tough position.

Spieth’s struggles from 2018-2020 have been well documented. They make his rise from the ashes this year all the more impressive.

It’s hard to believe Spieth’s won only once at the Valero Texas Open the way he’s been omnipresent. He finished top-30 at all four majors, including T-3rd at the Masters and T-2nd at The Open. He’s missed just one cut all year with five top-threes and four more top-10s.

Spieth cooled off a bit in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, but I think a couple weeks to unwind from the Tour Championship will do him plenty of good.

He has had success at Whistling Straits. Spieth lost a duel to Jason Day at the 2015 PGA Championship when both were at the peak of their powers.

Day won by three, but Spieth’s scores of 71-67-65-68 separated him by two shots over third place, three over fourth and four over fifth.

Spieth isn’t a big hitter and can’t afford the foul balls with the driver. Other than that, his iron play, short game and putting will all be huge positives for a team that is big on power but perhaps shorter on short game wizards that the Europeans possess.