Ryder Cup skipper hails LIV Golf's Brooks Koepka amid Bubba's Talor Gooch plea
US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson has hailed the impressive form of LIV Golf's Brooks Koepka amid Bubba Watson's Talor Gooch plea.
U.S. Ryder Cup skipper Zach Johnson says it's 'extremely impressive' Brooks Koepka has an excellent chance of earning automatic qualification for his team this September as he addressed what his side could look like given the peace agreement between golf's leading organisations.
Zohnson, 47, is currently in Illinois for the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run.
It's a venue in which Johnson has an extremely impressive record of making 14 consecutive cuts.
He's clearly hoping to extend that but, as you would expect, his golf may not be the highest priority this year.
Johnson, undoubtedly, will have one of the strongest U.S. sides in recent memory when they touchdown in Rome and head to the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club and many believe they will become the first team to win on European soil since 1993.
The team at GolfMagic have already made their predictions for what the teams will look like.
Johnson told the media:
Another thing Johnson has to factor in is the climate of men's professional golf. The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have struck a peace agreement with LIV Golf's backers.
That came in early June and it brought an immediate end to the litigation as the parties agreed to workout a pathway forward to incorporate the breakaway tour into global golf.
Phil Mickelson has recently hailed what he believes is the 'full truth' about that.
While Lefty won't be involved in any capacity, Johnson told the media LIV players 'can still be a part of team USA'.
Johnson said:
More Ryder Cup articles from GolfMagic:
- Ryder Cup legend: I won't tell you what I tell my wife about 'PITA' Rory McIlroy
- LIV Golf's Bryson DeChambeau in post-US Open Ryder Cup plea
- Harrington says LIV Golf tension can help Europe: "For a week, get over it!"
- Jon Rahm FUMING Sergio Garcia is being FORCED OUT of the Ryder Cup
One player who could be involved is Talor Gooch. He's already won three times on the rival league in 2023.
Gooch believes he has already done enough to be part of the conversation but critics might point out that the conversion rate for winning on the PGA Tour after 54 holes is around 40 per cent.
That didn't appear to matter to Bubba Watson, who hailed Gooch and Rickie Fowler at LIV Golf London.
Watson said: "I don't know where Rickie Fowler is on the Ryder Cup standings, but he's got to be up there, too.
"But I would have to say those two have been the impressive ones the last few weeks, just their high finishes and how they've been playing pretty much all year.
"If they're not already -- if Rickie is not already in in points, he's definitely getting a pick, and Talor should definitely get a pick. He's playing that well, and he plays really good outside the U.S."
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