“It would be kind of tough not to pick, right?”: Brooks Koepka on getting picked in Team USA for Ryder Cup
Brooks Koepka has a clear priority for the next four days: the PGA Championship. However, it is impossible not to look to the future.
With the Ryder Cup in September, he has already said that he would love to represent the United States in that event. Brooks Koepka went further and assured that it would be hard "not to pick".
Brooks Koepka answered questions from the press on Wednesday from Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York, home of the 2023 PGA Championship. Due to participating in the championship, Koepka is not currently focused on whether or not he will be named to the team captained by Zach Johnson. However, he hopes that his performance this season will speak for him:
Yes or no, will Brooks be on Team USA in September? 👍👎 https://t.co/0hJH7uPUcN
These were Brookes Koepka's words:
"It would be awsone to represent the United States, and anytime we do it it´s allways fun, but I´m not focused on it. It´s not like my first thought when I go play well this week. If I handle my business out here, everything will take care of itself."
"I mean, if you win, go second, first, first, first, it would be kind of tough not to pick, right? I´ll just play my best and see what happend."
Earlier, Zach Johnson had been interviewed and asked about the same topic. It is clear from his answers that, at least for the time being, he has not decided how he will define the quotas he still has available in the team:
“I know that there's been some that have done some math," said Johnson. "But it's difficult to fit in the top 6, regardless where you are. And when it comes to those elements, they're all important.
Johnson continued:
“I want camaraderie and chemistry in the team room. I want ownership by the team. I think it probably holds more true over there than over here. I want horses for courses. I want guys that can navigate Marco Simone in September, and caddies because it's a hilly gem.”
In other words, nothing is clear yet.
Nevertheless, Brooks Koepka insisted that he would like to be considered, when the time comes:
"It´s tough to be in Zachs mind, or where he´s at, but´I´d love to meke it hard on them (the other candidates). But, like I said, the only thing I can do is go play good and everithing will take care it self."
Brooks Koepka's Ryder Cup Options
After finishing T2 at The Masters of Augusta this season, Brooks Koepka was ranked 22nd on the list of U.S. players for the Ryder Cup. He was the highest ranked of all players on the LIV Golf Tour.
The list is based on the classification parameters made public by the captain, Zach Johnson, during the year 2022:
- 1 point per $1,000 earned at regular PGA Tour events beginning January 1, including the Zurich Classic and WGC events, through the BMW Championship (August 20)
- 2 points per $1,000 earned for winner of the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open
- 1.5 points per $1,000 earned for all others that make the cut at the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open
Points qualification will conclude immediately after the second FedEx Cup Play-Off event (BMW Championship) on August 20th, 2023, with the top-six eligible players on the points list securing spots on the U.S. Team.
A crucial detail is that no points will be given for performances at PGA Tour opposite-field events (meaning: LIV Golf Tour). So, players interested in make it to the Ryder Cup have to play, and have good results, at PGA Tour events. Brooks Koepka did that at Augusta, and is expected to do it again in Rochester.
The Top-Six in the list, to date are the following golfers:
- Scottie Scheffler
- Max Homa
- Xander Schauffele
- Cameron Young
- Jordan Spieth
- Patrick Cantlay