We’re sneaking up on the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage. A little over two months from now, the U.S. will look to defend home turf against the Europeans.
This week, we are taking a look at which players could make each team. It’s still an open competition for the last few spots on each side as we get deeper into the summer.
Let’s start with the Americans. Here is how the team looked two years ago when they lost in Rome.
Scottie Scheffler (0-2-2) Wyndham Clark (1-1-1) Brian Harman (2-2-0) Patrick Cantlay (2-2-0) Max Homa (3-1-1) Xander Schauffele (1-3-0) Sam Burns (1-2-0) Rickie Fowler (0-2-0) Brooks Koepka (1-1-1) Collin Morikawa (1-3-0) Jordan Spieth (0-2-2) Justin Thomas (1-2-1)Needless to say, things didn’t go well for the U.S. side. They were ambushed in the first session, losing 4-0, and never recovered from that deficit.
In terms’ of captain’s picks, Cameron Young (No. 9) and Keegan Bradley (No. 11) were not selected despite being in the top 12 of the official Ryder Cup standings. None of the captain’s picks had a good showing but neither did Scheffler or Schauffele.
Now the stage returns to American soil where the U.S. has won three of their last four home Ryder Cups—the only blemish is the Miracle at Medinah in 2012.
Winning at home might be tougher task than usual, however. The Americans could have significant turnover in the lineup, and it’s likely that at least three of the new faces will be Ryder Cup rookies.
Bethpage is a big ballpark. If history is any indication, the U.S. will mow the rough down and try to create as much of a birdie-fest as one can get at a place like Bethpage.
With that in mind, captain Keegan Bradley will be looking at great ball strikers, long hitters and top major championship performers.
This is how I see the tiers right now for the American side.
Absolute locks
These are the guys who, barring injury, will be on the team no matter what happens in the next two months.
Scottie Scheffler
The most obvious pick possible, Scheffler has already added a second major title and two other PGA Tour victories this season. He is easily the top player in the world by an embarrassing (for everyone chasing him) margin. And you can stop calling him boring.
Bryson DeChambeau
The No. 3 player in Data Golf—and somehow still No. 15 in the Official World Golf Ranking despite LIV not receiving any OWGR points—DeChambeau is a must-have inclusion. He missed the cut at the U.S. Open but started the major season with top-five finishes at the Masters and PGA Championship. For what it’s worth, he has also been playing well on LIV.
Justin Thomas
Given JT’s outstanding Ryder Cup (and Presidents Cup) record, coupled with his tremendous form in 2025, it’s a no-brainer that he is on the team. Thomas has been inconsistent at times this year—especially in majors, which have been a disappointment—but he boasts a victory and six other top-10 finishes.
Highly probable
These are the players who will very likely be on the team but wouldn’t want to go on a cold streak leading up to the event.
Collin Morikawa
Despite his apparent lack of media training (maybe he’s getting advice from Rory’s PR team?), Morikawa is a top-10 player in the world and a formidable piece of the American core. He’s been very good (but not yet great) in 2025 with nine top-25 finishes.
Patrick Cantlay
Despite all the hullabaloo about Cantlay not wearing a hat in Rome, he did show considerable fight compared to some of his listless teammates. Similar to Morikawa, Cantlay also has nine top-25 finishes and would be a key piece to the Americans winning. He was T3 in the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage.
Xander Schauffele
Schauffele has been recovering from a rib injury throughout 2025 and hasn’t quite been himself. Even with that said, he is playing some solid golf, even if it’s not up to his standards. Given his track record in these events—and his likelihood to feel healthier a couple of months from now—it is fairly certain he should make this team.
J.J. Spaun
The U.S. Open champion sits comfortably in one of the top six automatic qualifier positions at the moment. Another high finish and he would be on the team, no problem. He should almost definitely make the team regardless. Outside of the big win, he has a couple runners-up and holds strong at No. 17 in Data Golf.
Russell Henley
Quietly a top-10 golfer in the world according to Data Golf, Henley won the Arnold Palmer Invitational this year and is incredibly consistent. He is in line for an automatic selection but fully deserves a captain’s pick even if he doesn’t finish in the top six of the standings. The only issue is Henley is well below Tour average in driving distance. He can overcome that on narrower, shorter courses but would be up against it on the brutally long and difficult Bethpage.
Leaning towards yes
These are the remaining players who have a better than 50 percent chance of making the team but need to continue playing well.
Keegan Bradley
Wait a second? Yep, the captain himself is trending to make this team with room to spare. The only issue is that being a playing captain is a little unorthodox. So what? Bradley just won the Travelers Championship and has built a strong resume in 2025. He’s a borderline top-10 player in the world at the moment and a great course fit for Bethpage, a layout where he spent countless hours working on his game during his college years at St. John’s University.
Ben Griffin
The 29-year-old Griffin has been all over leaderboards the past couple of months, including a win at Colonial. He’s well inside the top 12 of the Ryder Cup standings and is knocking on the door of being top 10 in the world. If he continues playing like this, there won’t even be a debate.
In the mix
These are guys who have a definite shot of making the team but it’s far from certain. If all 10 of the players listed above were to make the squad, only two from this category would get the call.
Sam Burns
Burns has been really good since the Masters, climbing to No. 12 overall in Data Golf. He’s above average in driving distance and one of the best putters on Tour which tends to be a defining characteristic in Ryder Cup matches.
Jordan Spieth
Spieth has been good but not great in 2025, climbing more than 100 spots in Data Golf after cratering in 2024. He had a top-five finish when the PGA Championship visited Bethpage back in 2019. Spieth has a solid Ryder Cup record and would bring experience which this team could use with the newcomers in the mix.
Harris English
It’s been a strange journey for English. He made the Ryder Cup team in 2021 at Whistling Straits, only to struggle with injury over much of the past four years. However, he won at Torrey Pines in January and has been a steady performer throughout 2025 including a runner-up at the PGA Championship. He’s squarely on the bubble and can play his way in with a few good finishes down the stretch.
Maverick McNealy
A bit of a wildcard, McNealy is a feast-or-famine type of player who racks up top finishes but tends to fall way out of contention if things go poorly. The American team only needs him to be hot for a few days so let’s see if he can catch fire late in the season to secure a spot.
Denny McCarthy
A solid player and one of the best putters on Tour, McCarthy will have to burst open the door to make the team. He is a short hitter who struggles in majors which isn’t the recipe the U.S. is looking for.
Daniel Berger
Berger was trending wonderfully for the first three months of 2025—then he hit a wall. There is still time to recover and his swagger could be used on this squad. He was on the 2021 dream team that demolished the Europeans at Whistling Straits.
Patrick Reed
This is bordering on science fiction but I think it’s at least worth the conversation. Reed is playing well this year and is the ultimate match-play antagonist. In the end, I think the Americans will avoid Reed like the plague unless he forces their hand by winning the Open Championship.
Projected roster
Here is the team I think the Americans should bring to Bethpage as of today.
Scottie Scheffler Bryson DeChambeau Xander Schauffele Justin Thomas Collin Morikawa Patrick Cantlay J.J. Spaun Russell Henley Keegan Bradley Ben Griffin Sam Burns Jordan SpiethFortunately, there is still a lot of golf left to play that will solve some of these tough decisions.
Who do you want on the American team? Let me know below in the comments.
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