Ryder Cup: Fred Couples confirms inclusion of Jordan Spieth, Max Homa and Cameron Young
- Planet Sport writer
- 28 July 2023
Despite not being in the automatic qualifying places, Jordan Spieth, Max Homa and Cameron Young will all be on the US Ryder Cup team.
Their inclusion was United States Ryder Cup vice-captain Fred Couples this week.
Six players will make the team by right courtesy of their on-course performances and those currently are world number one Scottie Scheffler, the latest two major winners Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman, plus Brooks Koepka, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
The remaining six will be selected by captain Zach Johnson and while it is no real surprise to see the names of the experienced Spieth (currently ninth on the list), the exciting Homa (seventh) and consistent Young (eighth) in the hunt it is rare for their places to be publicly confirmed so early.
"I'm like one of the 19 assistants, I'll say Max Homa's gonna be in Italy," Couples said on the 'The Fred Couples Show' on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio.
"I'll say Max Homa's gonna be in Italy, without getting anyone in trouble. Cam Young will be in Italy."
Asked about Spieth, Couples replied: "Will be in Italy."
Players have until the BMW Championship, the second event of the FedEx Cup play-offs, in three weeks' time to book their automatic places so there is still time for some of the lower-placed players to be overtaken.
But Johnson is unlikely to jettison anyone who is currently in the top six should they drop out, which means there are only three places up for grabs.
The players contesting those will be Keegan Bradley, who has played in two Ryder Cups, Rickie Fowler (who has played in four), Justin Thomas and Tony Finau (both two), Collin Morikawa (one) and Sam Burns, who has yet to feature for the US team.
Johnson will name his six additional captain's picks to go to the Marco Simone Golf Club in September after the season-ending Tour Championship, which finishes on August 27.