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Ryder Cup: Team USA and Team Europe, player by player

All 24 players with a key stat and a line from each of them about this week’s clash at Whistling Straits on Lake Michigan.

The long-winded chatter about qualification and wildcard picks is long since done and dusted.
The preamble blather is almost over.
The opening ceremony is not far away.
But those all-important first morning bashes from the first tee are what we're really looking forward to.
Who will thrive? Who will tumble?
Let's take a look at all 24 players ready to engage in this year's Ryder Cup battle at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

TEAM USA

Xander Schauffele

Lost both his fourballs with Patrick Cantlay in the 2019 Presidents Cup (otherwise 100%).
On Whistling Straits: "It kind of has a Kiawah-ish feel off the tee. A lot of blind spots where you're kind of aiming at a gorse bush or aiming kind of left centre of a bunker."

Justin Thomas

Unbeaten in six fourball matches at three Presidents and Ryder Cups.
On the Cup: "I've watched many Ryder Cups on TV, and it's who makes the putts, who flips those matches, who grinds out the halves, who gets it done. I'd go to war with these 11 other guys and our captains."

Dustin Johnson

Excellent on his own (3-1-0) but very dodgy on the first two days (4-8-0) through his first four match starts.
On why Europe keeps winning: "They just play better. It's really simple. Whoever plays better is going to win. It's not rocket science."

Brooks Koepka

Given what he says below, it's maybe no surprise that in three US appearances he has started only three alternate shot matches - and won just one.

On the Cup dynamic: "There are times when I'm like, 'I won my match. I did my job, what do you want from me?' I know how to take responsibility for the shots I hit every week. Now, somebody else hit a bad shot and left me in a bad spot, and I know this hole is a loss. That's new, and you have to change the way you think about things."

Bryson DeChambeau

His debut three years ago was poor when partnered. Very poor: two defeats, both 5&4.
On his game: "I could comfortably say that I have no issue playing either format. I think best ball has its benefits to my style of play, and alternate-shot with the right person can be pretty deadly."

Jordan Spieth

Through six US team starts he is superb on the first two days (15-4-3) but dire in the singles (0-6-0).
On the course: "I love the setup. It's beautiful. You've got to hit different shots off tees, and then if you position the ball well, you have these green complexes that subtle so you can actually feed the ball into hole locations. Should be a really exciting match play course because you can get into trouble but you can also birdie just about every single hole with the right shot."

Tony Finau

Played five fourballs and foursomes for his nation - and won just the one.
On defeat in Paris: "It was a kind of salty feeling watching them celebrate right there on the green right there in front of us, but we have an opportunity to return the favor this year."

Collin Morikawa

Landed one half from his WGC Match Play debut, in a group against Billy Horschel, JT Poston and Max Homa.
On his recent form and fitness issues: "It was just bad timing. The biggest thing I have learned is to never played injured. Now it feels good. I was talking with Xander yesterday, and he looked at me, and he's like, You're back, and I was like, Yeah, I'm back."

Daniel Berger

Won two points from three in his only previous Team USA start at the 2017 Presidents Cup.
On captain Stricker: "He's a great leader from the experience that I had at the Presidents Cup at Liberty National. He makes it about the players."

Scottie Scheffler

Runner-up in the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play in March and not finished outside the top 20 in Majors and the WGC since the return from lockdown.
On the first tee: "It's going to be loud. Zach Johnson says there's a weird adjustment. He's like, it's just really weird how quiet it gets, because it's so loud and then all of a sudden it's dead silent."

Patrick Cantlay

Won three points from five in the 2019 Presidents Cup, winning both foursomes with Schauffele.
Dropping a big hint about reviving a partnership: "Foursomes is a lot more emotional and the fact that Xander and I are really good friends, so I know he's trying as hard as he possibly can, if he hits a bad shot, it's just golf. So it really helps to gel with your partner."

Harris English

Two-time winner on the PGA Tour in 2021, but, barring a stunning start on Friday, seems unlikely to play more than three matches tops.
On his debut: "I've been around this game a lot and dealt with some adversity. I think that's big for match play."

TEAM EUROPE

Jon Rahm

Lost his first two matches in Paris, before beating Tiger Woods in the singles. Will it free him up for a big effort? If he loses on Friday morning that pairs record might start to weigh a little heavy.
On Ryder Cup pressure, both home and away: "I've asked many people about it and everybody gives me the same answer: You can't get ready for it."

Tommy Fleetwood

Tied second and T12th in his last two starts a real boost after a summer of struggles. 4-for-4 ahead of the singles in 2018.
On distance mattering at Whistling Straits: "When I was playing it yesterday I didn't think it made that much difference. There were a few holes where it actually probably didn't feel like it was that much of an advantage."

Tyrrell Hatton

Scored one point from three matches on debut in 2018 and hasn't landed a top 10 since June.
On Paris: "When I was sat watching this on sofa as a kid, I didn't think that one day Sergio would kiss me."

Bernd Wiesberger

The raw facts are tough: one top 10 in 51 starts in America and no Major top 10 in 28 appearances.
On his debut: "At the last Ryder Cup I was part of German speaking TV … that kind of fuelled me, it was massive motivation, once my injury was healed, to be part of one of these teams."

Rory McIlroy

Likes the course (he was third there in 2010), has never been sat out of a Cup session, and has always contributed three points in matches away from home.
On his form: "I feel good. Played well the last few weeks. Led the season in birdie percentage, that usually works out pretty well in match play. Yeah, I'm feeling good."

Viktor Hovland

If it blows, a wind specialist: based in Oklahoma and was won twice in blustery conditions.
On his team-mates: "A couple of weeks ago I sat and watched highlights of Poults and Sergio and Westy on YouTube in the Ryder Cup. So cool to see all the clutch moments, how they go about their business and handle all that."

Paul Casey

The best course record of the Europeans, bar McIlroy with T12th 2010 and T30th five years later 2015. Has won more points that he's lost, but rarely been asked to play a substantial role in previous Cup appearances.

On sitting out matches: "Can't stand watching. It's the worst thing in the world. I mean, I love all my teammates and I just want them to make birdies and win their matches, and not being able to do anything about it is tough."

Matt Fitzpatrick

Made an awkward debut five years ago, losing two matches and never making the 17th tee and also has a poor record in the Majors (one top 10 in 26 starts).
On heckling at Hazeltine: "I got 'Did your mum cut your hair?' and 'Does your mum cut the crust off your sandwiches?'"

Lee Westwood

Strong in foursomes (9-5-4), solid in fourballs (8-6-2), oddly awful in singles (3-7-0).
On being heckled: "I got called a turd at Hazeltine in 2016, the first time I've been called a turd since I was about 12 years of age in a playground, I think. Made me and Billy chuckle, that one."

Sergio Garcia

A dream partner: 10-4-3 in foursomes, 8-4-3 in fourballs. Made three trips to the course, never made the top 50, and described it as "the toughest I have played."
On finding form: "I've had Ryder Cups where I've come into them playing really well and I've done well, and then there's Ryder Cups where I've come maybe not feeling quite as well and I seem to hit a switch when I get here."

Shane Lowry

As European rookies go, he's probably one of the best with a Major and a WGC title in his locker. Poor course record, carding a 78 and a 79 on his way to missing two cuts.
On his debut: "I do believe I'll have a big part to play in this team this week."

Ian Poulter

Played the course three times and never finished better than T37th. Superb in foursomes (5-2-0) and sensational in singles (5-0-1).
On his love of the format: "I hate losing. When you play match play, you can control a match, dictate a match. You can play certain shots to try and put your opponent under pressure. You can't do that in stroke play. You're under pressure right from the get-go."

READ MORE: Ryder Cup: Can Bryson DeChambeau be a team player at Whistling Straits?

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