Inside Team USA Ryder Cup roster: Captain's picks, auto bids, more about Americans at Bethpage Black

Daniel Chavkin

Inside Team USA Ryder Cup roster: Captain's picks, auto bids, more about Americans at Bethpage Black  image

The Ryder Cup is quickly approaching which means it's time to decide who will be representing Team USA at Bethpage Black.

The Ryder Cup standings locked after the BMW Championship, but players had one more opportunity to prove themselves at the TOUR Championship. Now that the PGA Tour season is over, everyone can now look forward to the Ryder Cup itself.

After suffering a loss in the 2023 Ryder Cup, Team USA is hoping to win back the Ryder Cup as the home team. However, the squad is also hoping to create some momentum for a potential road Ryder Cup win in 2027, something that the Americans haven't done since 1993.

Here's a look at which golfers will make up Team USA this year.

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Inside Team USA Ryder Cup roster

PlayerQualificationRyder Cup standing
Scottie SchefflerAutomatic1
J.J. SpaunAutomatic2
Xander SchauffeleAutomatic3
Russell HenleyAutomatic4
Harris EnglishAutomatic5
Bryson DeChambeauAutomatic6
Justin ThomasCaptain's pick7
Collin MorikawaCaptain's pick8
Ben GriffinCaptain's pick9
Cameron YoungCaptain's pick14
Patrick CantlayCaptain's pick15
Sam BurnsCaptain's pick16

Team USA Ryder Cup automatic picks

Six players automatically qualify for the Ryder Cup, and six players will be selected as captain's picks. With the conclusion of the BMW Championship, six players will have punched their ticket on Team USA.

Scottie Scheffler clinched his spot a while ago, as the 2025 PGA Championship winner and Open Championship winner has been the best player in golf this year. This will be his third Ryder Cup, and in an event with the sport's best players, Scheffler will be the best in the field.

J.J. Spaun has been this year's biggest surprise, winning the U.S. Open and finishing as the runner-up in the Players. He has kept his success through the summer and will be participating in his first Ryder Cup this year.

A two-time major champion in 2024, Xander Schauffele got off to a slow start this year with a rib injury and has not been the same player as he was last season. Schauffele will also be participating in his third Ryder Cup this year, and at his best, he is a significant difference-maker for Team USA.

Russell Henley's consistent season means he will make his first Ryder Cup. Henley had one win this year at the Arnold Palmer Invitational along with nine top-10 finishes and 10 finishes in the top 25. Additionally, he has only missed two cuts all season. 

After missing the 2023 Ryder Cup, Harris English is back on the team for a second time. The 36-year-old was a member of the 2021 winning team for Team USA, and English's strong season makes him a quality participant. In 2025, English won the Farmers Insurance Open and finished second to Scottie Scheffler at both the PGA Championship and The Open Championship.

The final automatic qualifier is Bryson DeChambeau, who's strong major performances are enough to secure a top-six spot. The 2024 U.S. Open victor finished in the Top 10 in three of the four majors this year, and his style of play and personality will be a huge asset for Team USA at home this year.

Team USA Ryder Cup captain's picks

Keegan Bradley's first captain's pick is Justin Thomas, who is will be playing in his fourth Ryder Cup. That makes him the most-experienced member of the team and represents the heart of Team USA, as Thomas always brings the competitiveness and energy.

Collin Morikawa and Patrick Cantlay also join the team as experienced selections, making their third Ryder Cup appearances despite inconsistent play this year. Morikawa endured the worst major season of his PGA Tour career, but both bring valuable experience, with Cantlay in particular owning a strong Ryder Cup track record.

Another veteran addition is Sam Burns, the lowest-ranked player on the team in the Ryder Cup standings. Burns has two Presidents Cup appearances and one Ryder Cup, as part of the 2023 losing squad. His putting and chemistry with teammates, however, are expected to be key assets.

Perhaps the biggest riser among the captain’s picks is Ben Griffin, a Ryder Cup rookie coming off his best PGA Tour season. A two-time winner in 2025, Griffin has emerged as one of the top American players this year.

The third and final rookie on the team is Cameron Young, who is also the only New Yorker on Team USA as the Ryder Cup heads to Bethpage Black. Young won his first PGA Tour tournament in August and once won the New York State Open in 2017 at Bethpage Black as an amateur.

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Team USA captains

RoleName
CaptainKeegan Bradley
Vice CaptainJim Furyk
Vice CaptainBrandt Snedeker
Vice CaptainKevin Kisner
Vice CaptainGary Woodland
Vice CaptainWebb Simpson

The PGA of America made a surprising decision when it named Keegan Bradley captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup. Bradley, who played in the 2012 and 2014 Ryder Cups, barely missed out on the 2023 tournament and was still playing at a high-enough level when he was chosen as captain.

The possibility of Bradley being a playing captain has persisted, as he's played well in 2025, including a win at The Traveler's Championship.

Bradley will be joined by five vice captains, but only Jim Furyk has experience in that role. The 2018 Ryder Cup captain was also a vice captain in 2016, 2021, and 2023, while also serving as the President's Cup captain in 2024.

The other vice captains are Brandt Snedeker, Kevin Kisner, Gary Woodland, and Webb Simpson, who will all be serving as Ryder Cup vice captains for the first time.

MORE: Complete timeline of majors won by Scottie Scheffler

Team USA history in Ryder Cup

YearResultLocation
2023LossItaly
2021WinWisconsin
2018LossFrance
2016WinMinnesota
2014LossScotland
2012LossIllinois
2010LossWales
2008WinKentucky
2006LossIreland
2004LossMichigan
2002LossEngland
1999WinMassachusetts
1997LossSpain
1995LossNew York
1993WinEngland
1991WinSouth Carolina
1989Tie (Europe retains)England
1987LossOhio
1985LossEngland
1983WinFlorida
1981WinEngland
1979WinWest Virginia
1977WinEngland
1975WinPennsylvania
1973WinScotland
1971WinMissouri
1969Tie (USA retains)England
1967WinTexas
1965WinEngland
1963WinGeorgia
1961WinEngland
1959WinCalifornia
1957LossEngland
1955WinCalifornia
1953WinEngland
1951WinNorth Carolina
1949WinEngland
1947WinOregon
1937WinEngland
1935WinNew Jersey
1933LossEngland
1931WinOhio
1929LossEngland
1927WinMassachusetts

Team USA has won the majority of Ryder Cups, as the group is 27-15 in 44 tournaments. However, since Team Great Britain expanded to Team Europe in 1979, Team USA is just 9-12-1 during the Ryder Cup.

The European team has won two of the last five Ryder Cups on American soil, while Team USA hasn't won a Ryder Cup in Europe sine 1993.

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Daniel Chavkin

Daniel Chavkin is a Digital Content Producer for The Sporting News. A 2018 graduate from the University of Maryland, he has previously written for Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports and NFLTradeRumors.com.