https://arab.news/9cs9z
- 4th Ryder Cup for Koepka who holds 6-5-1 overall record in 3 competitions including 2 victories for Team USA
- Historic season for Smash GC captain, highlighted by 3rd PGA Championship title in May
LONDON, FLORIDA: After cementing his legacy as one of the most dominant players of his generation with a fifth major championship win at this year’s PGA Championship and a runner-up finish at the 2023 Masters, Brooks Koepka was on Tuesday named as one of six players selected for the 2023 US Ryder Cup team by captain Zach Johnson.
This will be the fourth Ryder Cup appearance for Koepka, who holds a 6-5-1 overall record in three Ryder Cup competitions (2016, 2018, and 2021), including two victories for Team USA.
The 33-year-old player said: “I’m honored to represent my country again as a part of this year’s Ryder Cup team, and excited to defend the cup with my teammates in Rome. Let’s go, USA.”
Greg Norman, LIV Golf CEO and commissioner, said: “Congratulations to Brooks Koepka on a well-deserved honor representing Team USA. His resume speaks for itself, and his status among the sport’s fiercest competitors is unquestioned.
“Brooks’ will to win shines brightest on golf’s biggest stages and it will be exciting to watch him compete in Rome.”
It has been a historic season for the Smash GC captain, highlighted by his third PGA Championship title in May.
Koepka became the seventh male golfer since 1950 to win five majors before the age of 34. The previous six are in the World Golf Hall of Fame — Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Tom Watson, Seve Ballesteros, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods.
He is also the first player born after 1975 to win five majors and the third player to win three or more PGA Championships in the stroke play era.
This year, Koepka also became the first two-time individual champion with LIV Golf, where he currently sits tied for fourth place in the individual standings.
The US Team captain’s selections announced on Tuesday also included Sam Burns, Rickie Fowler, Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth, and Justin Thomas.
The six players will join the previously announced qualifiers Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay, Brian Harman, Max Homa, and Xander Schauffele at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1. It will be the first time the biennial team competition between the US and Europe has been hosted in Italy.
The European Team’s six automatic qualifiers will be finalized on Sept. 3, with European Team captain, Luke Donald, to make six picks shortly thereafter.
Out of the 48 players who started the season on LIV Golf League rosters, nearly one-third (15) have competed in a Ryder Cup.
Koepka is one of six Americans, including Phil Mickelson (12), Dustin Johnson (five), Bubba Watson (four), Patrick Reed (three), and Bryson DeChambeau (two).
On the European side, nine players have participated in at least one staging of the event: Lee Westwood (11), Sergio Garcia (10), Ian Poulter (seven), Henrik Stenson (five), Paul Casey (five), Martin Kaymer (four), Graeme McDowell (four), Thomas Pieters (one), and Bernd Wiesberger (one).
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