Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson on Brooks Koepka's strong Masters: 'It's one week'

PITTSFORD, N.Y. — While the DP World Tour has taken the decision out of captain Luke Donald's hands when it comes to LIV golfers playing for the European Ryder Cup team, his U.S. counterpart, Zach Johnson, is in a much more difficult spot.

Although LIV golfers have been suspended by the PGA Tour, they remain members of PGA of America, which makes them eligible for September's Ryder Cup outside of Rome.

That means all the attention will be on Johnson's decision on two golfers in particular, Jupiter residents Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson. And although Zach Johnson said they are still at the "start line" when it comes to his roster, his comments on both golfers Wednesday were measured.

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On Koepka finishing tied for second at the Masters after leading for most of the tournament: "He played really good that one week. But it's one week."

On whether Dustin Johnson is one of the 12 best Americans: "Really difficult for me to judge that. Again, I don't know the golf courses they're playing (on LIV). Never seen them. I'm not there on foot in person."

Not a strong endorsement for the LIV outliers.

Zach Johnson eventually softened the blows. That came when he added Koepka "played great" at Augusta. And DJ is "an individual whose resume is extremely deep and wide. He's certainly in my generation one of the best players I've ever competed against."

Zach Johnson will wait and see on his captain's picks

Still, Zach Johnson does not sound like a captain eager to add Koepka and/or DJ to his team. That does not mean either will be in Italy in September, but it appears both will require extraordinary moments in the few chances they get (three remaining majors) against elite fields.

Because winning 54-hole LIV events against 48-man fields that even their LIV teammate, Cameron Smith, says is not the quality of the PGA Tour fields is not going to impress the U.S. captain.

The U.S. team will consist of the top six in the Ryder Cup rankings that currently look like this: Scottie Scheffler, Max Homa, Xander Schauffele, Jupiter's Cameron Young, Jordan Spieth and Jupiter's Patrick Cantlay. Six captain's picks will complete the team.

Many of those are likely to come from the next six in the rankings: Sam Burns, Tequesta's Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark and Kurt Kitayama. Will Zalatoris is No. 10 but he's out for the year after having back surgery. But others, such as Tony Finau, Keegan Bradley and Rickie Fowler, certainly will be under consideration.

Koepka, though, was clear about his feelings about playing in his fourth Ryder Cup.

"It would be awesome to represent the United States," he said Wednesday. "Anytime we do it, it's always fun. But I'm not focused on it. It's not, like, my first thought when I go play well this week. If I handle my business out here, everything will take care of itself."

So what would it take to pressure Zach Johnson to add a LIV golfer to his team?

"Go second, first, first, first," he said about the majors. "It would be kind of tough not to pick, right?"

Johnson, who along with Donald is playing in this week's PGA Championship, was asked what he's looking for in his team.

"I want camaraderie and chemistry in the team room," he said. "I want ownership by the team. I think it probably holds more true over there than over here. I want horses for courses. I want guys that can navigate Marco Simone in September, and caddies because it's a hilly gem. There's numerous factors."

And he probably envies Donald's position, which is not having to think about the consequences of adding an LIV golfer to the team.

Luke Donald had decision made for him

Donald, who lives in Jupiter, has moved on since closure came last month when Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter resigned from the DP World Tour, making them ineligible for the 2023 Ryder Cup. They were sanctioned by the DP World Tour for "serious breaches" of conflicting tournament regulation," the result of leaving for LIV Golf.

"It's a shame that there were some resignations," Donald said Tuesday. "A lot of these guys have built their legacy around DP World Tour and their participation and everything with the Ryder Cup. But ultimately that was their decision, and unfortunately, they're off the table now for selection purposes for myself."

The decision to suspend and fine the players was upheld after a long legal battle.

Garcia, Westwood and Poulter have played in a combined 28 Ryder Cups. Garcia is Europe’s all-time leader with 28.5 points and has a 25-13-7 record. Westwood holds the record for most matches played with 11. Poulter is 6-0-1 in singles matches.

All three would have been a lock to one day lead the European team.

"I think we all knew when LIV came about, and it was approached to a lot of us, that if you did that there were these chances that stuff like this could happen, and you could put your potential future in jeopardy," Donald said. "I think everyone knew that.

"I've got to take what I have in front of me and kind of go forward."

For Zach Johnson, that is a decision he will have to make.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: LIV's Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson may not be considered for Ryder Cup