Is Brooks Koepka Playing in the Ryder Cup? Who Will Replace Him if He’s Injured?

Team U.S. skipper Steve Stricker recently announced a 12 member squad for the upcoming Ryder Cup. But we have to wait and see whether all these 12 players will play at Whistling Straits. Stricker made his six captain’s picks for the team a couple of days after Tour Championship. Meanwhile, Collin Morikawa, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Bryson DeChambeau, and Patrick Cantlay had made it to the team through automatic qualification. 

Moreover, the six captain’s picks were Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele, Tony Finau, Harris English, Daniel Berger, and Scottie Scheffler. However, it looks like the American skipper might have to pick another golfer, as there is still uncertainty over Brooks Koepka. So let us see who can be a perfect replacement for one of the automatic qualifiers. 

Who can replace Brooks Koepka in the upcoming Ryder Cup

Brooks Koepka had made it to the team through automatic qualification. However, during round three of the Tour Championship, Koepka appeared to hurt his left wrist. He had a strong impact with a root during his swing, and he withdrew from the event. Meanwhile, there haven’t been any updates about his recovery or participation in the upcoming Ryder Cup. 

Hence, if Koepka misses out on the Ryder Cup, then Billy Horschel could be a great replacement option for Steve Stricker to consider. Horschel is currently looking in great form with his recent win at the 2021 BMW PGA Championship. He has a solid wedge game and is decent off the tee as well. Moreover, he has even won the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play this season. 

However, Stricker didn’t say anything about who that 13th pick would be, but he did admit he lost his sleep, leaving Patrick Reed off the team. But the problem with selecting Reed would be that he has just recovered from a deadly disease and hasn’t been in total control of his game. 

Meanwhile, Billy Horschel has been playing some great golf recently. Furthermore, he could even come in handy to shift the momentum when the team is under pressure. Moreover, Horschel has an impressive record in the match play and can fit around any player. So if Koepka fails to recover in time for the Ryder Cup, which will begin on September 24, then Billy Horschel could be a good replacement option. 

Read More – 2021 Ryder Cup – Team US vs Team Europe Official World Golf Ranking Comparison