The British Open tees off on Thursday with not simply the glory of lifting the Claret Jug on supply for the sector at Royal Portrush however locations within the Ryder Cup up for grabs for US and European gamers.
Europe will defend the trophy at Bethpage, New York, from September 26-28 as they search a primary victory on US soil since 2012.
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How does qualifying work?
Every staff is made up of 12 gamers, six who will qualify by means of their performances over the previous two years, and 6 who might be captain’s picks.
The lower off for incomes factors for US gamers comes after the BMW Championship on August 17.
European gamers can earn factors till the conclusion of the British Masters on August 24.
Gamers who defected to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf don’t earn factors for his or her outcomes on the breakaway tour however are nonetheless eligible to play, both by means of incomes factors within the majors or by way of a captain’s choice.
Who has already certified?
Solely two gamers have already assured choice, the 2 finest on the planet every with a serious to their title this season.
World primary Scottie Scheffler cruised to the PGA Championship in Might and might be eager to make amends after a uncommon emotional outburst when he broke into tears after a file 9&7 defeat alongside Brooks Koepka to European pair Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg in Rome two years in the past.
Rory McIlroy is a Ryder Cup veteran, who usually saves his finest for the occasion. The Northern Irishman will face the People for an eighth time after profitable the Masters in April and might be trying so as to add to his 18 Ryder Cup factors, the eighth highest in European historical past.
Rory assured forward of Royal Portrush | 00:53
Who’s in pole place?
The core of the European staff that romped to a 16.5-11.5 victory two years in the past in Italy are in line to affix McIlroy.
Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka presently sit within the prime six of qualifying.
For the People, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau and J.J. Spaun’s main victories over the previous two years has put them in pole place, alongside Russell Henley and a resurgent Justin Thomas.
Different contenders
American captain Keegan Bradley faces an interesting dilemma over whether or not to turn out to be the primary taking part in skipper on the Ryder Cup since Arnold Palmer in 1963.
Bradley sits ninth within the qualifying standings and seventh on the planet after profitable the Vacationers Championship final month.
The 39-year-old stated that victory “adjustments the story slightly bit” after initially ruling out the thought of choosing himself ought to he fail to qualify routinely.
A raft of different huge US names might do with a giant week in Portrush to additional their probabilities together with the out-of-sorts Koepka, former British Open champion Collin Morikawa and Patrick Cantlay, who has precipitated a furore by not sporting a cap in Rome as a protest over not being paid to play within the occasion.
On the again of Cantlay’s stand, for the primary time in Ryder Cup historical past American gamers might be paid US$500,000, $300,000 of which should be donated to a charity or charities of their alternative.
On the European facet, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg and Justin Rose might be assured they are going to be picked by captain Luke Donald.
Regardless of his defection to the LIV Tour, Sergio Garcia has talked up his possibilities of taking part in in a record-equalling eleventh Ryder Cup for a European participant and including to his already file 28.5 factors.
Matt Fitzpatrick and Nicolai Hojgaard are the 2 most in danger from the 2023 European staff of lacking out, whereas the latter’s brother Rasmus sits seventh in automated qualifying.