If there have been consistent themes in the first two majors of this golfing season, it’s the proliferation of rebel LIVs on the Sunday leaderboards and a recurring question that is likely to exist closely.
What exactly is US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson going to do with them? It’s an American dilemma and one that causes him great awkwardness.
Based on the conversations some of us had with Johnson after his final round at the US PGA Championship on Sunday, this may be a topic he doesn’t know how best to address publicly or an issue he wants to ignore entirely.
Unfortunately, the form of Brooks Koepka in particular makes it difficult. At press time, it was unknown if the four-time major winner had converted the 54-hole lead into a victory at Oak Hill.
But the fact that he entered the final round here in the same position as he held in his last loop at the Masters would indicate two things: that he is once again a force of nature on the biggest stages and one of the 12 best players from the United States .
If there’s been one constant theme through the first two majors of this golfing season it’s the proliferation of LIV rebels like Brooks Koepka (pictured) on the Sunday leaderboards.
The four-time major winner hopes to convert a 54-hole lead into a victory at Oak Hill
But young Norwegian Viktor Hovland (pictured) is hot on his tail at the US PGA Championship
Johnson’s European counterpart Luke Donald has enjoyed more clarity on his side of the ocean — the rebel defectors have virtually resigned their DP World Tour memberships and are thus unavailable for selection.
Johnson doesn’t have that simple in his scenario, as the American defectors remain eligible if they earn enough ranking points before October’s match in Italy to finish in the top-six in the US Cup standings, or if they will make a case with their performances for one. of the six chosen by Johnson. The politics of the LIV furore made a legend of that powderkeg situation.
Phil Mickelson, himself second at Augusta, weighed in on Sunday, pointing out his belief that it should be a showdown between the best US golfers and the best in Europe, regardless of the circuit they represent.
Mickelson said: ‘I don’t see the benefit of the Ryder Cup changing from what it has been historically, which is the US against Europe. I don’t see the benefit of changing that. And I don’t see how the PGA of America cares what tour we play. But that’s just my opinion.’
Obviously the US side could benefit in a sporting sense if Johnson is open to using the captain’s pick on Koepka and Dustin Johnson, for example, assuming they don’t score enough points for automatic qualification through LIV circuit, which until now has been shunned by golf’s ranking authority.
However, as it stands, Johnson offers little encouragement on that front. In fact, he said he had no plans to attend any of the LIV events, citing his PGA Tour schedule, and seemed to suggest he didn’t follow any of the broadcasts either.
‘I think the luxury of being captain is that I’m still relevant and prevalent on the PGA Tour and that’s where my status remains,’ Johnson said. ‘So for me to abandon that in a week where I can go out there and go where the majority of my players will certainly come from, would be irresponsible on my behalf and inappropriate.’
Asked to clarify whether he will be going to one of the LIV tournaments to keep a close eye on week-to-week progress, he added: ‘It hasn’t been discussed yet. I’m not one that’s ever to say never but it was never discussed.’
Koepka’s form is making it difficult for US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson (left) to leave him behind
Fellow LIV defector Phil Mickelson said players on the rebel tour should be allowed to play
McIlroy has struggled a lot in the tournament but enters the final loop with a decent chance
While 46-year-old club pro Michael Block (center) aims to hold on for eighth position
Johnson indicated it was too early in the year for such deliberations, which extended to whether the ‘chemistry’ he wanted in his team room would be compromised by the LIV golfer’s selection. That may raise eyebrows less than five months before the clash in Rome.
Out on the course Koepka is bidding to keep the debate alive. He criticized himself for ‘choking’ on Sunday at Augusta, but here he got off to a flying start, with three birdies in a row.
It was a near perfect opening on a course that offered more opportunities than the previous three days. But his playing partner in the final group, Viktor Hovland, fought back to cut into Koepka’s lead.
The Norwegian landed a 16-foot birdie early as he tried to maintain his chase and trailed by one shot with nine to play.
The previous rounds had been a mixture of frost, downpours and strong gusts, but for the final day it was warm and mostly calm, with this harsh course softening into something more friendly
2pm local time when Rory McIlroy had a chance to attack the set-up, playing alongside Michael Block, the 46-year-old club pro from California whose recent past included a ninth-place finish in a regional championship and a check for $185 (£148).
If Block can hold on to eighth here, which was Sunday’s starting spot after three rounds of 70, he will earn $535,000 (£430,000). Funny old game, which may be McIlroy’s shared view of a tournament where he struggled mightily and even entered the final loop with a huge chance.
He lasered a three-wood off the first tee, followed it up with a 144-yard one-foot approach and walked away with a birdie. He played the next five holes in one, leaving the dream hanging by a thread.
