Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas have been named to the U.S. team for the Ryder Cup, the men’s golf competition between the United States and Europe, as captain’s picks. Team USA head coach Zach Johnson today announced the six players who will compete in this year’s Ryder Cup as captain’s picks. Koepka, Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, Colin Morikawa, and Sam Burns were named. The U.S. and Europe each send 12 players to compete in the Ryder Cup, with six selected by the tournament’s selection points and the other six chosen by the captain .Earlier in the day, Scott Schauffler, Wyndham Clarke, Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa and Xander Schauffele were named to the U.S. team through the points system, and the captain’s picks rounded out the 12-man roster .Koepka, who left the PGA Tour last year to join Saudi Arabia’s capital-backed LIV Golf, is the only player from LIV to make the U.S. team. Koepka, who won the PGA Championship in May, was ineligible to play in PGA Tour events that award points toward Ryder Cup selection, so he finished tied for seventh in the majors and was considered a possible captain’s pick .He was considered a no-brainer based on his skill set, but with LIV Golf’s history of conflict with the PGA Tour, the team chemistry aspect was a concern for Johnson, who ultimately made his fourth Ryder Cup appearance. “He’s a great guy in the team room and he’s great on the course,” Johnson said of Koepka. We wanted him,” Johnson said of Koepka, adding, “It was a very easy choice.” Thomas, who finished 15th in points for the team selection, was also selected by Johnson to play in his third consecutive Ryder Cup. Thomas has 15 career wins on the PGA Tour and was once ranked No. 1 in the world, but he has struggled this season, missing the FedExCup playoffs for the first time in his career. Johnson said: “Thomas is, without a doubt, the heart and soul of Team USA. He is our emotional leader, and he leads by example.” “His passion for the Ryder Cup is very evident. He was born for this, and you can’t leave him at home .”Spieth, who has worked well with Thomas in the team competition, and Fowler, whose resurgence last month saw him win his first PGA Tour event in four years and five months, will be playing in their fifth Ryder Cup Morikawa, who went 3-1 in the 2021 Ryder Cup to lead the United States to victory, has also been recommended, while Burns will be making his first Ryder Cup appearance .The other players in the top 15 in Ryder Cup points are Cameron Young (9th), Keegan Bradley (11th) and Denny McCarthy (14th).This year’s Ryder Cup will be played Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club near Rome, Italy .In the 43 previous Ryder Cups, the U.S. has won 27, tied 2 and lost 14, with the last time the U.S. won the title being in 스포츠토토 2021.