2021 USA, European Ryder Cup Teams Finalized For Whistling Straits

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Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas Ryder Cup
Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas celebrate during the morning fourball matches of the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National on Sep. 28, 2018 in Paris, France. Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Last week it was Steve Stricker rounding out his stacked U.S. squad with six captain’s picks; this week it’s Padraig Harrington filling out his European squad.

And with that we have the 24 players who will tee it up at Whistling Straits for the 43rd edition of the biennial Ryder Cup matches – arguably the most anticipated golf event on the calendar.

The U.S. team is absolutely loaded with eight of its players ranked inside the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings, while three others are inside the top 16. Only Scottie Scheffler is outside the top 20, and he’s at 21.

The European squad, on the other hand, has only world No. 1 Jon Rahm ranked in the top 10 with Viktor Hovland (13), Rory McIlroy (15) and Tyrrell Hatton (19) the only other Euros in the top 20.

On paper it may look like a rout, but the Ryder Cup is not contested using data analytics. It’s played on the course. And as Sergio Garcia said at today’s unveiling, stats don’t measure intangibles such as team chemistry.

Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter Ryder Cup
Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter celebrate winning the Ryder Cup at Le Golf National in Paris, France on Sep. 30, 2018. Photo by David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images

“Most of the times we are underdogs, and it’s the right thing because on paper, and when it comes down to World Rankings and stuff like that, they are a little bit stronger than we are,” said Garcia.

“But we have a lot of heart. We have a lot of great feel between us, and that’s something that is difficult to put on paper.

“I expect us to bond like we always do, expect us to have a great time. I know that everybody is going to do an amazing job when it comes down to getting ready and vice captains, captains, everyone, all the assistants, everyone.

“You know, it’s not going to be easy, but I think that we have an amazing team and we can do it for sure.”

Experience will be another factor entering Whistling Straits as the U.S. team is extremely young with an average age of just 28.9, including eight players under 30, and the three of the remaining four between 31 and 32. At 37 Dustin Johnson is the oldest, and by a lot.

Meanwhile, Europe will field one of the oldest squads in recent memory with eight players over 30, including four over the age of 40: Sergio Garcia (41), Paul Casey (44), Ian Poulter (45) and Lee Westwood (48).

2021 U.S. Ryder Cup Team

Name (Age, World Rank)
Collin Morikawa (24, 3)
Scottie Scheffler (25, 21)
Xander Schauffele (27, 5)
Bryson DeChambeau (27, 7)
Justin Thomas (28, 6)
Jordan Spieth (28, 14)
Daniel Berger (28, 16)
Patrick Cantlay (29, 4)
Brooks Koepka (31, 9)
Tony Finau (32, 10)
Harris English (32, 11)
Dustin Johnson (37, 2)

Players Age
20-29: 8
30-39: 4
40-49: 0
Average: 28.9

Players World Rank
1st-10th: 8
11th-20th: 3
21st-30th: 1
Average: 9th

2021 European Ryder Cup Team

Name (Age, World Rank)
Viktor Hovland (23, 13)
Jon Rahm (26, 1)
Matt Fitzpatrick (27, 27)
Tyrrell Hatton (29, 19)
Tommy Fleetwood (30, 36)
Rory McIlroy (32, 15)
Shane Lowry (34, 40)
Bernd Wiesberger (35, 61)
Sergio Garcia (41, 43)
Paul Casey (44, 23)
Ian Poulter (45, 49)
Lee Westwood (48, 34)

Players Age
20-29: 4
30-39: 4
40-49: 4
Average: 34.5

Players World Rank
1st-10th: 1
11th-20th: 3
21st-30th: 2
31st-40th: 3
41st-50th: 2
51st-60th: 0
61st-70th: 1
Average: 30th

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