Nothing is as controversial as the Ryder Cup. The captain is fighting for the high bet.
The player was drawn. Media stir the pot. The gallery was happy to join the madness. But when the Captain reveals that they want to complete the lineup, it all starts with the wildcard.
Is this the most controversial and controversial choice (or non-option) ever?
1. Keegan Bradley’s Non-Choose
When most golfers are not selected, we can guess their disappointment or witness in a vigilant way in future interviews.
But after a few months after Zach Johnson told Keegan Bradley that he didn’t need the 2023 Ryder Cup, we saw his emotional reaction as the news dropped in the Netflix series “in full swing.”
This is original.
But the controversy is direct. Tiger Woods’ former coach Hank Haney spoke to many when he specifically criticized Johnson’s six draft picks as a “boys club” in Justin Thomas’s choice.
“The U.S. team will be very favored by who Zach Johnson chooses,” Haney wrote on social media. “But those draft picks prove that this is the boys’ club.
“I think Justin Thomas is a good guy – but he doesn’t have any good performances.
“Look at his last four games. Missed layoffs, tied for the 60th, Missed layoffs, Missed cuts. He didn’t make it to the FedEx Cup playoffs, and he tried to do it like hell. Come on! I mean, really?”
The draft pick looked terrible when Team USA lost in Rome. When Bradley was told that the footage of the news came out, it looked even worse.
And the decision has been rumbling.
When Bradley was selected as Captain America in 2025 (even if he is still excellent enough to be a player), it was the PGA in the United States that made up for that.
Everything is good, but if Bradley does become a captain and loses the game, essentially Zach Johnson’s wildcard decision loses two Ryder Cups.
2. Thomas Bjorn’s All Choice Strategies in 2018
Matt Wallace’s omission caused Twitter anger before the 2018 Paris game – and the British were hurt.
He won three times that year, which was the last week he won the last week before the reveal, when he beat seven birdies in the last nine games of the final round.
It’s good, but not good enough for Bjorn’s Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson.
Regardless of everyone having a Ryder Cup record, their points far outweigh their failures. Everyone tasted the victory. Sulfuric acid is real.
Bjorn argues that he already has five rookies and he wants experience. He needs golfers that rookies can turn to, golfers that make the team room better, golfers that have been to those days.
Ultimately, the victory supported his idea, with three of Jim Furyk’s four draft picks performing Bryson DeChambeau (0-3-0), Phil Mickelson (0-2-0) (0-2-0) and Tiger Woods (0-4-0).
3. Raymond Floyd, the old man, 1993
We just called Floyd the old man, he really is.
He is 51 years old when he was selected by Tom Watson in 1993. It looks good now, but it was totally strange back then, especially when Floyd looked older, the movement tilted rather than tilted towards it.
In 1961, his four opponents were not even born.
He also won only once in the past seven years (Doral-Ryder Open in 1992 – at least Ryder in the title).
He was Captain America in 1989!
But he also ended up 14th in the world in 1992, enjoying an Indian summer in the Grand Slams – he finished second in the Masters in 1990 and 1992 and ranked 99 in the top 17 Grand Slams in the 90s.
Watson likes his roaring manner, and despite the match record (9-15-3), he gets rewarded. After losing on the first day, Floyd won two big points with Payne Stewart the next day and won his singles on Sunday.
Read Next: Ryder Cup 2025: Everything You Need to Know About Team USA
4. Curtis Strange won the draft pick in 1995
When Lanny Wadkins turned to veteran Curtis Strange in 1995, Tom Watson suffered from the success of picking old man Raymond Floyd two years ago.
His Ryder Cup record is not good (6-9-2). His performance wasn’t special (hadn’t won in six years). But, like Floyd, he did a great job in the Grand Slam (his last six top 20).
Despite the weird game and losing all the games, it didn’t resolve.
5. Non-choice by Christy O’Connor Jr in 1985
Irish Christy O’Connor made his nightmare Ryder Cup debut in 1979, losing twice with the Irish two days before being excluded from two singles matches.
Fourteen years later, he famously won the view that he retained the cup under great pressure and held his hands up to the sky like a dedication. Tony Jacklin was with him at the time and picked him up – but he also turned him down four years ago.
O’Connor missed the layoffs in the finals and slipped from the ninth (and tenth innings). Jacklyn looked elsewhere and O’Connor was crushed.
6. Paul Casey’s Non-Choose in 2010
Before the 2010 Celtic Manor, Colin Montgomerie had a simple appeal in picking Luke Donald, with his record of 5-1-1, and he properly played 3-1-0. Padraig Harrington is also very simple. He left 2-2-0.
But facing Paul Casey or Edoardo Molinari, he watched Italy win the third title of the year at Gleneagles and chose him. He won a significant half with his brother and became part of the famous “Two Molinaris” ode, but Casey still suffered.
In fact, he vowed not to play the Ryder Cup again, and Thomas Bjorn begged to change his mind before 2018.
7. Andrew Coltart in 1999: Pick him, not playing him
Mark James tried to go all out when he won the Cup in 1999.
He packed his four balls and four-man meetings with a big gun, hoping to defend his lead in singles. He could have hoped to lead 10-6 on Saturday night, but it was backfired.
His seven teams played in each game and were deceived. They scored only two of seven in singles. His three rookies – Jarmo Sandelin, Jean van de Velde and his choice Andrew Coltart – have never played any game at all. They both lost their only game.
Coltart was selected before Robert Karlsson and experienced Bernhard Langer.
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