Xander Schauffele with Ryder Cup dagger (?!) to Brooks Koepka

Xander Schauffele said he 'wasn't too worried' about Ryder Cup qualification after knocking LIV Golf's Brooks Koepka out of the automatics.

Ben Smith

21 Aug 2023

Xander Schauffele with Ryder Cup dagger (?!) to Brooks Koepka

Xander Schauffele revealed he wasn't too worried about Ryder Cup qualifying after he leapfrogged Brooks Koepka.

Koepka will now have to rely on Zach Johnson to pick him for next month's dust-up.

It did look as if Koepka done enough to secure an automatic spot for Team USA after he put five on it by claiming the PGA Championship in May.

The former World No.1 - who has finally been able to take his son home from the ICU - was in a precarious position before the BMW Championship.

But Schauffele's share of eighth place and Max Homa's tie for fifth meant the duo moved above Koepka.

That means the top half of Johnson's side has now been confirmed:

Johnson will announce his six captain's picks on 29 August.

"You don't really want to sit around and wait for the phone call," Schauffele told a pool of reporters in Chicago.

He added:

"[I have] been on both sides of it, to be completely honest, for a Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup team. I can't remember which one was a pick, which one was not.

"But I remember getting a call saying no and a call saying yes. It's nice to automatically qualify."

Schauffele said Ryder Cup qualifying wasn't at the forefront of his mind. He said he told his caddie Austin before the BMW Championship he didn't want to sweat it but primarily his goal was to make it to next week's Tour Championship.

"I wasn't too worried about it to be completely honest," he said.

That being said, would he have been concerned about not getting picked?

Schauffele said:

"I mean, I would hope that I would get picked. I think I've proven enough in those events, in the team rooms and with my golf that I can play in these team events and help a team win.

"You never know, though. Like I said, it's nice to automatically qualify."

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Last week it was revealed captain Johnson has had practically zero communication with American LIV players about potential involvement in the Ryder Cup.

Bryson DeChambeau caught the golf world's attention after shooting a 12-under 58 to win LIV Golf's event at The Greenbrier.

DeChambeau absolutely wants a pick and our Andy Roberts reckons it would be a mistake if he wasn't in Johnson's plans.

Phil Mickelson recently stated he reckons at least five LIV players should be included.

Elsewhere, analyst Brandel Chamblee ruffled a few feathers when he said Koepka's potential inclusion would be bad for the team.

It would be a referendum on LIV Golf, he said.