Couples Lets Slip On US Wildcards

American vice-captain Fred Couples may have let slip on Zach Johnson's plans for his Ryder Cup wildcards for the matches in September.

This year both teams have the relative luxury, or headache, of having six picks each which means there is even more scope for speculation than normal. But Couples, who has never been a Ryder Cup captain, appears to have knocked half of that on its head with his comments this week.

The former Masters winner was on his own show on Sirius XFM PGA Tour Radio when he commented that Max Homa, Cameron Young and Jordan Spieth would all 'be in Italy' if they didn't make the team automatically.

As things stand they are the next on the list, outside the automatic spots, but it was still quite an eye-opener given which players are also not yet exempt. Below these three are the likes of Keegan Bradley, Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Sam Burns, Justin Thomas and Tony Finau.

Then, from LIV Golf, there are the likes of Dustin Johnson and the in-form Talor Gooch.

“I’m like one of the 19 assistants, I’ll say Max Homa’s gonna be in Italy,” Couples said. “I’ll say Max Homa’s gonna be in Italy, without getting anyone in trouble."

Then he added the same about Young: “Cam Young will be in Italy” and the same for Spieth - “Will be in Italy.”

There are still three more counting events before the automatic spots are decided on August 20 and then Johnson and his backroom team will add to that quota following the Tour Championship the following week.

With Spieth already pencilled in then that strengthens Thomas' case given how brilliant they are together in the team arena and Captain Johnson was hopeful that Thomas can turn around his recent poor form. At The Open he opened with an 82.

"As a friend and room mate, I'm concerned just because he's my buddy and I know what he's capable of and that sort of thing. Obviously he's a stalwart in that event, those kind of moments like that, he's one of the best there is," said Johnson.

"This game is really hard. There's going to be peaks. There's going to be some valleys. Let's hope whatever sort of non-peak he's in, it's short. I know he's got a great team. I love his coaches. I love how he works. Guys with talent like that aren't afraid to put their work in the dirt. It's just a matter of when, not if. He's too darned good. I might be slightly concerned, like I said, as a friend, but I'm not worried about him because I know what he does and I know what he's capable of."

You would think that Fowler and Morikawa would also make the side so there will be plenty of interest in the coming weeks as to who might be on the plane to Rome.