Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson open to chat with American LIV golfers

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The idea of LIV golfers representing America in this summer’s Ryder Cup hasn’t been ruled out.

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In fact, American captain Zach Johnson might even be waiting by the phone.

“I would fully embrace the opportunity to speak with them if they want to chat with me. That would be amazing. They have my number,” Johnson said while at Oak Hill for this week’s PGA Championship. “I’m not going to sit here and say that I’m shutting that down. I am fully in as the Ryder Cup captain for the Team USA and whatever that looks like.”

Johnson’s comments come a day after European captain Luke Donald lamented the DP World Tour resignations, and subsequent Ryder Cup ineligibility, of match play stalwarts Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson.

“Ultimately that was their decision and unfortunately they’re off the table now for selection purposes for myself,” Donald said.

Donald was asked if there is a possibility of a gentlemen’s agreement between the two captains regarding the selection (or non-selection) of LIV golfers.

“In terms of what Zach is doing and his options, I think that’s kind of his call,” Donald said. “Whether LIV players play on his team, again, I haven’t really talked to him much about it as a captains’ agreement, as you said. And let’s not forget there’s still LIV players that can play on my team. They’re still eligible if they’re members of the (DP World) Tour and were born in Europe. That is still a possibility for some guys.”

While that’s true, the omission of Cup legends such as Poulter, Garcia and Westwood — as both players or assistant coaches — is quite a blow to a rebuilding European team’s chances at home in Italy this September. Any nervousness among European fans regarding American LIV players is understandable considering an already powerful U.S. team of PGA Tour stars could theoretically add Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka (as well as Bryson DeChambeau, Talor Gooch and Patrick Reed) into the mix.

Captain Johnson said it’s far too early and borderline irresponsible to start thinking about captain’s picks and also that judging the true form of LIV players is difficult.

“I don’t know the golf courses they’re playing. Never seen them. I’m not there on foot in person,” Zach Johnson said when asked about Dustin Johnson’s recent LIV win. “You’re talking about an individual whose resume is extremely deep and wide. He’s certainly in my generation one of the best players I’ve ever competed against, but it’s not fair for me to guess his true form or anybody’s true form that I can’t witness.”

The American captain was equally inconclusive about Koepka, despite the four-time major champion’s performance at last month’s Masters.

“He played really good that one week, but it’s one week,” Johnson said. “I don’t want to sit here and say that it’s concrete, it’s the only thing we’re going to be looking at. It’s one week, at a major venue, at the Masters tournament. He played great. But there’s a lot of golf. There’s still a lot of golf between now and then.”

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