Ryder Cup 2016: USA automatic roster spots finalized, Rickie Fowler will need captain’s pick

It came down to the final hole of tournament golf in a two-year qualifying process, but Davis Love III finally knows the eight automatic qualifiers for his USA Ryder Cup team at Hazeltine at the end of September.

Rickie Fowler looked well positioned with just nine holes to play at The Barclays to vault up the standings and onto Love’s roster, but a back-nine collapse left him needing a birdie on the 72nd hole to make the team. Instead, a wayward tee shot into long rough followed by a pull-hook sent well left of target soiled his chances and allowed Zach Johnson to sneak back onto the U.S. roster.

Here’s each player on the United States roster, plus a quick look at who Love might consider for captain’s selections in a couple weeks after the BMW Championship in Indianapolis.

A prime candidate for Player of the Year, DJ took the top spot in the Ryder Cup standings. He missed the 2014 American Ryder Cup trashfire at Gleneagles amid his six-month absence from the Tour, but he went undefeated at Medinah in 2012. He’ll likely be the best American player on the roster a month from now. One area for concern? He’s struggling through an adjustment period with a new driver after burning through golf earlier in the summer.

Spieth’s stellar 2015 kept him high in the standings, but it’s hard to say he’s been in anything close to good form for the majority of 2016. The best news of the day for Spieth? His 2014 Ryder & 2015 Presidents Cup partner Patrick Reed is on the roster. The two have combined for three team play wins and a halved match, and the two wins at Gleneagles were 5&4 and 5&4 routs.

Everyone knows about the drama from the 2014 event -- Mickelson’s verbal sparring with captain Tom Watson. He cares about the event as much or more than anyone, and there’s no doubt the 2016 edition at Hazeltine will be personal for him after the Task Force. At 46, it’s possible this could be his final Ryder Cup go around, too -- though he’s shown no signs of letting up yet.

The good news? Reed’s win Sunday will undoubtedly give him confidence, and a confident Patrick Reed entering an international team competition should be something for an opponent to fear. The bad news? It might be their biggest fear of anything this U.S. roster has to provide just yet.

Walker’s on the roster for winning the PGA Championship and what he did in very early 2015 -- nearly two years ago. But he’s missed more cuts than he’s made since The Masters and has won exactly one match play match of many since leaving Gleneagles in 2014. Had lots of halved matches and a win there, though!

A Ryder Cup rookie who hits it forever will be a good fit at the big stadium that is Hazeltine. He’s an above-500 career guy in match play and came up the ranks playing in Europe. His flatlining personality could make for a perfect no-talk, bombs-away pairing with Dustin Johnson.

Won the Farmers early in the year. Couple of top-fives in weaker field events since the PGA. That’s about all he’s done of note in 2016. Got trucked by Paul Lawrie in his only Ryder Cup appearance in 2012.

Johnson nabbing the final auto-qualifier spot over Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler might not be big with some fans who like big-hitters and don’t like conservative play. But there’s plenty to like here with Johnson making this roster. Compared to the American standard, he’s been fairly solid cog on multiple Ryder Cup rosters. You’re unlikely to have Johnson completely lay an egg on Ryder Cup weekend -- he’s made 12 straight cuts since The Masters. He’s not a perfect fit on a long Hazeltine course on what could be a cooler fall day, but keep in mind Cedar Rapids is just a four-hour drive away. Iowans will be out in full-force to support their favorite son.

Who has got the best shot of being one of Davis Love III’s four captain’s selections? Despite his stumbles at the end, Rickie Fowler’s good week at The Barclays did far more to help his chances than hurt. It would still be a shock to see him not make the roster. Bubba Watson hasn’t missed a cut in over a calendar year and will still almost undoubtedly be on the roster, too. From there, things get a little murkier. Matt Kuchar and J.B. Holmes don’t have the world rankings of Fowler or Watson to automatically justify the captain’s pick. Love has been talking up Jim Furyk for months after he returned from injury. Scott Piercy’s had a nice 2016 at major championships. Bill Haas is one of the most under-appreciated players on Tour and has made three President’s Cup teams. Daniel Berger and Justin Thomas would make sense for a roster that only features three players under the age of 30 at the moment.

But three of those spots won’t be decided until after the BMW Championship and the final one not until after Tour Championship.

You can bet each of those above will be looking to put on a show in Boston and Indianapolis to gain Love’s attention.