Brad Faxon and Jeff Maggert played their way onto the U.S. Ryder Cup team at the PGA Championship, and today captain Lanny Wadkins chose Curtis Strange and Fred Couples to join them on the squad.
"I think they bring a lot of experience and talent to the team," Wadkins said. Strange has played in the Ryder Cup four times, while Couples has played in three.The big question with Couples has been a chronic bad back.
"He's assured me his back is strong," Wadkins said.
Wadkins said he has a fall-back choice if Couples should be unable to play, but would not reveal who that is.
Couples made a strong case for himself with a closing 66 in the PGA. Strange closed with three consecutive 68s.
Faxon got on the team with one of the greatest rounds in the history of major championship golf, shooting a 63 which tied the lowest score ever in a major. His round included a 28 on the front nine
The 63 lifted him into fifth place in the PGA Championship and gave him enough points to move from 14th to 10th in the Ryder Cup standings.
The top-10 on the point list automatically make the team that will face a squad from Europe next month.
Maggert, who shot a final-round 69 at Riviera Country Club, finished tied for third with Ernie Els and got enough points to move from 12th to sixth and make the team.
Losing out were Mark Calcavecchia, who missed the cut and slipped from ninth to 11th, and Kenny Perry, who got no points at the PGA and dropped from 10th to 12th.
The final standings in the two-year competition for the Ryder Cup team has U.S. Open champion Corey Pavin on top followed by Tom Lehman, Davis Love and Phil Mickelson. All four missed the cut at the PGA Championship.
Jay Haas is fifth, followed by Maggert, Loren Roberts, Ben Crenshaw, Peter Jacobsen and Faxon.