Justin Thomas is straight up about what he wants for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black – and match play in general. After getting snubbed from the 2024 Presidents Cup, Thomas spoke his mind on waiting to be picked, saying, “I would really like to put myself in a position where I’m not relying on a pick anymore because it’s not fun.” His goal is to just qualify – no worries about getting picked or not. Whether he’s back to top form or not, Thomas still vibes with that sentiment.
Ahead of the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship, with just three weeks left until the U.S. Ryder Cup roster’s six automatic qualifiers are locked in, and one week after that for captain’s picks, Justin Thomas – the match-play beast – shared his thoughts on making it to Bethpage Black. At Memphis, the pro said, “I’m thinking about it, but in terms of form and playing well for it, first and foremost, I really, really want to earn — I want to be in that top six.”
“Just for me personally, it just would mean a lot to me to get that done because having been picked or having to rely on a pick a couple times, I definitely like the level of low stress and just the sense of calm knowing that you’re qualified versus waiting for that phone to ring,” the PGA Tour pro adds. Justin Thomas is currently 7th in the standings with 10208.09 points; however, there are other stats to look at as well.
Despite a mixed 2025 season for Justin Thomas – with misses at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open, a T-34 at The Open Championship, and a lone top-20 finish (T-9 at the Travelers) since early May – the stats paint a different picture. DataGolf has him sixth in Ryder Cup forecasts, and in the last six months, only Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, and Russell Henley have better true Strokes Gained numbers among U.S. candidates.
But is it all over for Justin Thomas? If he doesn’t automatically qualify, a number of things can help prove his importance. His history in the event, for one thing.
Only 3 weeks until the Top 6 are locked in. Check out the latest U.S. Team Rankings for the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
Full Rankings https://t.co/2jXIaRlJOH#GoUSA pic.twitter.com/rHkmn94kdg
— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) July 28, 2025
With his experience and stats backing him up, Thomas isn’t just making the U.S. Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black – he’ll likely be an anchor. Playing alongside top players like Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, Thomas is expected to be a four-match player. He’s been a force in Ryder Cup history, representing Team USA in 2018, 2021, and 2023. His record speaks to his impact: 7 wins, 4 losses, and 2 halves across those three appearances. He is important.
The question is: will Keegan Bradley choose him? At the same time, he isn’t the only pro hoping to make it to Bethpage this week, especially with their solid Ryder Cup resume.
Jordan Spieth and his chances of making it to the 2025 Ryder Cup
The drama’s heating up for the U.S. Ryder Cup team selection at Bethpage Black. With only Scottie Scheffler’s spot locked in, the rest of the lineup’s still up for grabs. Big hitters like Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau, and Justin Thomas are basically shoo-ins – and Thomas is gunning to secure an automatic spot rather than rely on captain Keegan Bradley’s picks.
Meanwhile, Jordan Spieth’s Ryder Cup hopes are getting talked about – and not everyone thinks he’s a lock. Andy Johnson on Fried Egg Golf was straight up skeptical about Spieth’s selection, saying, “If they roll out Spieth and he doesn’t do anything for the next couple of weeks… the fans are going to have the knives out.” Johnson questioned the logic given Spieth’s 27th in Ryder Cup points and other guys like Cameron Young and Wyndham Clark “playing quantitatively good golf.”
Spieth’s got Ryder Cup history, though – a solid record with highlights like his partnership with Patrick Reed and winning three points with Justin Thomas in 2018. But in the last two Ryder Cups, Jordan Spieth has won just 2.5 points out of eight matches. How Keegan Bradley weighs experience, current form, and team dynamics will shape the final U.S. lineup for the intense battle at Bethpage Black.
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