3M Open favorite is in danger of missing Ryder Cup team
The FedEx Cup playoffs aren't the only future events on PGA Tour pros' minds, as the race is still on to make the Ryder Cup team.
There are just four events left where players can earn points, beginning with the 3M Open on Thursday. The event at TPC Twin Cities may not get the hype that last weekend's Open Championship got, but make no mistake -- it offers another chance for players to showcase their talents for Team USA captain Zach Johnson.
The pressure is especially high for a couple of favorites who are dangerously close to not making the team at all.
DraftKings lists Tony Finau as the 12-1 favorite to top the leaderboard at the 3M Open, and a would a win would be a big boost to his Ryder Cup chances. In seven starts since winning the Mexico Open in April, the 33-year-old hasn't finished better than T23. He has also missed the cut three times, most recently at the Open Championship. As ESPN noted, it's "not exactly ideal for someone who was likely a surefire pick when the year began."
Finau isn't the only familiar face that is in danger of being left off of Johnson's list. Justin Thomas, who is 20-1 to win the 3M Open, missed the cut in three of his last five starts and currently sits five points outside of FedEx Cup playoff contention. The Texan may be well-liked and a strong voice on the PGA Tour, but his play as of late could keep him from competing in Rome.
One player with the chance to catapult his way up the list is Cameron Young, who is listed behind Finau at 14-1 to win the 3M Open. The New York native appears to be finding his form late in the season and finished his last two events in the top 10. Young is currently eighth on the Ryder Cup list and needs to be in the top six to auto-qualify for the team. If he has a good showing at the 3M this weekend, his chances of being on Team USA will be much better.
The 3M Open tees off on Thursday, July 27, while the 2023 Ryder Cup kicks off on Friday, September 29.
More must-reads: