Keegan Bradley faces key dilemma over Ryder Cup opener, with Ben Griffin at the centre

There were some who questioned whether Griffin would even make the team. He is a rookie and uses a different golf ball than the rest of the squad, which could complicate his fit in alternate shot formats over the opening two days.

However, on The Smylie Show, Kaufman stated that Bradley cannot exclude Griffin from Friday morning’s session, given his performance at Silverado.

“My only takeaway from this is how can you find a way to get Ben Griffin in foursomes, that’s my biggest question. How can you get the golf ball that he plays into foursomes? Who can play the Maxfli ball? Because he has proven to me that he needs to be out in that first session Friday morning.

“He’s proven it time and time again that it doesn’t matter the stage. I know we keep talking floor and ceilings, but so much of this is important because you want to know a guy’s not going to go out and shoot something that would be considered an over par performance.

“Ben Griffin’s going to go out and at least be even or better in whatever his shot value is. That is good enough to win matches. You can play average and win matches. You can play good and lose matches in the Ryder Cup. But I sure as heck wouldn’t have Ben Griffin sitting that Friday morning.”

Why the right ball choice matters in Ryder Cup foursomes

It can be surprising to some that even the best players in the world struggle to play at their highest level when not using their usual golf ball.

The margins are small, especially at events like the Ryder Cup. Phil Mickelson once said his partnership with Tiger Woods in 2004 did not work out because he did not have enough time to get used to a different ball.

There is a reason Griffin sticks with his Maxfli ball. It has played a part in him becoming one of this season’s top performers.

Bradley may have already considered pairing him up for foursomes. But it would make sense if he wanted to rely on more familiar partnerships for that first session, as getting off to a quick start is so important.

Kaufman clearly thinks Griffin has complicated things.