Keegan Bradley warned of backlash over one potential Ryder Cup selection

There is another name that is likely to come up in conversations between Bradley and his staff over the next few weeks.

It has been an odd season for Jordan Spieth since coming back from injury. He has looked more steady on the PGA Tour, but that consistency has not turned into much in terms of results, with just four top 10 finishes so far.

Spieth is currently 48th in the FedEx Cup standings, so he’ll have chances to make an impression soon. But speaking on Fried Egg Golf, Andy Johnson said he does not understand why Spieth is even being considered for the team right now.

“If they roll out Spieth and he doesn’t do anything for the next couple of weeks, if they play their buddy ball, the fans are going to have the knives out.

“The Spieth selection is wild. He’s 27th in Ryder Cup points. He might not make it past the first week of the playoffs. If it wasn’t for sponsor exemptions, he wouldn’t even be in the playoffs.

“This is the thing, this is where the Spieth thing just does not make sense, how you could put him on this team. He’s 27th in points, and in between there you have guys that are playing quantitatively good golf.

“You’ve got Cameron Young, you’ve got Gotterup, you’ve got Wyndham Clark starting to play better. And Wyndham Clark’s won a major this decade. You have so many guys that are actually playing good golf.

“I don’t understand how the numbers are saying that Spieth is playing good golf, because when I roll down his list of accomplishments, it’s like T35, T22, T38. I don’t understand the numbers and how Data Golf has him so highly thought of.”

Jordan Spieth targeting a sixth Ryder Cup appearance at Bethpage

After his first couple of appearances, Spieth looked like he would be a fixture on the US Ryder Cup team for years to come. Early on, he formed a strong partnership with Patrick Reed.

His connection with Justin Thomas also showed promise. The two earned three points together in France in 2018, giving the US another reliable pairing.

But over the last two Ryder Cups, Spieth has managed just 2.5 points from eight matches. Despite his reputation and experience, recent form hasn’t translated into results on the biggest stage.

Spieth’s season hasn’t been without its moments, but it would be hard to argue that he’s done enough to lock down a spot on this year’s team.

If Bradley does choose him, there will be no shortage of players who feel they deserved the place instead.