Tour News

Love III chooses Ryan Moore for final spot on U.S. Ryder Cup Team

Published

10 years ago

Sep 25, 2016

Davis Love III has selected Ryan Moore for the final spot on on the 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup team. Love III made his choice official during halftime of the NFL’s Sunday Night Football game between the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears.

This year, the U.S. team delayed the finalization of its 12th roster spot until the end of the Tour Championship. It gave Love III an opportunity to select the hottest golfer available, which is undeniably Moore.

On Sunday at East Lake, Moore played alongside eventual Tour Championship winner Rory McIlroy, matching him with a 64. The pair finished 12-under par for the tournament along with Kevin Chappell, and entered a sudden-death playoff. Chappell was eliminated on the first playoff hole after McIlroy and Moore made birdies. The two continued to match each other shot for shot until the fourth playoff hole, when McIlroy rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt.

While Moore finished 20th on the U.S. Ryder Cup Points List, he went on a hot streak in mid-August that started with a win at the John Deere Classic. He then recorded three top-10 finishes in the four FedExCup Playoffs events: The Barclays (T7) the Deutsche Bank (T8) and the Tour Championship (T2).

In choosing Moore, Love III passed over Bubba Watson, the No. 7-ranked golfer in the world who has won the Masters twice and played on three Ryder Cup teams.

Moore, 33, has won five times on the PGA Tour, and also had a celebrated amateur career that included great success in the match play format, which is key to success in the Ryder Cup. In 2004, Moore won the U.S. Amateur, the Western Amateur, the U.S. Amateur Public Links (he also won it in 2002) and the NCAA individual championship in the same season.

Last week, Moore was asked by Love III to attend a practice round at Hazeltine National, site of 2016 Ryder Cup, with other U.S. team hopefuls. Moore declined the invite, citing a planned vacation and fatigue from playing seven weeks in a row on Tour, and said did not expect to be picked for the team.

The Ryder Cup matches begin Friday, September 30.

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21 Comments

Kevin

Sep 27, 2016 at 2:41 am

If I was Bubbles I would decline DL’s invitation

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Smokin'Gun

Sep 26, 2016 at 4:15 pm

Agreed!!!

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Robin

Sep 26, 2016 at 1:39 pm

Bubba played better than Rickey at the Olympics ,even with his new tattoo he didn’t deserve.

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Flip

Sep 26, 2016 at 1:20 pm

Good. He’s a jerk

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Dave R

Sep 26, 2016 at 11:48 am

Mr Moore is a good choice but to do it on sun night football . What next ? . Still find it hard not to believe that Bubba wasn’t picked mabey he does not conform to the old boys club right DL.

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Boyo

Sep 26, 2016 at 11:43 am

Booba was left off due to his psycho makeup. He can be great and he can be bad…..

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I Never Slice!!!

Sep 26, 2016 at 11:07 am

Great Pick!!!

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Professor

Sep 26, 2016 at 10:11 am

…I’m still trying figure out how Rickie Fowler got picked. Oh wait, he was on the Ryder Cup Task Force that picked DLIII as Captain.

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Robabera

Sep 26, 2016 at 9:47 am

I don’t know how Moore is as a playing partner since he seems a little bit of a loner type. I would match him with Patrick Reed and see how that chemistry goes. He is a rookie, but again our veterans don’t have killer records themselves so…. Gotta give Love3 credit for the pick, though. I like it.

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- VDB jp
  
  Sep 26, 2016 at 3:14 pm
  
  give this man a chance.he’s a fighter.its all about sports guys.nothing else.rory gave a big knock on usa team & that will be a big weight to carry…but not for moore who fought till last shot. everyone must support him & he will be motivated to take some points back.
  
  Reply Report comment
Clay

Sep 26, 2016 at 9:06 am

Oh well. Maybe USA next year?

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golfraven

Sep 26, 2016 at 8:59 am

The way Ryan played in the final showed that he has balls. Something that Bubba is lacking – Mr. Crybaby. So glad to see him on the team. Also think he conducts himself on the coars in a nice way, a virtue many golfers should live by, rather then the f..y.. attitude Bubba is putting up.

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Forsbrand

Sep 26, 2016 at 7:28 am

Ha ha ha excellent!

All four should have been picked! Disgrace by both captains to be honest

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- Charlie
  
  Sep 26, 2016 at 7:34 am
  
  As far as Bubba is concerned…four tournaments inside the top 10 this season.
  
  Ryan Moore…four tournaments inside the top 10 in his last 6 starts, against the hottest players on the PGA Tour.
  
  Reply Report comment
- 2cheese
  
  Sep 26, 2016 at 10:38 am
  
  Paul Casey can’t be picked, he gave up his Euro membership to focus on the PGA Tour. It sucks and I would have loved to see him compete, but he made his bed.
  
  Reply Report comment
Euro

Sep 26, 2016 at 2:25 am

Europe! Europe! Europe! It’s a lock.

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Korean Slum Lord

Sep 26, 2016 at 1:32 am

Great pick, he deserves it. Played himself in.

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- Greg
  
  Sep 26, 2016 at 8:54 am
  
  Well said – he “played himself in” – can’t argue with that at all
  
  Reply Report comment
gunmetal

Sep 26, 2016 at 12:50 am

Shocked and proud of DL3! Had to pick Moore after that performance. He will be a force for the US, no doubt! Congrats RYMO!

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Rich

Sep 25, 2016 at 11:07 pm

This is a great pick for the US team. I hope Europe win the Ryder Cup but it’s great that Ryan Moore got a spot. Good luck to him.

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hdcp0

Sep 25, 2016 at 10:57 pm

Wow….just wow!!

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 PGA Championship

Published

2 days ago

May 11, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site for the second major of 2026: The PGA Championship from Aronimink in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

The tournament’s location, just outside Philadelphia, and its status as a major championship mean GolfWRXers are in for a treat: WITBs from a strong field, custom gear celebrating the PGA Championship, and the rich culture of the City of Brotherly Love — we have noted a relative absence of cheesesteak-themed items thus far this week, but most of the rest of the usual suspects are well represented.

Check out links to all our photos below.