Why this captain's pick is an ace for U.S. Ryder Cup team

When U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson announced his six captain's picks earlier this week, controversy arose regarding the decision to include Justin Thomas. The widespread disagreement wasn't a surprise considering Thomas ended the season with five missed cuts and two top-50 finishes in his past nine starts. The 30-year-old also failed to qualify for the TOUR Championship for the first time since his rookie season in 2015. 

Despite Thomas's discouraging form over the past four months, though, Johnson was absolutely justified in naming him to the team for the event, which begins Sept. 29 in Rome. In fact, the decision shouldn't be controversial at all.

Recency bias is a powerful force in these debates, but so much more went into this decision than just the past few months of golf. If recent form were the deciding factor in filling out a Ryder Cup roster, Russell Henley and Lucas Glover would be heading to the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club even though they have no Ryder Cup experience. 

These players were graded on a full body of work dating to the most recent Ryder Cup in 2021, and Thomas has been one of the most impressive golfers in the world over that span. Since the 2021 Ryder Cup, Thomas has won a major, recorded 15 top-10 finishes and finished fifth in the 2022 FedEx Cup standings. Critics also seem to forget JT notched nine top-25 finishes and three top-10s in the 11 starts leading up to his recent cold streak.

But Thomas's play isn't the main reason he was named a captain's pick. The Ryder Cup is as much about friendships and team camaraderie as it is about raw talent. The Europeans have been the less-talented side for years, but they've won seven of the past 10 Ryder Cups by creating a team environment and pairing up good friends year after year.

Thomas has played in 24 matches in team competitions for his country. He sports a record of 16-5-3 in those matches, the best mark of any American on the 2023 squad. He's also 10-2-3 in foursome and fourball matches and 4-2-0 when paired with his best friend, Jordan Spieth.

Match play is a much different animal than stroke play, and Thomas has proven he can play his best golf in head-to-head combat. This is a master competitor who shines with the red, white and blue on his chest. A fearless, experienced player like Thomas is exactly what this American squad needs heading into a hostile environment in Rome.