NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Former Drake standout golfer Zach Johnson has been selected to the Ryder Cup Team USA for the second time in his career.
Ending months of speculation, Team USA Captain Corey Pavin completed his 12-man Ryder Cup team on Tuesday morning by selecting Johnson along with Tiger Woods, Stewart Cink, and Rickie Fowler with his four captain's picks.
"I am very pleased to add these four to Team USA," Pavin said. "I think our team is very good. I think these four players complement those eight very well. That was the goal of these four players.
Johnson, who qualified for the 2006 team that traveled to The K Club in Straffan, Ireland, said he is "thrilled and excited to be on the team."
"Team play, team sports in general, it's really something that drives me as a competitor and when you incorporate a team element and chemistry into golf, it makes it just that much more special," said Johnson, who went 1-2-1 in his Ryder Cup debut .
Johnson led Drake to berths in the 1996, 1997 and 1998 NCAA Regional Golf Tournament. He received a degree in business management from Drake in 1998.
"Having your nation's flag on your sleeve and being led by Captain Pavin and his associates, just, you know, makes it that much more special."So I thank you guys and I thank you for trusting in me and knowing that I'm going to go out there and play really hard. I'm excited and I cannot wait until October," added Johnson, who has been on winning U.S. Presidents Cup teams in 2007 and 2009.
Johnson is 17th on the World Golf Rankings, and was 11th on the U.S. Ryder Cup point list after tying for third in the PGA Championship last month. Eight players made the team automatically on August 15.
Pavin's four captain's picks join the eight automatic qualifiers who were announced following the 92nd PGA Championship last month at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis.: reigning Masters champion Phil Mickelson, Hunter Mahan, Bubba Watson, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Jeff Overton and Matt Kuchar.
In selecting Woods, Cink and Johnson, Pavin adds proven Ryder Cup experience to his relatively young squad. Woods has competed in five Ryder Cups, Cink four and Johnson one. Fowler, a PGA Tour rookie who has made 16 of 24 cuts, including five top-10 finishes, this season, will be making his Ryder Cup debut. He finished 20th in the U.S. Ryder Cup Points Standings.
L
