With the Ryder Cup just over a month away, the teams are shaping up, with this week’s Barclays tournament at Bethpage determining the last three automatic spots on a United States team desperate to end Europe’s recent domination.
 US Open champion Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, PGA Championship winner Jimmy Walker and Ryder rookie Brooks Koepka are set for the trip to Hazeltine outside Minneapolis for the biennial matches starting on Sept 30.
 Eight players automatically qualify from the US points list, creating a scramble for the last three on offer from candidates such as (number six) Brandt Snedeker, Zach Johnson, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Olympic bronze medallist Matt Kuchar and Rickie Fowler.
 US captain Davis Love III will add four other players as captain’s picks to a team who have lost the last three match play competitions to Europe.
 Europe have already assembled their first nine in a group featuring Rory McIlroy, British Open winner Henrik Stenson, Olympic champion Justin Rose and cup veteran Sergio Garcia, plus five rookies including Masters winner Danny Willett.
 Joining Willett on the Europe side are fellow British first-timers Chris Wood, Andy Sullivan and Matthew Fitzpatrick, and Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello.
 Europe captain Darren Clarke has three wild-card choices to announce on Aug 30 and said at last month’s PGA Championship he would probably seek to balance his rookie contingent with players with Ryder Cup experience.
 Clarke indicated that his frequent Ryder Cup playing partner Lee Westwood, who narrowly missed qualifying, was a likely pick when he is expected to name his selections, also on Aug 30.
 “He’s been my partner in many, many Ryder Cups,” Clarke said at Baltusrol. “I know what Lee Westwood brings to the table, and I know what he brings to the back room, and there’s not many guys you’d prefer to go shoulder to shoulder with.”
 Another strong candidate for Clarke’s consideration is likely to be Germany’s Martin Kaymer, twice a major winner, who made the clinching putt in the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah, along with in-form Thomas Pieters of Belgium and Scotsman Russell Knox.
 Clarke hailed his “fantastic blend of youth and experience” following the confirmation of his nine automatic qualifiers. “I am absolutely delighted with the nine players who have qualified,” Clarke said. “They offer not only a fantastic blend of youth and experience but also some exciting partnership possibilities.”
 “In the experienced corner we have two men who have lit up the world of golf in recent weeks, Open champion Henrik Stenson and Olympic champion Justin Rose, joined by Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy who, aside from being two of the most dynamic Ryder Cup performers of recent years, are also winners this year... Sergio in the US and Rory in Europe,” said Clarke.
 “In the rookies’ corner it is very rare you begin any such list with the
reigning Masters champion but we are fortunate to do just that with Danny Willett while Rafa Cabrera Bello, Matt Fitzpatrick, Andy Sullivan and Chris Wood bring a mixture of consistency and success.”