Will Sepp Straka play in the Ryder Cup? Golfer’s qualification chances after John Deere Classic win explored

Sepp Straka has strengthened his chances to be in the European squad for the upcoming Ryder Cup after triumphing at the John Deere Classic on Sunday, July 9.

Straka won his second PGA Tour title on Sunday after carding a 62 in the final round, resulting in a two-stroke victory over Brendon Todd and Alex Smalley at TPC Deere Run.

Straka jumped three positions up on the European Team’s World Points List for the upcoming biennial event. For the uninitiated, the World Points List is based on Official World Golf Ranking and the deadline is September 3, 2023.

As of now, Straka sits in the seventh position on the World Point List with 103.32 points. Only the top three will get the automatic spot in Team Europe. The top three spots are held by Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick.

While Hovland (252.98) is almost confirmed to book his ticket to Rome, there is still some fight for the remaining two spots as Hatton (178.67), Fitzpatrick (149.78), Tommy Fleetwood (135), and Straka are quite close to each other.

There are still a few tournaments left before the points list get finalized on September 3 and players would like to secure their place without depending on being one of the captain's picks.

Sepp Straka, who turned professional in 2018, became the first Austrian to emerge victorious on PGA Tour with a win at the 2022 Honda Classic.

Post his win on Sunday, Straka was asked about his aspirations for the Ryder Cup. He said, as per PGA Tour:

"September is a few months away, and I'm glad my game is in good shape. Hopefully, I can make a push for that."

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When will Sepp Straka play next?

Sepp Straka isn't playing at this week's Scottish Open and he will be back in action with the Open Championship, which will be played from July 20 to 23 at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club Hoylake, Merseyside, England.

After failing to make the cut last year, the University of Georgia alum is set to make his second appearance at the Open. So far this season, the golfer has made 16 cuts in 23 starts, achieving four top-10 finishes, including a victory at the TPC Deere Run.

Sepp Straka missed the cut at the US Open last month but made a T7 finish at the PGA Championship. At the Augusta National, he ended at T46. As the final major of the year approaches, Straka will be eager to conclude it with a good performance.

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Who is leading the automatic qualification list for the Ryder Cup 2023?

Here's the European Points list for the Ryder Cup 2023:

• Jon Rahm: 3017.98
• Rory McIlroy: 3003.5
• Yannik Paul: 1607
• Adrian Meronk: 1555.71
• Rasmus Højgaard: 1516.86
• Victor Perez: 1456.55

World Points List for Team Europe

• Viktor Hovland: 252.98
• Tyrrell Hatton: 178.67
• Matt Fitzpatrick: 149.8
• Tommy Fleetwood: 135
• Sepp Straka: 103.32
• Shane Lowry: 98.27

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US Team Standings

The top 6 players in the US Team standings will earn an automatic spot in the Ryder Cup. Here is the US team standing as of now:

1. Scottie Scheffler: 25,091.04
2. Wyndham Clark: 13,166.35
3. Brooks Koepka: 9,362.61
4. Xander Schauffele: 8,353.88
5. Patrick Cantlay: 8,328.58
6. Max Homa: 7,650.87
7. Keegan Bradley: 7,422.34
8. Jordan Spieth: 7,299.80
9. Collin Morikawa: 7,116.81
10. Cameron Young: 7,074.28
11. Sam Burns: 6,727.05
12. Rickie Fowler: 6,673.59