ATLANTA -- Ryan Moore will fill out the U.S. Ryder Cup team at Hazeltine National this week, getting the final at-large pick on Sunday night from captain Davis Love III.
Moore, who has never played on a Ryder Cup team, lost to Rory McIlroy in a playoff Sunday at the Tour Championship, his strong play at the end of the season -- he won the John Deere Classic and had top-10s at two FedEx Cup playoff events -- giving him the last-minute pick.
Left out was Bubba Watson, the highest-ranked American not on the team. Watson, who tied for 10th at the Tour Championship, is seventh in the world and finished ninth in points but was bypassed for someone believed to be in better form.
Love selected Rickie Fowler, J.B. Holmes and Matt Kuchar with his first three at-large picks on Sept. 12, with a final choice to be made on the eve of Ryder Cup week to select a potentially "hot'' player.
Often referred to as the "Billy Horschel pick,'' the later date was selected after Horschel won the final two FedEx Cup playoff events and the overall title two years ago -- after the U.S. Ryder Cup team had been determined.
Watson's tie for 10th at the Tour Championship on Sunday was his first top-10 on the PGA Tour since March. He had an eighth-place finish at the Olympic Golf Tournament last month as well as another at a European Tour event in China.
If the idea was truly to get a hot player, Love could have selected either Moore or Kevin Chappell, both of whom were in the sudden-death playoff. Justin Thomas, who tied for sixth, and Daniel Berger, who tied for 15th, also were said to be in consideration.
With Moore added to the team, the U.S. will have two Ryder Cup rookies on the squad, the other being Brooks Koepka. The European team, led by McIlroy, will have six rookies.