By Doug Ferguson
The Associated Press

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — So much for all the PGA Tour fall events having weak fields.

The Procore Championship in Napa is shaping up to be training camp for the Ryder Cup for the American team to avoid getting rusty ahead of the Sept. 26-28 matches.

“I know I’ll be there,” Scottie Scheffler said.

Ditto for Xander Schauffele, who suggested the world’s No. 1 player was a strong voice in urging whoever is on the U.S. team to be at Silverado Resort on Sept. 11-14.

That was a big concern at the last Ryder Cup, held outside Rome in 2023. The PGA Tour season that year ended Aug. 27 with the Tour Championship at East Lake, and the majority of the team had a full month away from tournament golf before going to Marco Simone for the start of the Ryder Cup on Sept. 29.

Justin Thomas and former Cal standout Max Homa were the only players in Napa, along with U.S. captain Zach Johnson. Europe had its players at the BMW PGA Championship in England. Team Europe got out to a fast start at Marco Simone and sailed to an easy victory to win back the cup.

The Procore Championship is the only PGA Tour event on the schedule between the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York. It also is the same week as the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Odds are against having all 12 of the Americans there — one of them is Bryson DeChambeau, who is banned from the PGA Tour because he’s with LIV Golf.

Related Articles

Dominant Scottie Scheffler racks up 2nd major of 2025 with win at British Open

Ex-San Jose Shark Joe Pavelski tied for lead in American Century celebrity golf tournament

Kyle Juszczyk hasn’t forgotten ‘three worst days of my life’ amid 49ers free agency

Curry just off Pavelski’s lead to open ‘title defense’ in Tahoe celebrity golf tournament

Steph Curry in wait-and-see mode on Tahoe golf reign — and Warriors tenure

U.S. captain Keegan Bradley told Sports Illustrated he would use one of his six picks on DeChambeau, who finished in the top 10 at three of the four majors this year.

“Bryson is going to be a very important piece to us winning the Ryder Cup,” Bradley said in a text message to SI. “He brings so much. He brings energy, passion but most importantly, he’s one of the best players on the planet.”

The LIV Golf League season ends Aug. 24 with its team championship in Michigan. The only other competition for DeChambeau would be a YouTube match or European tour stops in Switzerland, Ireland, England or France.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf