Fowler plays his way off US Ryder Cup team

Reed carded a closing 70 to finish on nine-under 275 at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale on New York’s Long Island.

Eight Americans qualify automatically * Reed one of five returning from 2014 * Fowler, Watson miss out NEW YORK, Aug 28 (Reuters) – Patrick Reed clinched a spot on the American Ryder Cup team when he won The Barclays on Sunday and immediately set his sights on gaining “sweet revenge” when the USA take on Europe in five weeks’ time. Fowler’s loss was Zach Johnson’s gain as the 2015 British Open champion claimed the eighth and final automatic spot.

Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth topped the qualifying table with Phil Mickelson finishing in third place.

Captain Davis Love III has four wildcard picks for the team.

Reed rallied from an early two-shot deficit to win the FedEx Cup playoff opener and assure himself a clear shot at the US$10 million bonus. “Everyone’s been talking about the Ryder Cup, been talking about, “Oh, you’re in the eighth spot and you’re on the bubble” and all that”, Reed said after his one-shot victory. “It takes care of everything”.

Right when it looked as though Johnson had played his way out of an automatic spot on the USA team, Rickie Fowler made two bogeys and a double bogey over the final four holes at The Barclays and failed to qualify.

The victory was the 26-year-old’s first on the PGA Tour since his triumph at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in January 2015, and he had double reason to celebrate in NY, with the triumph also earning him an automatic spot on Davis Love III’s Ryder Cup team.