US PGA: Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson weighs up whether to leave out LIV’s in-form Brooks Koepka

If there’s been a few consistent themes throughout the first two majors of this golf season, it’s the prevalence of LIV Rebels on Sunday leaderboards and a recurring question that’s often around.

What exactly is US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson going to do with them? It’s really an American dilemma and one that makes him quite awkward.

Based on conversations a few of us had with Johnson after his final round at the US PGA Championship on Sunday, it’s a topic he doesn’t know how to address in public, or one he wants to ignore altogether .

Unfortunately, the form of Brooks Koepka in particular makes that very difficult. It was unknown at press time whether the four-time big winner had turned a 54-hole lead into victory at Oak Hill.

But the fact that he entered the final round here in the same position he entered his final loop at the Masters would indicate two things: that he is once again a force of nature on the biggest stages and most certainly one of the 12 best players from the United States.

The four-time major winner hopes to turn a 54-hole lead into victory at Oak Hill

But young Norwegian Viktor Hovland (pictured) is hot on his heels at the US PGA Championship

Johnson’s European counterpart Luke Donald has enjoyed the greater clarity on his side of the Atlantic – the Rebels who have defected have largely canceled their DP World Tour membership and are thus unavailable for selection.

Johnson has no such simplicity in his scenario, as the US defectors remain eligible if they can accumulate enough ranking points ahead of Italy’s October game to move into the top six of the US Cup standings, or if they with their performances arguing for one of Johnson’s six choices. The politics of the LIV has made a furore of that powder keg situation.

Phil Mickelson, who finished second at Augusta, weighed in on Sunday, pointing out his belief that it should be a showdown between the best golfers in the US and the best in Europe, regardless of which circuit they represent.

Mickelson said: ‘I don’t see the advantage of the Ryder Cup changing from what it is historically, which is the US versus Europe. I don’t see the point in changing that. And I don’t see how the PGA of America cares what tour we play. But that is my opinion.’

Obviously, the American side would benefit in a sporting sense if Johnson were open to using Koepka and Dustin Johnson as captains, assuming they don’t get enough points for automatic qualification through the LIV circuit, which hitherto shunned by the authority on golf.

However, as it stands, Johnson offers little encouragement on that front. Indeed, he said he had no plans to attend any of the LIV events, citing his PGA Tour schedule, and seemed to imply he hasn’t been following any of the broadcasts either.

“I think the luxury of me as captain is that I’m still relevant and dominant on the PGA Tour and that’s where my stature remains,” Johnson said. “So if I were to give that up in a week where I could be there and where most of my players will definitely come from, it would be irresponsible and inappropriate.”

Asked to clarify whether he would be going to any of the LIV tournaments to better monitor week-to-week progress, he added, “Hasn’t been discussed. I’m not one to say never, but it hasn’t been discussed.’

Koepka’s form makes it difficult for US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson (left) to leave him out

Fellow LIV defector Phil Mickelson said players should be able to play on the Rebel tour

McIlroy struggled throughout the tournament, but came into the final loop with a decent chance

While 46-year-old club pro Michael Block (center) was aiming for eighth position

Johnson has indicated it is too early in the year for such deliberations, which extend to whether the “chemistry” he wants in his team room is compromised by selecting a LIV golfer. That may raise eyebrows with less than five months to the Rome clash.

On the track where Koepka made a bid to keep the debate alive. He had criticized himself for ‘choking’ in Augusta on Sunday, but here he started fast, with three birdies in a row.

It was almost the perfect opening on a course that offered more opportunities than the previous three days. But his playing partner in the final group, Viktor Hovland, fought back to reduce Koepka’s lead.

The Norwegian landed a 16-foot birdie early on as he attempted to continue his chase and was one shot down with nine to play.

The previous rounds had been contested in a mixture of frost, downpours and strong gusts of wind, but the final day was warm and mostly quiet, with this brutal course softened to something more gentle.

It was 2 p.m. local time when Rory McIlroy got his chance to attack the set-up, playing alongside Michael Block, the 46-year-old California club pro whose recent past included a ninth-place finish in a regional championship and a check for $ 185 (£148).

If Block could hold onto eighth place here, which was his starting spot on Sunday after three rounds of 70, he would have made $535,000 (£430,000). Funny old game, which may well be McIlroy’s shared take on a tournament where he’s struggled hard yet entered the final loop with a significant chance.

He opened with a laser off a three-wood from the first tee, followed it up with a 144-yard approach to one foot, and walked away with a birdie. He played the next five holes in one over, leaving the dream hanging by a thread.