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Ryder Cup captain Clarke calms Stenson injury concerns

Zach Johnson didn’t have a great weekend at the Barclays finishing two over in a tie for 48th.

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So what Johnson said to reporters now applies to Fowler, Bubba Watson and others who need the nod from the captain.

The 23-year-old picked up two birdies on the front nine and also at the 17 to match his impressive start yesterday.

The 2016 Ryder Cup U.S. and European teams are mostly set after automatic qualifying ends on August 28, 2016, with the conclusion of The Barclays on the PGA Tour and the Made in Denmark on the European Tour.

The lack of experience is likely to be a concern for Clarke, so his long-time friend and former Ryder Cup partner Lee Westwood was a unanimous choice for our panel consisting of Andrew Coltart, Richard Boxall, John Hawksworth and John E Morgan. “I’ve just got to play better”, Johnson said. On that morning at 10 a.m. ET, Love will hold a press conference at Hazeltine National to announce three of his four Captain’s Picks. Having Phil Mickelson, who’s made a record 11 USA teams, will be incredibly valuable.

Gary Hurley finished the day on 2-under, but Shane Lowry, who is hoping to impress Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke this week, shot a 4-over par 75 for his opening round.

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The Barclays Sunday was the cutoff to automatically qualify for the American squad on a points accumulated over the past two years. According to ESPN.com, captain Davis Love III will choose three more players September 11 before selecting the final participant September 25, five days before the competition begins. The fourth pick will be made at the conclusion of the Tour Championship on September 25, 2016.

Shane Lowry tees off on the 3rd hole during the second round of Made in Denmark