Ryder Cup: US captain Zach Johnson safe choice to face Europe in Italy 2023

Zach Johnson was the continuity candidate; an understated, underdog kind of guy who American golf believes is best qualified to keep the Ryder Cup in US hands.

You don't win the Masters in 2007 as one of the shortest hitters on tour without having a tonne of fight, likewise eclipsing a stacked leaderboard eight years later to win The Open at St Andrews.

So the Iowan, who is about to turn 46, looks an ideal choice to succeed another over-achieving yet undemonstrative figure. Steve Stricker used those sort of qualities to pilot America to a record 19-9 win over Europe at Whistling Straits last September.

It is Johnson's task to ride the momentum generated by that brilliant win and become the first US skipper to win on European soil in three decades.

«There's certainly some gravity to the situation, I welcome it,» the new Captain America told BBC Sport. «I love difficult situations, I love being an individual that shouldn't.

»That was the way I was taught, because that individual who shouldn't sometimes does and that's going to be my approach.

«It is going to be hard, very difficult but let's embrace what we have, a great opportunity to go out there and have fun and showcase some great, talented US players.»

Like Stricker, Johnson will select half of his team. His predecessor was more nimble than his opposite number Padraig Harrington by insisting on six wildcard picks for the 12-man team after Covid-19 disrupted the original qualifying period.

Continuing this selection policy was discussed with America's Ryder Cup committee, which includes Stricker — who Johnson has already named as one of his vice-captains — as well as leading players including Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.

«It was pretty unanimous that we wanted to keep