In past editions of the Ryder Cup, the idea of squabbling over wildcard picks felt less important.

US skippers had just two up to 2006 and there was usually broad agreement on who they should be.

But this time, as in 2021 and 2023, half of Keegan Bradley’s 12-man squad will be made up of wildcards.

And with so many players making a legitimate case, the arguments on who should and shouldn’t have been selected raged hard.

Bradley announced his wildcards on Wednesday and chose the following half-dozen: Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns.

But did he get it right?

It’s very easy to say he didn’t, especially when it came to one of the biggest stories of the year: would Bradley pick himself?

He didn’t and that decision and others could come back to bite him.

Here, we present the case for three changes…

OUT: Sam Burns

Okay, it was on foreign soil but Sam Burns managed just a single point from three matches when making his Ryder Cup debut in Rome in 2023.

And it must surely be a concern that he wilted in the final round of this year’s US Open when leading after 54 holes.

When the pressure was at its greatest – as it will be in the Ryder Cup – Burns crumbled, a final-round 78 dropping him to tied seventh at Oakmont. That US Open collapse doesn’t bode well.

IN: Keegan Bradley

Bradley finished 11th in the Ryder Cup standings, five places above wildcard pick, Burns, in 16th. That’s reason enough to pick himself; his play deserved it.

Okay, it would have been quite a juggling act to both play and skipper the team but Bradley has enough depth in the squad to have limited himself to three matches.

That would mean he sat out one session each day on Friday and Saturday before having plenty of time on Saturday night to work on the singles order.

A captain can’t be in four places at once anyway; that’s what vice-captains are for. So when he was playing in either the four fourballs/foursomes, Bradley could have focused on his match and allowed his five (FIVE!) vice-captains – Jim Furyk, Kevin Kisner, Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker and Gary Woodland – to be his eyes and ears in the other three games.

Bradley was the joint-top points scorer for the USA in the only home Ryder Cup he played (2012). He was superb that week, winning three games out of four and emerging as a crowd favourite. As a player, he’ll be missed this time.

OUT: Patrick Cantlay

Captains want energy and personality in the Ryder Cup. Someone who can make a difference in the dressing room to help pick the side up. Think what Ian Poulter did for Team Europe.

Patrick Cantlay is not that man.

The reserved Californian has shown some steel before in Ryder Cups but his slow play remains maddening – could even the home (but raucous) New York fans turn on him? “Get on with it Cantlay!” – if things aren’t going well?

Despite playing well in the Tour Championship, he’s had a fairly unremarkable season, hence his place of 15th in the final Ryder Cup standings. Arguably, there were better options elsewhere.

Read more: Why Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson can’t be in USA’s greatest Ryder Cup team

IN: Maverick McNealy

McNealy finished five spots above Cantlay in qualification.

A licensed pilot, he’s a cool character (13th for Bounce Back) and would have brought some fresh energy to the US side.

He’s also been one of the best performers on the greens this season. We often hear the line from the losing side that the winners “outputted us” so McNealy could have been a vital asset in that department.

OUT: Collin Morikawa

Morikawa is a pick on reputation but is his form really good enough?

The jury is very much out. In his final 14 starts of the season, Morikawa managed just a single top 10: a low-key eighth in the Rocket Classic.

Add in his lowly ranking of 141st for Strokes Gained: Putting and Morikawa isn’t the lock that many had him down for.

IN: Brian Harman

Harman finished the season strongly, posting a top 10 in The Open at Royal Portrush and signing off his week at the Tour Championship with a 63.

As well as showing better recent form, he’s also a far superior putter to Morikawa.

Consider this, since Morikawa last recorded a victory on American soil in 2021, Harman has won an Open Championship by six shots and also lifted silverware in this year’s Texas Open.

Read next: Which 127 PGA Tour-win duo was the worst USA Ryder Cup pairing ever?