BOSTON • The Dell Technologies Championship was supposed to serve as a teaser for the press conference in which three of the remaining four US Ryder Cup picks would be revealed.
But on a muggy Monday, Bryson DeChambeau, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Tony Finau squeezed all but the last note of drama out of the announcement from Jim Furyk, the US captain.
DeChambeau - the highest-ranking American in the Ryder Cup standings not to qualify on points - managed six birdies in a closing round four-under 67 for a total of 16-under 268 to lift the Dell Technologies Championship title, and all but guarantee himself a place on the team.
The 24-year-old, who has won three PGA Tour events since June, is the second player to win the first two FedExCup play-off events after Vijay Singh in 2008 and his victory at TPC Boston comes hot on the heels of his success in last week's Northern Trust.
"It's been fantastic," he said. "I've been playing incredible golf and hopefully, I can continue playing great. I don't know what the future has, but I can say there is another level."
The California native prevailed by two shots over England's Justin Rose (68) while Finau ended up four shots back, in a group of three tied for fourth, after closing with a 68 to secure his 10th top-10 showing of the season.
It was Mickelson who claimed the lowest score of the day, posting nine birdies in his round of 63 to finish tied for 12th at 10-under 274, in his bid to secure a spot in his 12th Ryder Cup.
The 48-year-old had a sizzling start to this season with five top-10 finishes in his first eight events, but he has cracked the top 10 only once since.
It is hard to imagine a Ryder Cup taking place without him - or without Woods, who already had a non-playing spot on the team sewn up and was 11th in the final point standings, one behind Mickelson.
Despite posting a final-round even-par 71, which left him tied for 24th, his third-round pairing with DeChambeau offered Furyk a preview of a possible foursome or four-ball pairing for the Ryder Cup, which will take place outside Paris later this month.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, NYTIMES
