• Presidents Cup

Johnson, Stricker make Presidents Cup

Zach Johnson edged in to the United States' Presidents Cup side © Getty Images

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Zach Johnson didn't play in last week's Barclays so he could be the best man in his brother's wedding. While the decision cost him a chance to earn valuable US Presidents Cup points, it did not cost him a spot on the team.

The 37-year-old former Masters champion made a par on his final hole on Monday at the Deutsche Bank Championship to edge Webb Simpson by $6,000 for the tenth and last automatic spot on the US team that will face the Internationals, between October 3 and 5 at Muirfield Village, Ohio.

Johnson and Simpson were paired together on Monday at TPC Boston. Coming into the week, Simpson and Johnson were ninth and tenth, respectively, in the US standings.

"I truly didn't think even think about it," Johnson said of being paired with Simpson. "And then I made that putt on 9. I didn't know what the point situation was between he and I. Actually I thought he was at 8.

"But I guess you've got to go into it and just play. And I stayed in my process."

Presidents Cup qualifiers

The US defend the title they won in 2011 at Royal Melbourne © Getty Images

• US: Tiger Woods, Brandt Snedeker, Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, Jason Dufner, Keegan Bradley, Bill Haas, Hunter Mahan, Steve Stricker and Zach Johnson, plus two captain's picks
• International: Adam Scott (Aus), Jason Day (Aus), Charl Schwartzel (RSA), Ernie Els (RSA), Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Branden Grace (RSA), Richard Sterne (RSA), Angel Cabrera (Arg) and Graham DeLaet (Can), plus two captain's picks

Johnson said he wished there was a way that he could be tied with Simpson.

"I want Webb on the team," he said. "I know how he plays. He won't lose matches, the other guy's got to win."

Steve Stricker didn't have anyone looking over his shoulder as he started the final round trying to secure a place on the US team. He started the week in 11th position, but easily got inside the top 10 automatic qualifiers with a second-place finish at Deutsche Bank.

Earlier this week, the 46-year-old texted US captain Fred Couples to tell him that he didn't want one of his captain's picks, and that he preferred to make the team on his own merit.

"I'm excited to be a part of another team and represent the USA at Muirfield," said Stricker, who will make his fifth appearance in the biennial matches.

All Simpson can do is wait to see if Couples will make him one of the two captains picks on Wednesday.

"Freddie is going to make two good picks," Simpson said. "And all the guys, myself and three or four are playing good golf. He's got a tough job. And we'll see what he does."

In a conference call with reporters Monday night after the end of the Deutsche Bank Championship, Couples said that he and assistant captain Jay Haas were considering four golfers for their two captain's picks. They are Jim Furyk, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Simpson.

This article was originally published on ESPN.com

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