Wyndham Clark is going from Denver to Rome. The Colorado native’s unbelievable season on the PGA Tour qualified him for the United States roster set to compete in the Ryder Cup Sept. 25- Oct. 1 at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club.

Clark is the first Colorado high school graduate to compete in the Ryder Cup since Hale Irwin in 1991. Irwin played in the Ryder Cup five times.

“At the beginning of the year that wasn’t even on the radar. When we won Wells Fargo, it was the first time it even came up,” Clark told Golf.com.

Clark grabbed the first two PGA wins of his career at the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina and followed it up with a U.S. Open win at Los Angeles Country Club. Clark became the first Colorado-born golfer to win a major.

All of his hard work will give him a chance to represent the U.S. in the Ryder Cup. Clark finished third at last week’s Tour Championship, a finish worth $5 million. He had eight top-10s to go with his two wins this season. For the year, Clark has won over $10 million.

The Ryder Cup is a different stage for golfers, though. The pressure increases, and the first tee can be a spectacle whether in U.S. or Europe. Clark feels he won’t shy away from that type of pressure and is ready to take it on.

“I’d want it. I’ve played in the Waste Management where there’s a ton of people and noise, and I thrive on

that stuff,” Clark said.

“It gives me the energy and excitement to hit a great shot. Obviously, I haven’t played in any team events, but I’ve been to opposing gyms in high school (at Valor Christian), where they’re yelling worse stuff than they will at the Ryder Cup.”

The European team will be announced next week after the DP World Tour plays the Omega European Masters in Switzerland. Team Europe could have a Colorado connection as well.

Former CU Buffs star golfer Yannik Paul has a chance to qualify or could be picked by captain Luke Donald. Paul won a DP World Tour event in Spain this season and currently ranks fourth on the European points list.

The hot topic in golf this week has been Zach Johnson’s captain picks to fill out the United States’ Ryder Cup team.

And the most talked-about name was Justin Thomas. The two-time major winner had a down season and didn’t even make the FedEx playoffs. Some believed he should not have been in the conversation.

Johnson still chose Thomas to be part of the team — and it was the right call.

The U.S. has not won in Europe since 1993 at The Belfry in England.

There have been some embarrassing losses in those 30 years. To break that streak in Rome, Johnson needs not only the best players but the toughest. And that is Thomas. He is America’s version of Sergio Garcia, a player who hasn’t had the best season but shines in team competition and is loathed by the opponent.

Thomas brings all of that as well as a 6-2-1 record in previous Ryder Cups. His partnership with Jordan Spieth, who was also picked on Tuesday, could be a key for the United States.

There were other deserving candidates like Cameron Young, Keegan Bradley or even Lucas Glover. The Ryder Cup is about putting the best team together, not just the best players. That looks like what Johnson is trying to do.

The other captain’s picks were Brooks Koepka, who won the PGA Championship, Sam Burns, Collin Morikawa and Rickie Fowler.

Local links

Colorado Springs resident and former CU Buffs golfer Steve Ivan had a strong showing at the U.S. Senior Amateur at Martis Camp Club in Truckee, Calif., before falling in the Round of 32 on Tuesday. No. 51 seed Ivan lost to 19th-seeded Jody Fanagan of Ireland, 5 and 3.