AMERICAN Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker has axed Captain America’ Patrick Reed from Whistling Straits, later in the month.

Reed was named after his Ryder Cup exploits. He was also the surprise omission when Stricker chose his six wildcard picks.

Reed was nearly killed when he was hospitalized for double pneumonia a few weeks back.

He proved his fitness, playing 72 holes of the Tour Championship last Thursday. Only two of six players chosen by Stricker were able to beat his two-under total.

Xander Schauffele beat him, and Daniel Berger beat him. Reed, a feisty fighter, finished at level with Harris English, Scottie Scheffler and won over Tony Finau and Jordan Spieth.

However, it was not enough to earn him a fourth consecutive Ryder Cup spot in Stricker’s eyes.

There are no complaints about Finau, Schauffele and Spieth's selections. They finished just behind six automatic qualifiers.

Reed placed 11th, despite missing three counting events while in hospital.

Stricker chose instead to go for the 12th-placed Berger, and, even more surprising, Scheffler, who was 14.

Scheffler has never won a PGA Tour event, but he did finish in the top ten at three Majors this year.

And was part of the elite group that broke 60, with a 59 at last year's Northern Trust tournament.

Four of Stricker’s picks are rookies, with the exception of Spieth or Finau. This means that exactly half of his 12-man team have never played in a Ryder Cup.

He will be encouraged by the fact that six Americans were last sent to Valhalla in 2008, where they won a 16 1/2-11 1/2 victory.