JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Earning a spot on a U.S. Ryder Cup team has always been a goal for Kevin Kisner. Talking about earning a spot on a U.S. Ryder Cup team, however, has never been a goal.

“Shocking,” he teased when asked a Ryder Cup-related question on Wednesday at The Northern Trust.

Kisner wasn’t even in the Ryder Cup conversation until his victory last week at the Wyndham Championship moved him to 18^th on the U.S. point list. And following his first win since '19, Kisner exchanged text messages with captain Steve Stricker. 

“He just texted me congratulations and to keep it up. We're good friends. We've known each other a long time. I enjoy his company and value his friendship,” Kisner said. “I think the media puts way more on it than any of us in the middle of it.”

As for whether Stricker should consider him for one of his captain’s picks, however, was not part of the text exchange. Instead, Kisner hopes his record and his play can speak for him.

“In match play, it's a total different animal than stroke play, so I'm not having to beat 155 other guys on the golf course. I just have to beat one or two depending on the format,” he said. “I can bring value to the team in the ways I can get the ball in the hole.”

The top 6 on the U.S. point list on Aug. 29 qualify for the U.S. team and Stricker will select the next six to fill out of his team for the matches which will be played Sept. 24-26 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.