The wait is almost over! Luke Donald and his European aspect journey to the US this month to defend the Ryder Cup in Farmingdale, New York at Bethpage Black.
Donald has a star-studded forged at his disposal — that includes 2025 stars Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood — and his captain’s alternatives finalised what appears to be one of many strongest European sides in current reminiscence.
Eleven of the squad that half in Rome final time, when Europe received 16½-11½, return, however the process forward is daunting: No crew visiting crew has received the Ryder Cup since 2012, when Staff Europe delivered the “Miracle of Medinah.”
Here’s a have a look at Staff Europe and the way they’ve fared coming into the Ryder Cup.
CAPTAIN
Luke Donald
There was a time when Staff Europe captains would typically return for back-to-back appearances. At first of the fashionable Ryder Cup period, between 1979 and 1995, Europe had solely three completely different captains: John Jacobs, Tony Jacklin and Bernard Gallacher. That is 9 tournaments cut up between three completely different captains.
Staff Europe have by no means had a repeat captain since. Staff USA have not used the identical captain for 2 straight tournaments since Ben Hogan in 1949. What Donald will do at Bethpage is actually uncommon.
Curiously, it solely yielded three victories, two of which got here underneath Jacklin in ’85 and ’87. Ought to Donald information Europe to a different victory, he can be the one different particular person to handle that feat.
Nonetheless, Donald could have the backing of the group. It was in a postmatch information convention at Marco Simone that Rory McIlroy gave his blessing.
“I believe everybody sitting right here can be very blissful to have him once more,” he stated.
Donald, who led Europe to a commanding victory in Italy, can even be hoping to change into the primary European captain to win on U.S. soil since José María Olazábal with the “Miracle of Medinah.”
“Nice alternatives do not come alongside fairly often in life and I am a fantastic believer that after they do, it is advisable to seize them with each fingers,” Donald stated in his announcement assertion.
“That is certainly one of these moments.”
QUALIFIED
Rory McIlroy
Ryder Cup appearances: 7 appearances (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2023)Particular person match document: 16 wins, 13 defeats, 4 ties
Rory McIlroy was the primary participant to qualify for Staff Europe at this Ryder Cup, and his eighth look on the well-known occasion comes after certainly one of his most memorable seasons.
The Northern Irishman infamously ended his Augusta Nationwide heartbreak and accomplished his profession Grand Slam by successful the 2025 Masters in a trademark chaotic vogue. That wasn’t his solely victory, although: He additionally had two wins earlier than the Masters at Pebble Seashore and TPC Sawgrass.
McIlroy’s post-April type has been barely extra up-and-down — he missed the lower on the Canadian Open and tied forty seventh on the PGA Championship — however he has nonetheless managed 4 top-10 finishes since then, together with at The Open at Royal Portrush.
In his remaining begin earlier than the Ryder Cup, he completed tied-Twentieth with a 12-under scorecard throughout 4 rounds Wentworth within the PGA Championship.
Robert McIntyre
Ryder Cup appearances: 1 look (2023)Particular person match document: 2 wins, 0 defeats, 1 tie
Robert McIntyre could not have clinched any titles on the PGA Tour this 12 months, however it’s been a improbable season nonetheless for the Scot who has two runner-up finishes — on the U.S. Open and BMW Championship — and 6 top-10s.
His second look on the Ryder Cup comes after he made a near-perfect debut that noticed him go undefeated, together with a Sunday particular person victory over Wyndham Clark.
“Bob has put in some large performances on each side of the Atlantic this season, and that high-quality type mixed along with his expertise from 2023 can be invaluable in New York,” Donald stated when McIntyre booked his spot.
Tommy Fleetwood
Ryder Cup appearances: 3 appearances (2018, 2021, 2023)Particular person match document: 7 wins, 3 defeats, 2 ties
Identical to McIlroy, Fleetwood will enter this Ryder Cup with a barely completely different feeling than all of the final. The Liverpool-born golfer picked up his first PGA Tour win after 164 makes an attempt that had been suffering from close to and painful misses.
His lifting of the FedEx Cup at East Lake Golf Membership put a contented finish to what was a traditionally tough spell. Put succinctly: He was one of the best golfer to have by no means received on Tour. His 30 top-five finishes and not using a victory had been essentially the most on the PGA Tour previously 100 years, in keeping with ESPN Analysis.
With that over, Fleetwood can flip his consideration to the Ryder Cup the place he has been a dependable contributor for Staff Europe. His seven match wins over the previous three Cups have seen him take down the likes of Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth.
He twice partnered McIlroy final trip at Marco Simone. Will we see the identical once more at Bethpage?
Justin Rose
Ryder Cup appearances: 6 appearances (2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2023)Particular person match document: 14 wins, 9 defeats, 3 ties
At 45 years outdated, Justin Rose would be the oldest member of Staff Europe and he brings expertise in addition to expertise to this roster.
He comes into the Ryder Cup in improbable type, successful the the FedEx St. Jude Championship in August, in addition to managing a sixth-place end on the Scottish Open and sixteenth place at The Open. That is available in the identical 12 months that he completed second behind McIlroy in a playoff on the Masters.
The 2023 Ryder Cup was the primary time that Rose had been picked for the event — he had certified for all his earlier appearances — and he was paired twice with McIntyre the place they received and tied earlier than he fell to a 2&1 defeat to Patrick Cantlay.
In his remaining occasion earlier than the Ryder Cup, Rose was in rivalry after two days on the BMW Championship at Wentworth, sitting at 11-under, solely to fall away over the weekend and end tied-61st.
Rasmus Højgaard
Ryder Cup appearances: NoneIndividual match document: N/A
Rasmus Højgaard will make his Ryder Cup debut this 12 months after he secured the ultimate qualification spot with a tied-Thirteenth end on the British Masters.
It has not been Højgaard’s greatest 12 months but on the PGA Tour: He has beforehand managed one win yearly since he debuted in 2019. This 12 months, he has simply made a single top-10 — a second-place end on the Zurich Basic of New Orleans.
At 24 years outdated, the Dane will possible be the youngest member of the crew, and he can be hoping to do higher than his brother, Nicolai, did on his rookie look in 2023 when he misplaced two and drew one, together with a singles defeat to Xander Schauffele.
Tyrrell Hatton
Ryder Cup appearances: 3 appearances (2018, 2021, 2023)Particular person match document: 5 wins, 4 defeats, 2 ties
The lone LIV participant to safe automated qualification for Staff Europe, Hatton will embark on his fourth Ryder Cup.
The Englishman managed to earn his berth for the event regardless of his LIV rating factors not counting towards his qualification. Nonetheless, his victories eventually 12 months’s Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks and the Dubai Desert Basic, alongside his main document that noticed him tied-fourth on the U.S. Open, was sufficient to guide his place.
Hatton was certainly one of Staff Europe’s greatest performers final trip, successful three of his 4 matches and going undefeated.
CAPTAIN’S PICKS
Shane Lowry
Ryder Cup appearances: 2 appearances (2021, 2023)Particular person match document: 2 wins, 3 defeats, 1 tie
Lowry could not have proven the shape we so usually see in majors in golf’s premier crew occasion, however the 38-year-old will add priceless expertise to Donald’s aspect.
The Irishman, McIlroy’s greatest good friend in golf, missed out on automated qualification by lower than 4 factors and has persistently impressed on the PGA Tour, with two second-place finishes this 12 months at Pebble Seashore and the Truist.
He’ll be determined so as to add to his 2.5 Ryder Cup factors, and was Donald’s first choose.
Jon Rahm
Ryder Cup appearances: 3 appearances (2018, 2021, 2023)Particular person match document: 6 wins, 3 defeats, 3 ties
Whereas Rahm is simply twenty fourth within the European rankings, there was no means the Spaniard would not be picked for Bethpage.
Rahm, whose lowly place is solely because of an absence of begins in DP World Tour occasions, claimed his second straight LIV Golf title in 2025 and likewise impressed within the majors, with top-15 finishes at Augusta, Quail Hole and Oakmont.
A two-time main winner and an imposing matchplay opponent, the 30-year-old can also be a Ryder Cup pure, claiming 7.5 factors from his three appearances. Anticipate him to be a key cog in Donald’s crew once more.
Sepp Straka
Ryder Cup appearances: 1 look (2023)Particular person match document: 1 win, 2 defeats, 0 ties
Straka appeared a Ryder Cup lock earlier this 12 months after two PGA Tour victories in 4 months. Whereas he nonetheless makes the crew, it is truthful to say his type has been a bit shaky since Could.
The Austrian, who missed the lower in three out of 4 majors in 2025 regardless of being backed for fulfillment, completed a distant thirtieth on the Tour Championship at seven over par and has been inconsistent along with his putter specifically.
Nonetheless, his growth since 2023 has not gone unnoticed by Donald.
Viktor Hovland
Ryder Cup appearances: 2 appearances (2021, 2023)Particular person match document: 3 wins, 4 defeats, 3 ties
It has been a topsy-turvy 2025 for Hovland, following up three straight missed cuts in February and March with a shock win on the Valspar. His displaying there, and type since, secured his place.
Hovland made the lower in any respect 4 majors — ending third at Oakmont — and ended his season with a top-10 on the BMW Championship earlier than inserting twelfth on the Tour Championship. The Norwegian additionally has a stellar Ryder Cup document, taking part in in all 5 classes of each matches he is been concerned in.
Anticipate him to rekindle his high-quality partnership with Aberg sooner or later at Bethpage.
Ludvig Aberg
Ryder Cup appearances: 1 look (2023)Particular person match document: 2 wins, 2 defeats, 0 ties
The shock choose and breakout star from Marco Simone is unquestionably going to be a pressure to be reckoned with at Bethpage, and for a few years to come back.
Aberg received the Genesis this 12 months and completed seventh on the Masters earlier than going off the boil barely. His type returned on the Scottish Open, and he went into Donald’s announcement on the again of 5 straight top-25 finishes.
The Swede, nonetheless simply 25, received half his matches on his debut and has been given the prospect to enhance his document additional.
Matt Fitzpatrick
Ryder Cup appearances: 3 appearances (2016, 2021, 2023)Particular person match document: 1 win, 7 defeats, 0 ties
Equally to Hovland, Fitzpatrick’s place appeared in critical doubt earlier on within the 12 months. An eighth-place end on the PGA Championship, nonetheless, kickstarted his marketing campaign.
Fitzpatrick has six top-10s in 11 tournaments since then, and it is that type that earned him a fourth Ryder Cup look.
What does want to enhance, nonetheless, is the Englishman’s Ryder Cup document. Fitzpatrick has solely a single match win — with McIlroy in 4 balls two years in the past — and has by no means claimed a single level Stateside.
