European captain Luke Donald picked a strong and familiar lineup for this year’s Ryder Cup. The highly competitive tournament will be held at the iconic Bethpage Black course in Farmingdale, NY from September 26-28. The European team captain will return 11 of the 12 players who triumphed for Europe in the 2023 Ryder Cup, demonstrating a strategy focused on continuity and experience.
The only switch in the starting lineup is Rasmus Hojgaard replacing his twin brother, Nicolai Hojgaard. It’s shaping up to be a memorable year for Rasmus, as he’s poised to be the lone Ryder Cup rookie on the European side. Diverse players to season the roster Established veterans earned slots on the team. Among them are Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre, Justin Rose, and Tyrell Hatton.
Donald took comfort in how the team is built, invoking the need for a good core.
“Obviously a lot of continuity from Rome,” – Luke Donald
He further emphasized the unique challenge that comes with competing in America:
“But even though we have a lot of continuity, this is a different animal to play away in America. We understand how difficult that is.” – Luke Donald
The European squad will be largely familiar, but will include six new players who made significant impacts during the course of the season. These are the likes of Shane Lowry, Jon Rahm, Sepp Straka, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Åberg, and Matt Fitzpatrick. One name in particular should jump out: two-time major champion and former world No. Last month, he was named LIV Golf’s individual champion for the second straight year.
The European squad has chosen to go with the same roster largely. This decision proves once again their dedication to a constructive, stable, team-oriented majority, particularly following their exemplary campaign effort last fall.
“That’s unusual to have so many people coming back, but it just shows how good these players are,” – Luke Donald
The U.S. team, captained by Keegan Bradley, will feature four rookies: Spaun, Henley, Young, and Griffin. Bradley announced his picks last week, most notably excluding himself from the list.
The European squad hasn’t featured just a single rookie since 2012 when Nicolas Colsaerts was the only debutante. It was the year of a historic victory for Europe on American soil. Matt Wallace, ranked 7-11 in the European Ryder Cup qualifying standings, sadly just ran out of time of making the choice this year.
For both teams, the stage is set for an exhilarating battle at Bethpage Black. Fans and analysts alike are eager to see how this well-traveled European team will fare against the brash young American side.
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