European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald is bringing an virtually equivalent group to Bethpage Black – all the way in which right down to the identical surnames.
Donald finalized his 12-man roster on Monday with no surprises and even fewer new faces.
Eleven of the 12 gamers who romped to a blowout victory two years in the past in Rome will return for one more likelihood at Ryder Cup glory, with the captain finally swapping out one Hojgaard (Nicolai) for one more (his twin, Rasmus), after the 24-year-old Dane beforehand secured one of many six automated qualifying spots.
And even Rasmus isn’t unfamiliar to the cadence and drama of Ryder Cup week – he was introduced in to Donald’s group in 2023 as a part of the broader, non-playing workers.
Not like Keegan Bradley’s captain’s picks, which have been the topic of limitless conjecture over the previous few months, Donald’s selections, comparatively, have been much more simple.
Donald went down the road Nos. 7-11 on the factors standings, bringing again Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, Ludvig Åberg, Viktor Hovland and Matt Fitzpatrick for one more go. Donald strayed additional down the standings for his final choose, to No. 24, however for a great cause: two-time main winner Jon Rahm.
“Jon actually units the usual for us,” Donald mentioned. “He understands the historical past of the Ryder Cup, what it represents. Clearly, he desires to comply with within the footsteps of some superb Spanish gamers that led the way in which.”
“It’s going to be particular,” added Rahm. “Can’t wait to be at Bethpage, New Yorkers are going to be unbelievable followers. It’s going to be troublesome for us however trying ahead to hopefully having a greater displaying than the final time we did it within the U.S.”
The house group has gained eight of the final 9 matches within the biennial occasion, together with 5 in a row.
Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton are eligible to compete on this yr’s Ryder Cup whereas interesting the fines levied in opposition to them by the DP World Tour for taking part in in conflicting occasions on LIV.
Straka (twice), Åberg and Hovland all gained on the PGA Tour this season, whereas Lowry and Fitzpatrick mixed for 9 top-10s. Rahm defended his title because the LIV particular person champion.
Simply lacking out on the European group, as he did in 2018, was Englishman Matt Wallace, who was delivered to tears Sunday after an in depth name on the DP World Tour’s European Masters. It’s unclear whether or not the victory would have been sufficient for Donald to pick Wallace in lieu of a participant who was already a part of his plans, however the 35-year-old Englishman was nonetheless devastated to overlook out on his likelihood.
The lone newcomer to this yr’s squad, Rasmus Hojgaard accrued nearly all of his Ryder Cup factors late final yr after a ending flourish on the DP World Tour, and he solidified his spot among the many high 6 with a clutch efficiency two weeks in the past on the British Masters. He adopted it up by tying for second, with Wallace, ultimately week’s occasion in Switzerland.
Donald’s six captain’s picks – which went a mixed 10-8-4 in Rome – be part of a veteran squad that already consists of Hojgaard, Hatton, Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose.
It’s simply the fourth time that the Europeans have had a single rookie on the group, and the primary since 2012.
“Clearly a whole lot of continuity from Rome,” Donald mentioned. “That’s uncommon to have so many individuals coming again, nevertheless it simply exhibits how good these gamers are.
“However despite the fact that we have now a whole lot of continuity, it is a completely different animal to play away in America. We perceive how troublesome that’s.”
Subsequent week will function dueling tune-up occasions of kinds for each Ryder Cup groups. As many as 11 gamers on the U.S. aspect are anticipated to join the PGA Tour’s Procore Championship in Napa, whereas all however Sepp Straka are on the early commit record for the BMW PGA Championship, the flagship occasion on the DP World Tour.
The Ryder Cup is Sept. 26-28 in Farmingdale, New York.
