Luke Donald Defines the European Team for the Ryder Cup
European captain Luke Donald has announced the six team selections for the Ryder Cup, as Team Europe looks for its first away win since 2012. With a team already packed with stars like Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood, the captain’s picks complete what appears to be one of the strongest European teams in recent memory. Eleven of the players who participated in Rome last year, where Europe won 16½-11½, are returning. The Europeans will face the U.S. team at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York, from September 26-28. The United States captain, Keegan Bradley, has already defined his team.Luke Donald’s Leadership
Donald will seek to make history, as European captains rarely repeat in the role. If Donald leads Europe to another victory, he would be the only one to achieve that feat.Donald also hopes to become the first European captain to win on American soil since José María Olazábal.I think everyone here would be very happy to have him back.
Rory McIlroy
Great opportunities don’t come along very often in life and I firmly believe that when they do, you have to seize them with both hands. This is one of those moments.
Luke Donald
Key Players of the European Team
Here’s a look at the key players who will represent Europe in the Ryder Cup:- Rory McIlroy: With seven Ryder Cup appearances, McIlroy was the first player to qualify for the European team. His eighth participation comes after a memorable season, including a victory at the 2025 Masters.
- Robert McIntyre: The Scot, with an outstanding season including two second places and six top-10 finishes, will make his second Ryder Cup appearance.
- Tommy Fleetwood: Fleetwood, who achieved his first victory on the PGA Tour, will be a reliable contributor to the European team.
- Justin Rose: At 45 years old, Rose brings experience and talent to the team, highlighting his recent victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
- Rasmus Højgaard: The Dane will make his Ryder Cup debut, looking to improve his performance.
- Tyrrell Hatton: Hatton, the only LIV player to automatically qualify, will seek his fourth Ryder Cup appearance.
The Captain’s Elections
The captain’s choices, which complete the team, are:- Shane Lowry: Lowry, who narrowly missed automatic qualification, brings valuable experience to the team.
- Jon Rahm: Despite his position in the European ranking, Rahm is a safe choice, looking to add important points to the team.
- Sepp Straka: Straka, with two PGA Tour victories, seeks to regain his best form for the competition.
- Viktor Hovland: Hovland, with a consistent performance, hopes to continue his good performance in the Ryder Cup.
- Ludvig Aberg: The Swede, a rising star, will seek to improve his performance in his debut.
- Matt Fitzpatrick: Fitzpatrick, with a recent improvement in his game, will seek to improve his record in the Ryder Cup.
