Luke Donald Defines the European Team for the 2025 Ryder Cup
The European team captain, Luke Donald, announced the final six picks for his Ryder Cup team, marking a milestone in the preparation for the tournament. The European team will be seeking their first away win since 2012. Donald already had a stellar team, including figures like Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood. The captain’s selections 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. However, no visiting team has achieved victory since the “Miracle at Medinah” 13 years ago. The Europeans will face the United States team at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York, from September 26 to 28. The selections for the American team are already known, with captain Keegan Bradley opting not to include himself.A Captain with History
Luke Donald, being the captain for the second consecutive time, joins a select group. In the early days of the modern Ryder Cup era, between 1979 and 1995, Europe had only three different captains: John Jacobs, Tony Jacklin, and Bernard Gallacher, who led nine tournaments. Donald will try to achieve what only Jacklin managed: to guide Europe to victory on two occasions.“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,” Donald stated.
Luke Donald
Key Players of the European Team
Here are the players who will represent Europe in the 2025 Ryder Cup.Rory McIlroy
Ryder Cup Appearances: 7 (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2023)Individual record: 16 wins, 13 losses, 4 draws McIlroy was the first player to qualify for the European team, and his eighth appearance comes after a memorable season, including the victory at the 2025 Masters.Robert McIntyre
Ryder Cup Appearances: 1 (2023)
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Tommy Fleetwood
Ryder Cup Appearances: 3 (2018, 2021, 2023)
Individual record: 7 wins, 3 losses, 2 draws Fleetwood secured his first PGA Tour victory, ending a period of frustrations. He has been a reliable player for the European team, with seven wins in the last three Ryder Cups.Justin Rose
Ryder Cup Appearances: 6 (2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2023)Individual record: 14 wins, 9 losses, 3 draws Rose, at 45 years old, brings experience and talent. She comes in excellent form, with a victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and a second place at the Masters.Rasmus Højgaard
Ryder Cup Appearances: None
Individual Record: N/A Højgaard will make his Ryder Cup debut after securing the last qualifying spot. At 24 years old, he will seek to surpass his brother, Nicolai’s, performance in his debut in 2023.Tyrrell Hatton
Ryder Cup Appearances: 3 (2018, 2021, 2023)
Individual record: 5 wins, 4 losses, 2 draws Hatton, the only LIV player to automatically qualify, will participate in his fourth Ryder Cup. He was one of Europe’s best players in the previous edition, winning three of his four matches.The Captain’s Elections
These are the players selected by Luke Donald to complete the team:
Shane Lowry
Ryder Cup Appearances: 2 (2021, 2023)
Individual record: 2 wins, 3 losses, 1 draw Lowry, a close friend of McIlroy, will bring valuable experience to the team. He was Donald’s first choice.Jon Rahm
Ryder Cup Appearances: 3 (2018, 2021, 2023)
Individual record: 6 wins, 3 losses, 3 draws Despite being 24th in the European ranking, Rahm was a safe choice. He is a key player in the Ryder Cup, with 7.5 points in his three appearances.Sepp Straka
Ryder Cup Appearances: 1 (2023)
Individual record: 1 win, 2 losses, 0 draws Straka, who has had an irregular performance since May, was still chosen by Donald, who has noticed his development since 2023.Viktor Hovland
Ryder Cup Appearances: 2 (2021, 2023)
Individual record: 3 wins, 4 losses, 3 draws Hovland, after an irregular start to the year, secured his place with a victory at the Valspar. He has a great track record in the Ryder Cup, participating in all the sessions of the matches in which he has played.Ludvig Aberg
Ryder Cup Appearances: 1 (2023)
Individual record: 2 wins, 2 losses, 0 draws Aberg, the breakout star of the previous edition, will seek to improve his record. The Swede, only 25 years old, won half of his matches in his debut.
