The Ryder Cup: Europe ready to defend their title on American soil
The wait is almost over! The European team, led by Luke Donald, heads to the United States this month to defend the Ryder Cup in Farmingdale, New York, at the Bethpage Black course. Donald has a stellar team, including prominent figures like Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood, and his captain’s picks complete what promises to be one of the strongest European teams in recent times. Of the players who participated in Rome, where Europe prevailed with a score of 16½-11½, eleven return for this challenge. However, the task is arduous: no visiting team has won the Ryder Cup since 2012, when the European team achieved the “Miracle of Medinah”.The Captain: Luke Donald
In the past, it was common for European team captains to remain in the role. Between 1979 and 1995, at the beginning of the modern era of the Ryder Cup, Europe had only three different captains: John Jacobs, Tony Jacklin, and Bernard Gallacher, who led nine tournaments. Since then, the European team has not had a repeated captain. In contrast, the United States has not had the same captain in two consecutive tournaments since Ben Hogan in 1949. What Donald will do at Bethpage is, without a doubt, uncommon. If Donald manages to lead Europe to victory, he would become the second person to achieve that feat, after Jacklin, who did it in ’85 and ’87.Donald, who led Europe to a resounding victory in Italy, also aspires to be the first European captain to win on American soil since José María Olazábal, who achieved the “Miracle of Medinah”.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
Classifieds
Rory McIlroy
Appearances in the Ryder Cup: 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 in this Ryder Cup, and his eighth appearance comes after one of his most memorable seasons. The Northern Irish golfer completed his Grand Slam by winning the 2025 Masters.Robert McIntyreAppearances in the Ryder Cup: 1 (2023) Individual record: 2 wins, 0 losses, 1 draw McIntyre had a standout season, with two second-place finishes and six top-10s. His second appearance in the Ryder Cup comes after a near-perfect debut in 2023.Bob has had great performances on both sides of the Atlantic this season, and that good form combined with his 2023 experience will be invaluable in New York.
Luke Donald
Tommy Fleetwood
Ryder Cup Appearances: 3 (2018, 2021, 2023) Individual record: 7 wins, 3 losses, 2 draws Fleetwood secured his first victory on the PGA Tour after numerous failed attempts. His triumph in the FedEx Cup marked the end of a difficult period. Fleetwood has been a reliable contributor to the European team in the Ryder Cup, with seven victories in the last three tournaments.Justin Rose
Appearances in the Ryder Cup: 6 (2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2023) Individual record: 14 wins, 9 losses, 3 draws Rose, at 45 years old, is the oldest member of the European team and brings experience and talent. She arrives at the Ryder Cup in excellent form, after winning the FedEx St. Jude Championship in August.Rasmus HøjgaardAppearances in the Ryder Cup: None Individual record: N/A Højgaard will make his Ryder Cup debut this year after securing the last qualifying spot. The 24-year-old Dane will seek to surpass his brother Nicolai’s performance in 2023.Tyrrell HattonRyder 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 earned his place despite his LIV qualifying points not counting. He was one of the best players on the European team in the previous tournament, winning three of his four matches.Captain’s Elections
Shane Lowry
Appearances in the Ryder Cup: 2 (2021, 2023) Individual record: 2 wins, 3 losses, 1 draw Lowry, despite not having shown his best form in the majors, will bring valuable experience to Donald’s team. He was Donald’s first choice.Jon Rahm
Ryder Cup Appearances: 3 (2018, 2021, 2023) Individual record: 6 wins, 3 losses, 3 draws Rahm, despite being 24th in the European ranking, was a safe choice for Bethpage. He won his second consecutive LIV Golf title in 2025 and performed well in the majors.Sepp Straka
Appearances in the Ryder Cup: 1 (2023) Individual record: 1 win, 2 losses, 0 draws Straka, after two victories on the PGA Tour, has had inconsistent form since May. However, his development since 2023 has not gone unnoticed by Donald.Viktor HovlandAppearances in the Ryder Cup: 2 (2021, 2023) Individual record: 3 wins, 4 losses, 3 draws Hovland has had an irregular year in 2025, but secured his place after a victory at the Valspar. The Norwegian has a good track record in the Ryder Cup.Ludvig AbergAppearances in the Ryder Cup: 1 (2023) Individual record: 2 wins, 2 losses, 0 draws Aberg, Marco Simone’s surprise, is a figure to watch out for at Bethpage. He won the Genesis this year and has performed well in recent tournaments.Matt Fitzpatrick
Ryder Cup Appearances: 3 (2016, 2021, 2023) Individual record: 1 win, 7 losses, 0 draws Fitzpatrick, who has performed well recently, has secured his fourth Ryder Cup appearance. However, his Ryder Cup record needs improvement.
