Europe finalises Ryder Cup squad as captain Luke Donald banks on experience

Dubai: Team Europe has finalised its lineup for the upcoming Ryder Cup later this month, with captain Luke Donald leaning on proven experience in his six wildcard picks. Donald named Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm, Ludvig Åberg, and Matt Fitzpatrick to complete the 12-man squad that will travel to Bethpage Black in New York.

They join the six automatic qualifiers — Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, and Rasmus Hojgaard — who secured their spots through the European and World Points Lists.

For Lowry, a veteran of Europe’s 2021 Ryder Cup team, the call came as both a relief and an emotional milestone.

“It’s unbelievable. It has been a stressful few weeks, a stressful year trying to make the team,” said Lowry. “I am very grateful that Luke and his team have put their faith in me again this time and hopefully I can repay them by producing the goods in Bethpage in a few weeks’ time.”

While the final selections added firepower and familiarity, they also spelled heartbreak for those who narrowly missed out. Chief among them was Matt Wallace, who broke down in tears at the conclusion of the DP World Tour’s event in Switzerland on Sunday after realising his Ryder Cup hopes had been dashed once again.

Others who had been on the radar during various stages of the qualification process included Marco Penge, Thomas Detry, Harry Hall, and Aaron Rai.

This will be the first Ryder Cup appearance for Ludvig Aberg, the 23-year-old Swede whose meteoric rise in the world rankings and composed performances have impressed both fans and selectors. On the other end of the spectrum, stalwarts like McIlroy, Rahm, and Rose bring invaluable Ryder Cup experience and leadership to a squad hungry to end a long-standing drought.

Europe has not won — or even retained — the Ryder Cup on American soil since their dramatic 2012 comeback at Medinah. With Bethpage’s notoriously raucous New York crowds waiting, the task ahead is monumental.

Jon Rahm, one of Europe’s emotional and competitive anchors, is embracing the challenge. “It’s going to be special. I can’t wait to be in Bethpage. New Yorkers are going to be incredible fans,” Rahm said.

Captain Donald heaped praise on the Spaniard, highlighting Rahm’s deep connection to the tournament’s legacy and his admiration for past Spanish greats.

“I think Jon really sets the standard for us,” Donald said. “It’s amazing what he understands about the history of the Ryder Cup and what it represents. He obviously wants to follow in the footsteps of some amazing Spanish players who led the way — the Sergios [Garcia], the Jose Marías [Olazábal], and of course Seve [Ballesteros], who we idolise for what he represents in Ryder Cup history.”