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The Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black is the next big golf event on the calendar, and Team Europe is defending its title. They crushed Team USA in Rome in 2023, winning 16.5-11.5. They are looking to become the first road team to win the event since the Europeans pulled off the Miracle at Medinah in 2012. Team Europe captain Luke Donald has some tough choices to make before his second Ryder Cup in charge. Who would make the team as of the end of the major season?
The top six point scorers in the Ryder Cup Europe rankings as of August 24 will automatically qualify. Donald will then select six more players to round out the team. After such a dominant victory and with a few young stars rising, this will be a tough selection process for the captains. Donald was named the captain late in the 2023 process after the title was stripped from Henrik Stenson. Now, he enters his second stint looking for a second win.
Ryder Cup superstars among the locks for Team Europe
Rory McIlroy is already locked into a spot on Team Europe's Ryder Cup team. This is his eighth appearance for the team, his fourth on American soil, and his first as a Grand Slam champion. He had his best Cup performance to date in 2023, going 4-1-0 while leading Europe to victory. McIlroy looks to add to the 18 points he has scored in the event in his career.
Behind McIlroy in the rankings are Scot Robert McIntyre and Brit Tommy Fleetwood. Thanks to solid major championship seasons from both players, they are all but guaranteed a spot on the Ryder Cup team. McIntyre struggled in Rome in his first appearance, but should be ready for a bounce-back. Fleetwood, on the other hand, has a 7-3-2 record in three appearances.
Tyrell Hatton, Shane Lowry, Jon Rahm, and Justin Rose should all be given chances to extend incredible Ryder Cup careers. Rose was a great locker room presence for Team Europe in 2023 and picked up 1.5 points. He's playing even better golf this year and should be in New York.
Hatton is currently in the lock zone, but will fall out due to the lack of points on LIV. But his 3-0-1 record in Rome and great play in majors have earned him a spot. Same with Lowry, who was an emotional sparkplug for them in 2023. Rahm is way down the rankings because of his LIV status, but won't be left off this team.
Struggling Nordic stars highlight the middle
Both Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland were incredible for Team Europe in 2023. They combined for 5.5 points and looked like the future of the Ryder Cup team. But this season has not been as kind to either one. They should both be making the trip to New York, as the team could use elite iron players like these two youngsters.
That already brings the total to nine, with plenty more players looking for a spot. Sepp Straka missed the cut in three majors this year, but is still sixth in the rankings. If his poor form continues to end the summer, he won't earn a spot on the team. This prediction will have him on the team, but the Austrian is on thin ice.
A lot of options for Luke Donald's final two spots
This is where the captain truly makes his mark on the team. With ten spots taken up by returning players, Donald could add fresh blood to the bottom of the roster here. Or, he could run back his exact team from Rome that won by six points. No one could blame him for going that direction if he so chose.
Running it back would put Matt Fitzpatrick and Nicolai Hojgaard on the team. But Nicolai is not the Hojgaard twin with the most points; that belongs to Rasmus in seventh place. With a Parent Trap situation unlikely to play out, Donald has a tough choice to make. Fitzpatrick made it interesting the first two days of The Open, but his weekend struggles highlighted his struggles over the past two years.
Thomas Detry could also make a charge for a spot late in the season, but the twin game is going to be strong on Long Island for Team Europe in the first Ryder Cup team predictions.
2025 Team Europe Ryder Cup predictions
Rory McIlroy
Robert McIntyre
Tommy Fleetwood
Tyrell Hatton
Shane Lowry
Jon Rahm
Justin Rose
Ludvig Aberg
Viktor Hovland
Sepp Straka
Nicolai Hojgaard
Rasmus Hojgaard
