2025 Ryder Cup: Team Europe Team Breakdown
The 2025 Ryder Cup arrives at Bethpage Black in New York, where Team Europe will look to defend their crown after their commanding 16.5-11.5 victory at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome two years ago.
Captain Luke Donald opted for continuity in his final roster announcement, selecting a team featuring familiar faces from that triumphant 2023 campaign.
With only one rookie making the cut, Donald’s squad reflects confidence in the golfers who delivered European success on home soil.
The Europeans face the challenge of winning their first away Ryder Cup since the “Miracle at Medinah” in 2012, seeking to silence the rowdy crowds expected at Bethpage Black from September 26 to 28.
In last week’s article, we looked at Keegan Bradley’s Team USA, but today we’ll take a look at Captain Donald’s team, including his captain picks, with a breakdown of each player’s Ryder Cup history and what they did in 2025 to secure their spot.
Automatic Qualifiers
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy delivered the performance of a lifetime at the 2025 Masters, finally completing the career Grand Slam with his emotional victory at Augusta National, his first major championship in nearly 11 years.
The 36-year-old world number two compiled an extraordinary season, with just eight finishes outside the top 10, including three runner-up results and wins at the DP World Tour Championship, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and PLAYERS Championship.
McIlroy will be making his eighth consecutive Ryder Cup appearance, having competed in every edition since 2010 with an overall record of 16-13-4.
Team Europe’s emotional leader has been a mainstay for Europe, having missed just one session since his debut 15 years ago.
Robert MacIntyre
Robert MacIntyre secured his second consecutive Ryder Cup appearance through consistent play, breaking into the world’s top 10 for the first time during the 2025 season.
The 29-year-old Scotland-native came close to major glory at this year’s U.S. Open, finishing runner-up to J.J. Spaun.
MacIntyre followed that heartbreak with a tie for seventh at The Open Championship and a runner-up finish to Scottie Scheffler at the BMW Championship, which sent him up the world rankings before ending the year with a 17th place finish at the Tour Championship.
The Titleist-sponsored rookie from the 2023 team returns with a perfect 2-0-1 record, having excelled particularly in four-ball matches alongside Justin Rose and delivering a crucial 2 & 1 victory over Wyndham Clark in singles at Marco Simone.
Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood finally captured his elusive first PGA Tour victory at the Tour Championship, claiming both the tournament title and the FedEx Cup Trophy after 164 tournaments on the American circuit.
Before his breakthrough victory, Fleetwood had recorded seven top-10 finishes in 2025, missing just one cut, including a runner-up finish at the Travelers Championship and strong showings in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
The Englishman has posted a 7-3-2 record across three Ryder Cup appearances, most memorably forming an unbeatable partnership with Francesco Molinari in 2018 when they became the first European pairing to win all four matches.
In 2023, he delivered the clinching point with a singles victory over Rickie Fowler.
Justin Rose
Justin Rose experienced a season of redemption in 2025, bouncing back from a slow start to secure automatic qualification for his seventh Ryder Cup appearance.
The 45-year-old veteran almost tasted glory on the biggest stage but fell in a playoff loss to Rory McIlroy at the Masters.
Rose’s 2025 shining moment came at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he captured the victory that secured his automatic Ryder Cup spot.
The Callaway golfer boasts a 14-9-3 record across six previous Ryder Cup appearances. His career foursomes record of 7-2-1 highlights his alternate shot play chops.
Rasmus Højgaard
Rasmus Højgaard becomes the second Højgaard twin to make a Ryder Cup debut, following brother Nicolai’s appearance in 2023.
The 24-year-old Dane secured the fifth automatic qualifying spot after a strong start to the campaign that included a third-place finish at the Betfred British Masters and a victory at the Amgen Irish Open, where he denied Rory McIlroy with impressive low scoring.
Højgaard’s path to qualification included some late drama, as he found himself outside the qualifying positions with two events remaining.
However, with a runner-up finish at the Danish Golf Championship and a tie for 13th at The Belfry, the Dane sealed his first Ryder Cup appearance.
Tyrrell Hatton
Tyrrell Hatton secured his fourth consecutive automatic Ryder Cup qualification despite limited opportunities in counting events due to his LIV tour membership, showcasing the efficiency that has become his trademark.
The 33-year-old Englishman produced a series of strong performances, highlighted by his record third victory at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Hatton added a second DP World Tour title at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic during the qualification campaign and maintained his major championship form with a top-five finish at the U.S. Open and top-20 results at both the Masters and The Open.
The fiery competitor brings a 5-4-2 Ryder Cup record and was one of just three undefeated players at Marco Simone in 2023.
Captain’s Picks
Shane Lowry
Shane Lowry earned his third consecutive captain’s pick after demonstrating the consistency that has made him indispensable to past European Ryder Cup teams.
The 38-year-old Irishman posted back-to-back top-three results at the DP World Tour Championship and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Lowry’s strong performances in PGA Tour Signature events throughout the qualifying period kept him in contention, and his experience from the 2023 victory made him an obvious choice for Captain Donald.
The 2019 Open Champion brings a mediocre 2-3-1 Ryder Cup record, but his partnership with Sepp Straka in 2023 produced memorable moments, including their contribution to the opening session blowout and a crucial halved singles match with Jordan Spieth.
Jon Rahm
Jon Rahm secured his fourth Ryder Cup selection as a captain’s pick despite limited appearances on the DP World Tour due to his LIV Golf commitments.
The 30-year-old Spaniard showcased his world-class ability when he competed, including a playoff loss to Angel Hidalgo at the Open de España and top-10 finishes at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and Andalucía Masters.
Rahm’s major championship consistency continued in 2025 with cuts made in all four majors, including top-10 finishes at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open.
He also claimed his second consecutive LIV Golf Individual Championship and the $4 million mega payday.
Callaway’s top golfer and the former world #1 brings a 6-3-3 Ryder Cup record and was undefeated in 2023.
Sepp Straka
Sepp Straka becomes the first Austrian to play in multiple Ryder Cups after posting a 2025 season that included a victory at the American Express and Truist Championship.
Using Srixon’s dynamic irons, he followed his breakthrough win with a top-three finish at The Memorial Tournament and a top-10 at the Genesis Scottish Open, proving his ability to contend on golf’s biggest stages.
The Vienna native brings a 1-2-0 record from his 2023 debut, where he did well with Shane Lowry in the opening foursomes session before falling to Justin Thomas in singles as part of the American late rally that briefly threatened European victory.
Viktor Hovland
Viktor Hovland earned his first captain’s pick after automatically qualifying for the previous two Ryder Cup tournaments.
The 28-year-old Norwegian endured a difficult period before delivering a dramatic comeback win at this year’s Valspar Championship.
Trailing by three shots after the 13th hole, Hovland made birdies on the 14th, 15th, and 17th to beat Justin Thomas by one shot. His resurgent form continued with a third-place finish at the U.S. Open and strong finishes in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Hovland brings a career 3-4-3 Ryder Cup record, having bounced back from a winless debut at Whistling Straits to form a deadly partnership with Ludvig Åberg in 2023 that posted a historic 9 & 7 foursomes victory, the largest margin in Ryder Cup foursomes history.
Ludvig Åberg
Ludvig Åberg secured his second Ryder Cup appearance in 2025 with a tie for fifth at The Sentry before capturing his second PGA Tour title at the Genesis Invitational.
Åberg’s 2025 season also included another top-10 finish at the Masters, his second consecutive year achieving that feat, before finding stronger form late in the campaign with back-to-back top-10s at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and BMW Championship.
The young Swede made history in 2023 as the first player to compete in a Ryder Cup before appearing in a major championship, posting two crucial points to help lead a European victory.
Matt Fitzpatrick
Matt Fitzpatrick earned his first captain’s pick for his fourth Ryder Cup appearance, a surprise after experiencing early-season struggles.
The 31-year-old Englishman found himself outside the world’s top 70 before the Masters but responded by making the cut in 15 consecutive starts.
Fitzpatrick’s turnaround included top-10 finishes at the PGA Championship and The Open, as well as five additional top-10s across both tours.
However, Fitzpatrick hopes to improve on a 1-7-0 Ryder Cup career record with his lone Ryder Cup point coming alongside Rory McIlroy in a four-ball match at Marco Simone in 2023.
Ryder Cup 2025
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will the Ryder Cup 2025 be held?
The 2025 Ryder Cup will be held at Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York. The Black Course at Bethpage State Park is a public golf course designed by A.W. Tillinghast and opened in 1936.
What date is the Ryder Cup?
The 45th Ryder Cup will take place from September 26 to 28, 2025, with practice rounds scheduled from September 23 to 25.
The competition begins on Friday, September 26, with foursomes and four-ball matches, continuing on Saturday, and concluding on Sunday with 12 singles matches to determine the winner.
Who is on the 2025 European Ryder Cup team? T
The 2025 European Ryder Cup team includes six automatic qualifiers: Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Rasmus Højgaard, and Tyrrell Hatton.
Captain Luke Donald selected six picks: Shane Lowry, Jon Rahm, Sepp Straka, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Åberg, and Matt Fitzpatrick.
How does Team Europe compare to its 2023 winning team?
Team Europe features remarkable continuity from their 2023 victory, with only one new member in Rasmus Højgaardi.
This represents Donald’s faith in the core group that delivered European victory in Rome and their ability to translate that success to a tough layout at Bethpage Black just outside of New York City.