UR-GOLF Ryder Cup Preview P.2

Team Europe

Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy, currently ranked #2 in the OWGR, is coming off arguably the best year of his long career. With 4 wins, including the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The Players Championship, The Masters to complete the career grand slam, and most recently the Irish Open, Rory is definitely the biggest threat to the U.S. team this week. Rory holds the most experience in the field this week, with this being his eighth career Ryder Cup. The five-time major winner is coming into the week with a Ryder Cup record of 16-13-4.

Robert Macintyre

Robby Mac of Scotland had 2 runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour this year at the U.S. Open and the BMW Championship. His 2025 season also included six top-10s, and he is currently ranked 13th in the DP World Tour rankings. This is his second Ryder Cup, and his record in Rome was 2-0-1.

Tommy Fleetwood

As an American, it is going to be hard to root against Tommy this week. After a rollercoaster of a year and of emotions, Tommy Fleetwood is at the heart of this European team. Tommy had his first win on the PGA Tour this year at the FedEx Cup championship, as well as 8 top-10s. This is his third Ryder Cup, and his total record is 7-3-2.

Justin Rose

Justin Rose is yet another Ryder Cup veteran on the European team. Rosey’s experience and competitive nature are going to make him a force to be reckoned with this weekend. It’s safe to say there are high expectations for Justin’s game this week, and he is going to meet those. Justin Rose won the FedEx St. Jude Classic in a playoff against JJ Spaun. He lost in a legendary playoff against Rory McIlroy at the Masters and had 5 top-10s throughout the season. This is Justin Rose’s sixth Ryder Cup, and he has an all-time record of 14-9-3.

Rasmus Højgaard

The “R” in Rasmus is the only initial that is being changed on the European team compared to last year. Europe’s only rookie on the team this year is taking the place of his twin brother, Nicolai, who was a Ryder Cup rookie back in Rome. Rasmus has 5 International wins, 1 runner-up finish in the Zurich Classic with his brother Nicolai, and 1 top-10. He also has 2 more runner-up finishes on the DP World Tour.

Tyrell Hatton

Tyrell had a good major performance this year, making the cut in all 4 tournaments, including a T4 at the U.S. Open. He had 1 win on the DP World Tour, making him an automatic qualifier on this European team. During his LIV season, where he plays for Legion XIII, he secured 3 top-10 finishes. This is Tyrell’s third Ryder Cup, and his record is 5-4-2.

Shane Lowry

Shane Lowry is another crucial locker room guy for the European team. His unbelievable camaraderie and short game make him an essential asset for the Europeans and a no-brainer as a captain’s pick. Although he didn’t have a great season, he did achieve two runner-up finishes at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Truist Championship. This will be Shane’s 3rd Ryder Cup, and he has an all-time record of 2-3-1.

Sepp Straka

The Austrian has been steady. Throughout his career so far, he has consistently maintained this. In 2025, he won 2 tournaments, at the American Express and the Truist. He topped off his season with six top-10s; however, he missed the cut in 3 majors and finished 52nd @ the Open Championship. This is the Georgia Bulldogs’ second Ryder Cup, and their record in Rome was 1-2-0.

Ludvig Åberg

I was a little surprised Ludvig didn’t manage to get in as an automatic qualifier this year, because that’s just what his game is: automatic.” After a WD at the AT&T Pro-Am, Ludvig bounced back and won the following week at the Genesis at Torrey Pines. After a 7th-place finish at the Masters, his season didn’t really amount to much, but his game and demeanor are perfect for the Ryder Cup. In Rome, his 2-2-0 record help boost Team Europe to a win.

Viktor Hovland

Viktor is another staple for Team Europe, just as the match-up of Ludvig and Viktor is. Ludvig and Viktor were dominant in Rome, and it is definitely a pairing we will see again this week in New York. Viktor is coming out of 2025 with a win at the Valspar, 3 top-10 finishes, and a 3rd place finish at the U.S. Open. This is Viktor’s 3rd Ryder Cup, and his record is 3-4-3.

Matt Fitzpatrick

Matt Fitzpatrick didn’t have his best year, but he must be an essential to Team Europe because his Ryder Cup record is worse than the year he had. He did have some good finishes however: T8 at the PGA Championship, T4 at the Scottish Open, and T4 at the Open Championship, proving that he can play well in big events. This is Fitz’s 4th Ryder Cup, and his individual record is 1-7. Rough.

Jon Rahm

The final captain’s pick was a no-brainer for Captain Luke Donald. Jon Rahm is easily one of the top-10 players in the world, as his worst finish in the last 2 years on LIV is T-11. He also finished T8 at the PGA Championship and T7 at the U.S. Open. It would be wrong to say that Jon Rahm won’t be drawing inspiration from his hero Seve Ballesteros this week. This will be Jon’s 4th Ryder Cup, and he has a strong record of 6-3-3.

Happy Ryder Cup Week!