Matt Fitzpatrick and Robert MacIntyre secured the final two automatic qualification spots for Europe’s Ryder Cup team, with Luke Donald now having a tough decision about who to name as his six captain’s picks.
The year-long qualification campaign ended at the Omega European Masters on Sunday, with the top three players on the European Points List and the next three available on the World Points List guaranteeing their places in Donald’s team for Rome later this month.
Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm occupied the top two spots in both standings, with MacIntyre’s tied-55th finish in Switzerland enough to hold onto third place on the European Points List and book a Ryder Cup debut at Marco Simone Golf Club.
FedExCup champion Viktor Hovland and England’s Tyrrell Hatton were already automatic qualifiers on the World Points List, while Fitzpatrick’s tied-third finish at Crans-sur-Sierre saw him move above Tommy Fleetwood in the standings and earn a third Ryder Cup appearance.
Fleetwood will now be among the players hoping for a captain’s pick when Donald announces the rest of his line-up at Sky Studios on Monday, live from 2pm on Sky Sports, with Team Europe having plenty of players to possibly choose from.
Aberg to feature after breakthrough win?
Ludvig Aberg marked just his ninth event as a professional by claiming a two-shot win in Switzerland, with four birdies in his last five holes helping him to a final-round 64 and putting him as a strong contender to make a Ryder Cup debut.
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Highlights from the fourth round of the Omega European Masters at the Golf-Club Crans-sur-Sierre in Switzerland.
“I figured a win would put me in a good position (for the Ryder Cup) but honestly I’ve been doing a pretty good job of not thinking about it too much. I feel like I get reminded of it a lot, but once I get on the golf course it’s just me and golf and luckily I was able to finish well and win the tournament.
“It would mean the world obviously. I think as a young golfer growing up in Sweden and in Europe those are the events you want to be a part of and if I ever get the chance to be a part of that I’m going to be over the moon. It would be really cool.”
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Ludwig Aberg discusses what a spot in the Ryder Cup team would mean to him after he boosted his chances with a win at the European Masters.
Fleetwood is expected to be given a pick after a strong summer on the PGA Tour, which included a runner-up finish at the RBC Canadian Open, with the Englishman part of the last two European teams and narrowly missing out on an automatic spot.
Justin Rose won earlier in the year at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and is another likely candidate, while Shane Lowry will also be hoping to be selected despite registering just one worldwide top-10 since winning the BMW PGA Championship last September.
Sepp Straka won the John Deere Classic and finished runner-up at The Open in July, with the Austrian among those looking to make a debut, while Adrian Meronk is a contender after winning the DS Automobiles Italian Open at the Ryder Cup course earlier this year.
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Highlights from Day Four of the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run, where Sepp Straka impressed
Rasmus Hojgaard won the Made in Himmerland last month and brother Nicolai is a former winner at Marco Simone, with Yannik Paul, Victor Perez and Adrian Otaegui all inside the top-10 on the European Points List at the end of the qualification campaign.
What about Team USA?
World No 1 Scottie Scheffler was among the six automatic qualifiers for Team USA, with US Open champion Wyndham Clark, Open winner Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa and Xander Schauffele also in the side.
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US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson reveals his six wildcard picks for this year’s competition.
Captain Zach Johnson then announced his six captain’s picks last Tuesday, with Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler and Sam Burns joining Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka to complete the American line-up.
Team USA arrive as defending champions after their record-breaking victory at Whistling Straits in 2021, with Johnson’s side now chasing a first Ryder Cup win on European soil since 1993. The biennial contest takes place from September 29-October 1 and is exclusively live on Sky Sports.
Watch Luke Donald reveal his Ryder Cup captain’s picks on Monday from 2pm on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the PGA Tour, Ryder Cup and more for £26 a month for 12 months with NOW.
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