Jackson Fuller
The world of golf can now set its sights on Rome and the 2023 Ryder cup after this weekend’s Presidents Cup resulted in another American victory.
After a 19-9 U.S. drubbing last fall at Whistling Straits, team Europe is hoping to recreate its home-field magic at the Golf Marco Simone inside the Italian capital. Europe hasn’t lost on home soil since 1993, and Le Golf National befuddled the Americansto the tune of a 17.5-10.5 European victory in 2018.
A lot has changed since that American loss. Europe named Henrik Stenson captain, then stripped him of this honor, and Ryder Cup stalwarts Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Paul Casey all bolted for LIV Golf, leaving holes within the roster.
With the Americans’ win over Team International now in the rear-view mirror, here’s a look at Team Europe’s potential player pool and a final prediction for who Captain Luke Donald will summon next fall.
Locks
(Name, Official World Golf Ranking, Ryder Cup Record)
Rory McIlroy, No. 2, 12-12-4
Jon Rahm, No. 6, 4-3-1
Matt Fitzpatrick, No. 10, 0-5-0
Viktor Hovland, No. 11, 0-3-2
Shane Lowry, No. 20, 1-2-0
Tyrell Hatton, No. 27, 2-3-1
Tommy Fleetwood, No. 28, 4-2-2
At the moment, Europe can’t match the Americans’ depth, and that gives Donald a larger base of players that can’t be left behind.
McIlroy, Rahm, Fitzpatrick and Lowry are obvious choices. Despite not winning a major, McIlroy is coming off one of the best seasons in his career with three victories and 10 top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour.
Fitzpatrick blossomed into a big-game hunter this year with his U.S. Open win at The Country Club. Meanwhile, Lowry recorded four top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour and a victory earlier this month at the DP World Tour’s BMW PGA Championship. He’s jumped 24 spots in the World Golf Rankings in 2022 alone.
Despite a disappointing season, Rahm is another major winner and led all Europeans with 3.5 points at the 2021 Ryder Cup. Hovland hasn’t yet lived up to his astronomical hype coming out of Oklahoma State, but he’s as talented as anyone within the European pool and remains firmly inside the top-15 in the OWGR.
The lack of depth throws Hatton and Fleetwood into this group. The Englishmen had some good highs on the PGA Tour with eight top-10s last season, but they weren’t consistent enough and both missed out on the Tour Championship. Donald will look to lean on the experience of the duo to combat the strength for the Americans.
On the Bubble
Thomas Pieters, No. 31, 4-1-0
Sepp Straka, No. 36, N/A
Seamus Power, No. 40, N/A
Robert MacIntyre, No. 67, N/A
This group represents a huge drop in pedigree from the locks, but there is still seismic potential. Straka is coming off a breakthrough season that included his first career win at The Honda Classic, an appearance in The Tour Championship and five top-10 finishes.
Pieters and Power displayed solid form throughout 2022. Pieters picked up one win and six top-10 finishes on the DP World Tour. The Belgian also made the cut in three of the four majors.
Power spent most of his year in America and racked up five top-10 finishes. He also made the cut in three majors, finishing T-9 at the PGA Championship.
MacIntyre didn’t display the same consistency as the other three players in this group, but he could be one for the future. The young Scot is also coming off an impressive win at the DS Automobiles Italian Open, hosted by the 2023 Ryder Cup venue. He held off top players like McIlroy and Fitzpatrick for his first win in two years, and MacIntyre will hope to call that duo teammates in a year’s time.
Work to Do
Justin Rose, No. 62, 13-8-2
Adri Arnaus, No. 71, N/A
Danny Willett, No. 89, 0-0-3
Victor Perez, No. 94, N/A
Guido Migliozzi, No. 108, N/A
Nicolai Hojgaard, No. 109, N/A
Rasmus Hojgaard, No. 130, N/A
Francesco Molinari, No. 143, 5-4-2
Matt Wallace, No. 146, N/A
A lot can happen during 12 months in the world of golf, especially after the chaos of the previous, but these nine Europeans will be aiming for big years to cement their status on Captain Donald’s side.
There’s an intriguing mix of experience and unknown in this group. Rose, Willett and Molinari are all aiming to return to golf’s biggest stage. Molinari and Rose in particular know what it takes to win the Ryder Cup on home soil, and they could provide valuable experience.
The rest are hoping to make their first Ryder Cup. The Hojgaard twins are two of Europe’s brightest young stars and their inclusion could set the stage for long-term success. Migliozzi fired a final-round 62 to win the Open de France Sunday, marking the Italian’s first victory since 2019.
Wallace, Perez and Arnaus might be the biggest long shots from this group, but one fantastic season could present a surprising opportunity.
Prediction
Rory McIlroy
Jon Rahm
Matt Fitzpatrick
Viktor Hovland
Shane Lowry
Tyrell Hatton
Tommy Fleetwood
Thomas Pieters
Robert MacIntyre
Sepp Straka
Nicolai Hojgaard
Rasmus Hojgaard
