c/o The Analyst
The 2023 Ryder Cup is just around the corner. European captain Luke Donald has finalized his team this past week, determined to recapture the cup at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Italy following a humbling defeat in 2021 at Whistling Straits. Europe has not lost on home soil since 1993, yet the team still enters the Ryder Cup as underdogs. Let’s delve into the roster that Europe will be fielding in their quest to reclaim the Cup.
Rory McIlroy: It has long been said, “as Rory goes, Europe goes.” Since making his professional debut in 2007, McIlroy has consistently occupied the top echelons of the golfing world, securing four major championships and accumulating more than 35 worldwide victories. He has played pivotal roles in Europe’s last three Ryder Cup victories, and his importance this year is even more pronounced. The Northern Irishman is the world’s premier driver of the golf ball, a skill that will be vital at Marco Simone, a course that demands length and precision off the tee. While Marco Simone is challenging to traverse on foot, it would be shocking if captain Luke Donald does not include McIlroy in all five sessions.
Jon Rahm: Rahm, like McIlroy, will be sent out for all five sessions barring any fatigue. The Spaniard won four times on tour this season, including the Masters, and is all but certain to win PGA Tour player of the year. Rahm has not been as sharp of late; he sits 16th in strokes gained in the past three months. Still, Rahm is a top-five player in the world and will likely emerge as the emotional leader to this European squad.
Viktor Hovland: Currently, there is no golfer in the world performing at a higher level than Hovland. He won the last two events on the PGA Tour highlighted by a final round 28 on the back nine at the BMW Championship. While Hovland’s sole Ryder Cup appearance in 2021 at Whistling Straits resulted in an 0–3–2 record, he has undergone a remarkable transformation as a player over the past two years. Anticipate seeing the Norwegian sensation participating in all five sessions this time around.
Robert MacIntyre: MacIntyre finished 2023 third on the European points list, granting him an automatic spot on Donald’s squad. MacIntyre closed the season strong, recording three top fives in his last six starts. Despite this, the Scot is only the 31st ranked European per Data Golf, and will be seen as the least talented player in Rome. Fortunately for MacIntyre and Europe, past performance does not matter during these critical three days in Rome, and if there’s one player capable of elevating their play when the stakes are at their highest, it’s the man affectionately known as “Big Shot Bob.”
Tyrrell Hatton: Hatton enters the Ryder Cup coming off his best season to date, missing only one cut and finishing inside the top 30 in the season long standings. Hatton is undoubtedly the most expressive player on tour, a quality that has periodically plagued him. Fortunately, the Ryder Cup is all about emotion, and very few players can get a team fired up like Hatton. Donald will likely look to pair Hatton with a more centered and calming presence such as a Tommy Fleetwood or Matt Fitzpatrick.
Matthew Fitzpatrick: Like Hovland, Fitzpatrick remains winless in his Ryder Cup career, holding a 0–5–0 record. Also like Hovland, Fitz is a different player than he was during his two prior appearances. Fitzpatrick is a well-rounded, five tool player and has turned his driving from a weakness to now one of his strongest assets. Having made his Ryder Cup debut seven years ago and still being winless, Fitzpatrick is itching to clinch his first point for Europe. Expect Donald to send the Brit out with the likes of McIlroy or Rahm Friday morning.
Tommy Fleetwood: Fleetwood was Donald’s first captain pick, and it is easy to see why—the Brit is playing the best golf of his career and is currently the seventh-best player in the world per Data Golf. Tommy was one of the stars of the 2018 European Team as he went 4–1–0 in play. He possesses the ideal Ryder Cup demeanor: He carries himself with poise but is not afraid of the occasional celebratory fist pump. Fleetwood is positioned to be the perfect partner for a fierier player like Rahm or Hatton.
Justin Rose: Making his sixth appearance, Rose is the most seasoned and accomplished Ryder Cup player on this squad. Rose has clinched 14 points for Europe throughout his career, a number more than all other European squad members of the combined (excluding McIlroy). Aside from his victory at Pebble Beach this season, the Brit has had a mediocre season. Nonetheless, Rose’s wealth of experience, coupled with his enduring skill, made him a surefire pick. It’s unlikely we will see Rose in more than three sessions, but the 44-year-old will still be vital in Europe’s quest for the cup.
Shane Lowry: 2023 has not been particularly kind to Lowry, who failed to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs and currently sits outside the top-50 on Data Golf for the first time since he won the Open Championship in 2021. Lowry is one of the most well-liked players on tour and will undoubtedly be an integral part of the European locker room. Like Rose, Lowry’s age, combined with his mediocre form, makes it likely we will at most see the Irishman once a day.
Ludvig Aberg: Four months ago, Aberg was playing against 20-year-old college kids in Lubbock, Texas. Now, the Texas Tech product will be competing in Rome against the likes of Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. Aberg is making history as the first ever Ryder Cup participant to have never played a major. Despite the rookie’s lack of experience, his recent form, highlighted by a win over Fitzpatrick at the Omega European Masters, made the Swede an easy pick. Aberg is an elite driver of the golf ball, ranking third in strokes gained off the tee among PGA Tour players, an indispensable trait for Marco Simone. There are many more Ryder Cup appearances on the horizon for the Swede, and he stands a strong chance of providing the kind of spark that could contribute to Europe’s success in reclaiming the cup.
Sepp Straka: Straka was on the outside looking in as July rolled around, but a win at the John Deere Classic and a second-place finish at the Open Championship helped the Austrian earn a captain’s pick. Straka is a volatile player: There are few players who make as many birdies as him, but the Austrian is prone to bogeys. Fortunately, this is match play where making birdies is much more valuable than avoiding bogies, making Straka a key player in fourball.
Nicolai Højgaard: At a mere 22 years of age, Højgaard will hold the distinction of being the youngest competitor at the Ryder Cup. Højgaard has two wins on the DP World Tour, most notably at the 2021 Italian Open at Marco Simone where he edged out Fleetwood and Adrian Meronk by a stroke. The young Dane will bring course experience and a youthful fearlessness, mixed with a level of maturity that few 22-year-olds maintain.
This year’s Ryder Cup is shaping up to be one of the best contests in recent history. Europe’s top six is unquestionably more talented than the United States. Where the Ryder Cup will be won or lost for Europe is with the play of their bottom six. Although they are underdogs, if young guns such as Aberg and Højgaard provide a spark, and veterans Lowry and Rose produce steady play, Europe has a clear path to reclaiming the Ryder Cup.
Sam Weitzman-Kurker can be reached at sweitzmankur@wesleyan.edu.