Even though the dust has just recently settled from the 2022 Presidents Cup, where Team USA was once again victorious over the Internationals, it’s already time to start thinking about the next team competition.
In a little less than a year the 2023 Ryder Cup will begin at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy, where the United States will look to win on foreign soil for the first time since 1993 at The Belfry. Last week we took a look at what the U.S. team may look like. This week we’re talking about the European team.
Qualification for Team Europe began at the 2022 BMW PGA Championship and ends Sept. 3, 2023, three weeks before the Ryder Cup. Six players will automatically qualify, three from a European Points List and three from a World Points List. Captain Luke Donald will then announce his six captain’s picks.
Here’s an early look at what the European team may look like next year in Italy.
Rory McIlroy
Currently second on both the European and World lists, McIlroy (12-12-4 in six appearances for the Europeans) is in some impressive form and is the heart and soul of this team. He’ll be in Italy as an automatic qualifier or captain’s pick, guaranteed. His word also carries a lot of weight, and he’s been adamant about two things: LIV players not being on the team and rookies getting a shot. We’ll get to them later. Back to the guarantees.
Rory McIlroy of Europe celebrates on the 8th green during the singles match against Patrick Reed of USA at The 2016 Ryder Cup Matches at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, USA. (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
Shane Lowry
Lowry went 1-2-0 in his Ryder Cup debut in 2021, and while he won’t be a veteran in appearances, the 2019 Open champion will be a player some of the younger guys will look up to due to his stature in the game and in Europe. The Irishman currently leads both points lists.
Team Europe’s Shane Lowry reacts after winning the 10th hole during a Ryder Cup singles match at the Whistling Straits Golf Course Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, in Haven, Wisconsin. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Jon Rahm
The world No. 6 is guaranteed a spot on this team, too. In two previous appearances Rahm is 4-3-1 and Donald will look to him to help set the tone for what may be a young, inexperienced team.
Europe golfer Jon Rahm celebrates winning the Ryder Cup Sunday after singles matches at Le Golf National. (Photo: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports)
Robert MacIntyre
MacIntyre won the 2022 Italian Open at Marco Simone, defeating Matt Fitzpatrick in a playoff. We’ll get to him later, too.
McIlroy said he expects MacIntyre to be on the team “if he keeps playing the way he’s playing … but hopefully this win in Italy will give him a good dose of confidence to move on and qualify for the team; and if not qualify, play well enough to obviously warrant a pick.”
MacIntyre is third on both lists currently and has the attention of Donald and his guaranteed players. I’d be shocked if he doesn’t, as McIlroy said, warrant a pick at the least.
Robert MacIntyre hoists the trophy after winning the 2022 Italian Open at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome, Italy. (Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Matt Fitzpatrick
Speaking of, Fitzpatrick will be on this team: book it. He played well at the host course and is coming off a big season that saw him win his first major at the U.S. Open and finish 15th at the Tour Championship. In two previous appearances for the Europeans he’s a winless 0-5-0. He’ll put at least one point on the board next fall.
Matt Fitzpatrick kisses the U.S. Open Championship trophy after winning during the final round of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 19, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Guido Migliozzi
An Italian has to be on this team, right?
Donald was paired with Migliozzi (who finished T-34) for the opening two rounds of this summer’s Italian Open, and there’s no way that was just a coincidence. The 25-year-old from Vicenza recently won the Cazoo Open de France and is just outside automatic qualification on both lists. If he can keep up his solid form, the young Italian will make his Ryder Cup debut at home.
Guido Migliozzi of Italy poses with the trophy after winning the Cazoo Open de France at Le Golf National on September 25, 2022, in Paris, France. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
Sepp Straka
Straka earned his first PGA Tour win in February at the Honda Classic and earned five top-10 finishes last season on Tour. The 29-year-old Austrian started the new season with a runner-up finish at the Sanderson Farms Championship after losing to Mackenzie Hughes in a playoff. Another solid season like the last and Straka will be a captain’s pick.
Sepp Straka walks from the seventh green during the final round of the Sanderson Farms Championship at The Country Club of Jackson on October 02, 2022 in Jackson, Mississippi. (Photo by Raj Mehta/Getty Images)
Viktor Hovland
Vice captain Thomas Bjørn was paired with Hovland at the Italian Open, where the 24-year-old Norwegian finished T-34. Not a coincidence. Hovland went 0-3-2 in his anticipated Ryder Cup debut in 2021, but a bit more professional experience will do him well next year in Italy.
Team Europe player Viktor Hovland plays his shot from the ninth tee during day one four-ball matches for the 43rd Ryder Cup golf competition at Whistling Straits. (Photo: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports)
Francesco Molinari
With his brother Edoardo as a vice-captain, how cool would it be for Francesco to help his fellow countryman and projected rookie Migliozzi in his Ryder Cup debut? The veteran/rookie pairings can be hit or miss, but Francesco boats a 5-4-2 record in the event and another Italian on the squad certainly can’t hurt.
Francesco Molinari of Europe celebrates winning The Ryder Cup during singles matches of the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National on September 30, 2018, in Paris, France. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Final three spots
I think those previous nine are pretty much set barring some unforeseen circumstance. As for the final three spots, Donald can get real creative with his picks.
Maybe he goes with the Twin Brothers Hojgaard, Rasmus and Nicolai. Both have already won multiple times on the DP World Tour at just 21 years old and would make for a fun pairing. Plus they finished T-27 at the Italian Open.
There’s the experienced route with the likes of Alex Noren (2-1-0 in 2018), Tommy Fleetwood (4-2-2 in two appearances) or Tyrrell Hatton (2-4-1 in two appearances). Potentially Danny Willett (who recently finished second at the Fortinet Championship but was just 0-3-0 in his lone Ryder Cup in 2016).
Other players who may have something to say in 11 months include Callum Shinkwin, Antoine Rozner, Victor Perez, Thomas Pieters, Soren Kjeldsen, Thomas Detry and Aaron Rai.
And then there are the LIV players. Do any of them get a shot? If so we’re looking at the likes of 2021 Euro team members Bernd Wiesberger and Paul Casey. Maybe Sam Horsfield gets a look. I’d be shocked if veterans Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia or Lee Westwood were considered.
