Europe will defend the Ryder Cup later this month with 11 of the 12 players who beat the United States in Rome two years ago. Captain Luke Donald predictably chose experience with his wildcard picks, selecting Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, Victor Hovland, Ludvig Åberg, Jon Rahm, and Matt Fitzpatrick to complete the team for Bethpage. Donald announced his choices on Monday, five days after U.S. captain Keegan Bradley did the same.
Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, and Rasmus Højgaard had already secured automatic spots on the European team. In a notable twist, Rasmus Højgaard is the only new addition from the Rome lineup, replacing his twin brother Nicolai, who played for Europe in the previous Ryder Cup.
Among those who narrowly missed selection was Matt Wallace, who was brought to tears at the end of the DP World Tour event in Switzerland on Sunday when he realized his Ryder Cup hopes were over once again. Marco Penge, Thomas Detry, Harry Hall, and Aaron Rai also made strong cases during the qualifying process, but Donald ultimately favored consistency. Europe has not won or retained the Ryder Cup on U.S. soil since 2012.
More details to follow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke Donalds Ryder Cup Wildcard Picks
1 Who are the six wildcard picks selected by Luke Donald for the European Ryder Cup team
Luke Donald selected Shane Lowry Jon Rahm Tommy Fleetwood Justin Rose Nicolai Hjgaard and Ludvig berg as his six wildcard picks
2 What is a wildcard pick in the Ryder Cup
A wildcard pick is a player chosen by the team captain to join the team even if they didnt automatically qualify through points or rankings giving the captain flexibility to add experienced or inform players
3 Why did Luke Donald choose Shane Lowry and Jon Rahm as wildcards
Both are highly experienced proven performers in team events and bring leadership matchplay skills and recent strong form which adds depth and stability to the European team
4 How many players are on the full European Ryder Cup team
The European team consists of 12 players 6 who qualify automatically based on points and 6 wildcard picks chosen by the captain
5 Did any big names miss out on being selected as wildcards
Yes notable players like Adrian Meronk who had a strong season were not chosen which has sparked some discussion among fans and experts
6 What role do wildcard picks play in the Ryder Cup strategy
Wildcards allow the captain to balance the team with veterans rookies or specialists in certain formats improving the teams chances based on current form and chemistry
7 How were these wildcard decisions made
Luke Donald considered factors like recent performance experience in the Ryder Cup or other team events compatibility with other players and specific skills suited to the course and format
8 Are there any rookies among the wildcard picks
Yes Ludvig berg and Nicolai Hjgaard are Ryder Cup rookies but have shown impressive form and were selected for their potential impact
9 What has been the reaction to these picks from fans and analysts
Reactions are mixed many support the choices especially experienced players like Rahm and Lowry but some question omissions like Meronk given his season performance
