Captain Luke Donald could be able to keep changes from victorious 2023 team to an absolute minimum at Bethpage
If continuity is key to Ryder Cup success, even the phlegmatic Luke Donald must be doing cartwheels. This also applies to those who believe the occasional away win is necessary if the event is to remain within the realms of serious sporting contest. The European class of 2025 is now very close to replicating the one that won in Rome in 2023, but with one quirk; Rasmus Højgaard replacing his twin brother, Nicolai. What the United States would give for such a settled scenario.
Should Donald be so minded, he can keep change to an absolute minimum. Recreating a winning environment becomes so much easier when the characters involved are the same. When Europe slumped to comprehensive defeat at Whistling Straits four years ago, seven of the 12-man team were sampling an American Ryder Cup for the first time. At Hazeltine, in 2016, half of Darren Clarke’s European contingent were debutants. The US again won with ease.
Tommy Fleetwood suffered heartache in Memphis on Sunday. There was the consolation of qualification for Bethpage at the end of September. Fleetwood has joined Rory McIlroy and a reinvigorated Justin Rose as guaranteed to be in the team. Robert MacIntyre and Tyrrell Hatton are sure to follow. Shane Lowry may knock Sepp Straka out of the six automatic berths – the Austrian has withdrawn from this week’s PGA Tour stop in Maryland for family reasons – but both will be in New York.
