With Jon Rahm Back in The Ryder Cup Fold, What Could The 2025 European Ryder Cup Team Look Like?

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For 2025 European Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald, it must be a welcome site to see one of Europe’s best players back on European soil. Since Jon Rahm defected away from the PGA Tour to join the ever growing LIV Golf ranks, the Spaniards status for the 2025 Ryder Cup remained very much up in the air. Whilst the American’s have committed to picking players who currently ply their trade on the LIV Tour, the European’s remain strict and in order to be eligible, a player must fill a quota of DP World Tour tournaments and settle any fines that they have accrued from playing in the Saudi funded league.

The issue of the fines still need to be resolved but it is brilliant for all of those with a European persuasion that Rahm played in last week’s Spanish Open and is teeing it up at this week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. 

With Rahm likely to be teeing it up alongside his teammates at Bethpage Black next September, it got us thinking as to who else will be playing alongside him. Whoever lines up for the Europeans will start as the underdogs, but that is a role that they will embrace. 

With the excitement set to build over the next few months, here is our early crack at predicting who might feature in Luke Donald’s side in next year’s showpiece event.

The Locks

You can already book some of the names that as long as they are fit and healthy to play will be guaranteed picks for the team.

Rory McIlroy

For the best part of a decade Rory McIlroy has embraced the mantle of being Europe’s talisman. A veteran of many Ryder Cups, it's hard to believe that by time the next Ryder Cup rolls around in 2025, the Northern Irishman will still only be 36. On track to smash all of the European records for both appearances and points, he produced his best ever performance in Europe’s crushing 2023 victory, picking up three points from his four matches.

McIlroy has stated on numerous occasions how he embraces the challenge of the Ryder Cup and he will once again hope to play a starring role by the time the 2025 event rolls around.

McIlroy


Jon Rahm

The other name right at the top of Luke Donald’s team sheet will be Jon Rahm. There would have been initial concerns over Rahm’s form at the majors after his move to LIV, but through the back half of 2024, there can be no doubts that the two time major winner is back to his very best. 

The winner of the individual LIV Championship, he can also count himself unlucky not to have won an Olympic Gold medal and the Spanish Open. 2025 will be his fourth Ryder Cup and like McIlroy he was a huge contributor back in 2023. A force when on the course, Donald will look to the Spainard to be one of his talismen in the hostile atmosphere that the European side will likely face.

Ludvig Aberg

Ludvig Aberg was a bit of a surprise inclusion for the European side back in 2023. Having turned professional midway through the 2023 season, the super relaxed Swede showed that he was right at home on the PGA Tour and cemented his place in Luke Donald’s side thanks to his European Masters victory.

With all eyes on him in Rome, Aberg put on a brilliant performance contributing two points from his four matches.

Seemingly having been a presence on the PGA Tour for years it’s easy to forget that 2024 was his first full season and he has already risen to the top five in the world rankings. Only set to get better, Aberg is likely to be one of the very best players in the world by the time that the 2025 Ryder Cup rolls around.

Tyrell Hatton

In every Ryder Cup there is always one player that surprises and in 2023 that was undoubtedly Tyrell Hatton. Picking up 3.5 points from his four matches, the Englishman forged a great team with Jon Rahm and it has subsequently seen the two of them pair up on the LIV Tour. 

Hatton finds himself in a slightly precarious position as his world ranking is tumbling by the week as he is unable to accrue points due to his LIV connections. However, Hatton has done more than enough to prove himself as a brilliant and reliable team member and it would be a huge surprise if he wasn’t one of the twelve players selected by Luke Donald to defend the title they won back in 2023.

Viktor Hovland

Rewind to the last Ryder Cup and the best player in the world was Viktor Hovland. Riding high due to his FedEx Cup win, Hovland was flying in confidence and duly delivered 3.5 points for his side.

Fast-forward to the present day and you get a different picture. The big hitting Norwegian has greatly struggled for form and has been a complete non-factor across all of the game’s biggest tournaments. Having remodelled his swing, its clear to see that his confidence has been dented and he will need to find it quickly if he is to be a contender in New York next year.

It’s hard to imagine a Ryder Cup team without Hovland, but of all the player’s that we have considered as guaranteed starters he is by far the one who has the most pressure on his shoulders to turn his form around.

Tommy Fleetwood

Quiet and unassuming, Tommy Fleetwood can often be overlooked when it comes to the topic of Europe’s greatest players but he has been one of the European’s most consistent players for years.

Having won four points at the Ryder Cup in 2018, he was once again in superb form in Rome bringing home a further three points and was the man responsible for bagging the winning point.

Frustrations must be growing for the Englishman that he hasn’t been able to capture his maiden PGA Tour title but unless the wheels come off, Fleetwood can be assured that he will once again travel to New York as one of Donald’s key men.

Tommy


Shane Lowry

Rome was Shane Lowry’s second Ryder Cup and just as he did when making his debut at Whistling Straits, Lowry stood out as a person who simply lives for this competition. The heart and soul of the European team room, his relationship with Rory McIlroy is invaluable to Donald and due to his presence both on and off the course, it's hard to imagine a European Ryder Cup team without the Irishman in it.

Lowry is coming off his best ever season on the PGA Tour, finishing inside the top ten in the final FedEx standings for the very first time in his career. Looking to take his career to even greater heights next year, Lowry is one man who will embrace the New York crowd that he and his teammates will face next year.

Robert MacIntyre

A debutant in Rome, MacIntyre performed exceptionally well and contributed 2.5 points and managed to stay unbeaten. A fiery competitor, MacIntyre has had a brilliant 2024. Although finding life on the PGA Tour difficult to begin with, he showed that he was right at home when winning the Canadian Open and then backing that up with a historic win in front of his home fans when claiming the Scottish Open.

A fixture now inside the top twenty of the world rankings, MacIntyre is used to life at the top of the game and will hope to build on his brilliant 2023 performance in 2025.

Rasmus Hojgaard

One man who is likely to tee it up at a Rookie next year will be the Dane, Rasmus Hojgaard. Set to feature on the PGA Tour for the very first time in his career next season, the Dane has just reminded everyone of his huge qualities when capturing the Irish Open.

His twin, Nicolai Hojgaard was a rookie in 2023 and he performed with credit on his debut. It would be a dream for both twins to feature on the 2025 side.

The Contenders

As is always the way, there will be plenty of players who will hope to prick the attentions of Luke Donald and force their way onto the team.

Justin Rose - despite being one of the elder statesmen on the DP World Tour, Justin Rose has performed well on the PGA Tour this season and can count himself unlucky not to have won the Open. Certain to be a vice-captain if he doesn’t make the team, he will hope to continue his superb Ryder Cup career in New York.

Sepp Straka - another player who played a great part in the victorious 2023 team was Sepp Straka. A contributor of one point, Straka has had a quiet 2024 and will need to boost his form greatly if he is to bag himself another appearance.

Matteo Manassero - once pipped as one of European’s next big hopes, Matteo Manassero hasn’t quite been able to live up to the hype but he has enjoyed a career renaissance this season, winning in South Africa and performing with Europe’s best at the BMW PGA Championship. A man to keep an eye on, he could be a surprise name on Donald’s team sheet if he can continue to play with the confidence he currently has.

Matt Fitzpatrick - another of the 2023 team that has work to do is Matt Fitzpatrick. A winner of his first point when he formed a great partnership with Rory McIlroy, the Englishman has had a poor 2024 and missed out on a place at this season’s Tour Championship. Without doubt one of Europe’s best players when fully firing, the former U.S Open Champion will need to turn his form around if he is to make his third successive Ryder Cup.

Laurie Canter - arguably the most surprising name on this list, Laurie Canter has flirted between the DP World Tour and LIV Tours but after a string of near misses, the man from Bristol finally won his first title when holding his nerve to win the European Open. Knowing that a good end to the season, could bag himself a place on the PGA Tour for next season, Canter is playing the best golf of his career and could be another name to watch next season.