While the Team Cup may not attract all of the superstar names in European golf, the lineup for the 2025 event looks extremely impressive as Luke Donald continues his preparations for the Ryder Cup later in the year at Bethpage.
Justin Rose and Francesco Molinari will lead the two sides at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort. And now, nine of the 10 players on each side have been confirmed, with the likes of Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton featuring for Great Britain and Ireland, and Rasmus Hojgaard and Nicolai Hojgaard playing for Continental Europe.
The rise of Ludvig Aberg in 2023 shows how difficult it is to make confident predictions this far away from the Ryder Cup. But here is a look at the 18 players involved in the Team Cup ranked based on how likely they arguably are to be part of Donald’s team in New York…
The 18 Team Cup players ranked ahead of the Ryder Cup
18. Francesco Molinari
It does appear that Francesco Molinari’s days as a Ryder Cup player may be behind him. While he should definitely captain the team in the future, the Italian is now outside the top 400 in the world rankings. He was 164th in the Race to Dubai and currently sits 191st in the FedEx Cup standings.
17. Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen
The wildcard in the two teams, it is going to be fascinating to see how Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen fares. The Dane was promoted from the Challenge Tour during the 2024 season, so the 2025 Ryder Cup may come too soon. But who knows what the coming months could hold for him?
16. Laurie Canter
Any player without a PGA Tour card is going to struggle to force their way onto next year’s team. With that, Laurie Canter – who did win the European Open this year – is facing a real uphill battle.
15. Jordan Smith
Like Canter, Jordan Smith missed out on a PGA Tour card. Smith missed out in agonising fashion at the DP World Tour Championship, so it is going to be asking a lot for the 32-year-old to make the team.
14. Paul Waring
Paul Waring worked his way into the competition by winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. That victory has also ensured that he can play on the PGA Tour next year. The fact that he was 47th in the Race to Dubai before his victory makes it difficult to see him at the Ryder Cup.
13. Tom McKibbin
Tom McKibbin was the last player to earn his PGA Tour card in Dubai. Rory McIlroy has backed McKibbin to do well on the PGA Tour, but it may be a bit too soon for the Northern Irishman.
12. Niklas Norgaard
Niklas Norgaard won the British Masters earlier this year and will have the chance to play a full schedule on the PGA Tour next season. He is quite low down on the list, but he was third for driving distance on the DP World Tour this year, so that could be important at somewhere like Bethpage.
11. Antoine Rozner
Antoine Rozner enjoyed an incredibly strong end to the season, finishing in the top six in the last three events of the year. He is another player who can hit the ball a long way, so it will be interesting to see whether he or Norgaard have a better week in the Team Cup.
10. Thorbjorn Olesen
Thorbjorn Olesen has played in the Ryder Cup previously, although his week did not go entirely to plan as he only featured twice at Le Golf National. That experience could help sway Donald if it comes down to it, but an uninspiring year on the PGA Tour this season may count against him.
9. Matteo Manassero
Matteo Manassero’s story is a remarkable one, with the Italian playing on the third tier of European golf as recently as 2020. Given those struggles, it will be intriguing to see whether Manassero takes up a PGA Tour card. But he was touted as a future superstar, so perhaps he is now going to realise that potential.
8. Matt Wallace
Matt Wallace definitely has the game and the fighting spirit to thrive in a matchplay competition. He has won on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour in the last two years.
7. Matthieu Pavon
If Matthieu Pavon can replicate his 2024 season in 2025, he stands a phenomenal chance of making the Ryder Cup team. He won at Torrey Pines and was in the final group on Sunday at the US Open.
6. Aaron Rai
Aaron Rai had such an impressive year on the PGA Tour, winning the Wyndham Championship. It is a fantastic move to get involved in the Team Cup. The fact that there is no obvious weakness in his game could make him an ideal partner for several players.
5. Nicolai Hojgaard
While Nicolai Hojgaard made his debut in the Ryder Cup ahead of his twin brother, it now seems that the momentum is with Rasmus Hojgaard. Nicolai did not have the easiest first year on the PGA Tour, but the fact that there is such an obvious pairing for Donald will help his cause no matter what form he is in.
4. Justin Rose
Justin Rose is in the twilight of his career, so he will be aware that he may not get too many more chances to play in a Ryder Cup. However, his experience, particularly in the States, could be so valuable. He also showed alongside Robert MacIntyre in Rome how important he can be as a senior figure.
3. Rasmus Hojgaard
Rory McIlroy expected Rasmus Hojgaard to make his Ryder Cup debut before his brother. And it does appear that 2025 could be the year that he really kicks on after finishing second on the Race to Dubai.
2. Tyrrell Hatton
There is potentially no player across the two teams who has had a better year than Tyrrell Hatton. He will surely be in the Ryder Cup team, but given that he is on LIV Golf now, it is likely that he will be relying on a captain’s pick.
1. Tommy Fleetwood
The man who won four points from five in 2018 and then sealed the winning point in Rome, Tommy Fleetwood probably can afford to book his ticket to New York now. He is a top 10 player in the world and been one of Europe’s best for the best part of a decade now.
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