Of all the players relying on a captain’s pick from Luke Donald to make Europe’s Ryder Cup team, Jon Rahm was surely the name who had reason to be most confident that he would get the nod for Bethpage.
Jon Rahm was in an unfamiliar position heading into the 2025 Ryder Cup. The Spaniard has automatically qualified for the team on his previous three appearances.
But with the two-time major champion now plying his trade on LIV Golf, Rahm was not guaranteed a spot on Europe’s team before Luke Donald announced his six captain’s picks on Monday.
His inclusion means that Rahm will get a second opportunity to win a Ryder Cup on American soil. He was one of the only positives from Europe’s record defeat at Whistling Straits four years ago, with the 30-year-old winning 3.5 points in Wisconsin.
Jon Rahm comments on the New York fans ahead of the Ryder Cup
Of course, that Ryder Cup was very different. It had been delayed a year due to the pandemic. And when it did take place, there were only a handful of European fans in attendance.
Bethpage Black is likely to be vastly different. But speaking at the media event in which Donald confirmed his captain’s picks, Rahm suggested that he is excited to experience the atmosphere.
“It’s difficult to explain. I think the biggest challenge for most of us is that the Ryder Cup was a little different in COVID. So the environment might be the biggest challenge,” he said.
“But in my experience New Yorker fans can actually be quite fun. They are very fun, very creative. So if you approach it with the right mindset it can be a really fun week.
“Stressful, yes, but I think it can be very productive so I am looking forward to being with the rest of the group and hopefully having a great go at it, like we did last time.”
Jon Rahm’s superb Ryder Cup record
Rahm has definitely continued the proud tradition of Spaniards performing superbly in the Ryder Cup.
His debut in 2018 took a little while to get going. However, he secured his first full point by beating Tiger Woods in the Sunday singles – one week after Woods’ Tour Championship triumph.
| Ryder Cup | Jon Rahm’s overall record | Points won |
| 2018 | 1-2-0 | 1 |
| 2021 | 3-1-1 | 3.5 |
| 2023 | 2-0-2 | 3 |
| Total | 6-3-3 | 7.5 |
Rahm was outstanding at Whistling Straits alongside Sergio Garcia. And he has now lost just one match across the last two Ryder Cups, contributing 6.5 points in that run.
Rahm’s form has come under plenty of scrutiny since he joined LIV Golf in December 2023. He had a better year in the majors in 2025, but he will certainly silence plenty of critics if he inspires Europe to victory at Bethpage in a few weeks.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
