Wayne Riley thinks ‘intense’ European Ryder Cup hopeful may miss out on spot in Luke Donald’s team in 2025

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With nine months to go until the 2025 Ryder Cup, several European stars will be desperate to stake a claim for Luke Donald’s team.

The qualification period started at the 2024 British Masters, and Rory McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Wallace, Rasmus Hojgaard, Paul Waring and Niklas Norgaard are the players leading the European standings.

However, with Hatton and Jon Rahm set to play the majority of 2025 on LIV, the top six promises to change over the coming season. European stars on the PIF-backed venture will be heavily reliant on the majors to cement their Ryder Cup hopes.

One player who won’t face such a problem is Wallace. The Englishman will play on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour in 2025 and is well-placed to qualify for the Long Island event automatically.

Wayne Riley, however, has sent a word of warning to Wallace.

Why Matt Wallace could miss out on Ryder Cup team

Speaking during Sky Sports’ coverage of the Team Cup in Abu Dhabi, Riley suggested Wallace must not become overly focused on the Ryder Cup if he wants to be on Donald‘s roster.

“Matt Wallace is an intense golfer. He wants it so badly and to prove everyone that he can play Ryder Cup, but don’t get in your own way,” Riley said.

“He was unlucky to miss out in 2018, but he’s come a long way. A couple years ago, he could lose his head and found it hard to dismiss it. Once we get into the Tour itself, he won’t be thinking about Ryder Cup, and if you are, you won’t go.

“He’s got great management behind him; we want him to play and deserves to play. Whether he will go, I don’t know. But yes, he can get into the right mindset.”

Previously, Wallace has let his emotions get the better of him, although the 34-year-old appeared far more controlled during the 2024 season.

• READ MORE: Tyrrell Hatton hints at how many DP World Tour events he will play in 2025 as he looks to make Europe’s Ryder Cup team

Has Matt Wallace played in a Ryder Cup before?

Wallace is yet to feature at a Ryder Cup after coming close to making the team in 2018. Speaking to the Sky Sports Golf Podcast, the Englishman admitted he thought he had done enough to earn a spot at Le Golf National.

“I remember missing out then (2018), and Dave McNeilly, who was caddying for me at the time, said: ‘We’re in,’ so I obviously thought we’d get there and couldn’t really understand why we didn’t,” Wallace said. Thomas Bjørn instead opted to select Sergio Garcia. The Spaniard went on to win three points and lose just once.

The signs are certainly more positive for Wallace ahead of the 2025 event. The Englishman finished third at the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage and could be well-suited to the iconic New York course.

“I came third at the PGA at Bethpage in 2019; I was behind Brooks [Koepka] and DJ [Dustin Johnson], so that’s not going to be an excuse this time. It can’t be an excuse this time,” Wallace added.

“I will be a Ryder Cup rookie, but I have played on the PGA Tour for five years now against the best players in the world. I’ve beaten a lot of them, I’m not scared, and I’m up for the fight.

“I feel like I’ve got the mentality to deal with anything over there [USA]. And I just want to make it.”