Europe name least changed Ryder Cup team in history
Captain Luke Donald retains almost the entire 2023 side for the Sept. 26-28 match at Bethpage Black; only change is Rasmus Hojgaard replacing twin brother Nicolai
Europe will field the least changed team in Ryder Cup history when they travel to Bethpage Black in New York for the 45th contest on Sept. 26-28, captain Luke Donald announced Monday.
Only one player who featured in the European victory in Rome in 2023 is missing from the 12-man side: Nicolai Hojgaard is replaced by his twin brother Rasmus, who qualified through the ranking system. Donald's six captain's picks were Jon Rahm, Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick. They join automatic qualifiers Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Rasmus Hojgaard and Tyrrell Hatton.
Donald, who is leading Europe for a second consecutive Ryder Cup after the 16½-11½ win over the United States in Rome in 2023, opted for continuity and experience for the away match. Since the Ryder Cup was opened to continental European players in 1979, Europe has never made so few changes between successive teams; historically the side has averaged around five changes.
The selection completes a roster heavy with players who have Ryder Cup experience and recent form on major world tours. Several members of the 2023 winning team — Rahm, Lowry, Fitzpatrick, Hovland, Aberg and Straka — were retained by Donald, reflecting his preference for proven combinations and individual match-play records at high-stakes events.
Rasmus Hojgaard earned his place through the qualification system, displacing his brother Nicolai, who played in Rome. The Hojgaard twins have both been prominent on the European circuit in recent seasons; the swap marks the sole personnel change from the previous European side.
The United States team was finalised earlier, with U.S. captain Keegan Bradley announcing his six captain's picks last week amid more public debate over selections. The match at Bethpage Black, a famously demanding course set up for major championship-style defence, presents an away challenge for Europe that Donald has sought to meet with experienced personnel and strong pairings.
Donald described his picks as selections to "give the team the best chance in the conditions we expect at Bethpage," highlighting pairing flexibility and match-play pedigree. He has worked in recent weeks to finalise potential pairings and to prepare the team for the course's tight fairways and penal rough, which often reward precision and course management.
With three weeks until the event, both teams will shift focus to final preparations, practice rounds and strategic planning. The European side's continuity may offer advantages in chemistry and familiarity with Ryder Cup formats, while the U.S. team will look to leverage home-course advantage and depth of form.
Final tee times and pairings will be announced closer to the event, and captains traditionally confirm their opening-day lineups in the days before play begins. The Ryder Cup returns to the United States for the first time since 2016, and expectations of a tightly contested match at Bethpage Black have only intensified following the announcement of the near-identical European roster.
