Europe's final automatic Ryder Cup spots confirmed and every player going so far
Luke Donald has the first six names of his European Ryder Cup team locked in, as they prepare to host their American rivals at Marco Simone later this month.
Automatic qualification came to an end following this week's Omega European Masters on Sunday, with the two final spots taken. Robert MacIntyre was the first to secure his place, as he held onto the third and final spot on the European Points List ahead of his maiden Ryder Cup showing.
In the World Points List, it was Matt Fitzpatrick who stamped his name on the team sheet, as a tied-third finish in Switzerland proved enough for him to make his third Ryder Cup team. Captain Donald will confirm the second half of his team via his captain's picks on Monday (September 4).
And with the Englishman more than likely still deliberating over who to complete his team with, here is a look at the six names already confirmed for the Europeans ahead of their hosting duties in Rome.
Rory McIlroy
It would not be a European team without Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman will play in the Ryder Cup for the seventh straight event, having represented Europe on every occasion since 2010. McIlroy will once again be acting as Europe's talisman this year, with the Northern Irishman ranked second in the world.
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He heads into this year's Ryder Cup on the back of another successful year, that saw him win on two occasions. Whilst he was unable to end his nine-year wait for a major championship, the Northern Irishman is still a man in form, having finished inside the top-10 in his last 10 events.
And as Team Europe bid to regain the title they lost to the American's two years ago, captain Donald will be relying on both the form and experience of the great McIlroy.
Rory McIlroy will be acting as Europe's main man (Getty Images)Jon Rahm
Joining McIlroy as one of Europe's top stars is Jon Rahm. Rahm will be without his trusty sidekick Sergio Garcia, who will miss his first Ryder Cup for only the second time since 1999 after resigning his DP World Tour membership following his move to LIV Golf.
It will take more than that to stop the fiery Spaniard in his tracks though, having announced himself as one of Europe's most prized assets in recent years. Like McIlroy, he has also enjoyed success in 2023, after being crowned Masters champion in April.
And there is no doubt he will be out to add a Ryder Cup crown to his green jacket in his third appearance for the Europeans later this month.
Viktor Hovland
As well as having two of the world's best golfers, the European's also boast arguably the sports most in-form star in Viktor Hovland. The Norwegian made his debut for Europe during their defeat in Wisconsin in 2021, but two years on the 25-year-old's game has come on leaps and bounds.
Viktor Hovland is a man in form (AP)Hovland heads to Italy having recently been crowned FedEx Cup champion following his win at the season-ending Tour Championship last week. And this was the youngster's second win in as many weeks, after he also secured the BMW Championship seven days earlier.
Tyrrell Hatton
The Ryder Cup is made for professional golf's biggest characters to shine, and there aren't many bigger than Tyrrell Hatton. Despite a staggered finish to his season, the Englishman secured his third Ryder Cup appearance after a solid season on the PGA Tour.
The Englishman proved to be one of golf's most consistent players in 2023, making 20 out of 21 cuts, and securing seven top-10 finishes in the process. His most impressive performance of the year came at TPC Sawgrass, as he just missed out on the Players Championship, after finishing second behind world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
Robert MacIntyre
The first, and only rookie to secure an automatic spot is MacIntyre. The Scottish star is a man that knows this year's Ryder Cup course better than most, after securing the Italian Open at last year's Italian Open at Marco Simone.
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Robert MacIntyre will play in his first Ryder Cup (Getty Images)Following his win in Rome, MacIntyre admitted his 'only goal' of 2023 was to make Donald's Ryder Cup team and he did this on Sunday. Whilst the 27-year-old could only muster up a tied-55th finish at the European Masters, he was able to hold onto the final European Points List spot after his closest competitors in Yannick Paul and Adrian Meronk finished outside the top three in Switzerland.
Matt Fitzpatrick
Another man who secured his Ryder Cup spot following the close of play in the Swiss mountains is Fitzpatrick. The Englishman had the chance to do so in style, as he headed into Sunday's final round at the top of the leaderboard.
Fitzpatrick failed to convert though, as he was pipped by Ryder Cup hopeful Ludvig Aberg and settled for a tied-third finish alongside Connor Syme. Despite the near-miss the former U.S. Open champion was able to hold onto the final spot in the World Points List, and is now set to make his third appearance in European colours.
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