Luke Donald will announce his Ryder Cup team next Monday, but the Englishman will be without some of Europe’s most experienced players following their move to LIV Golf
With Zach Johnson ‘s U.S. Ryder Cup team finalised, it is the turn of Luke Donald and Europe next, as qualification to make the home team comes to and at this week’s Omega European Masters in Switzerland.
Like their U.S. rivals, the hosts’ setup will consist of six automatic spots and six captains picks. Four of Europe’s big guns have already secured their spot, with Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland and Tyrrell Hatton already part of the 12-man team.
The rest will learn their fate following the end of play this Sunday, with those missing out on an automatic spot waiting on a call up from captain Donald.
When it comes to the former world No. 1’s selection next week, the Englishman will be without a number of his most experienced players after a group of Europe’s biggest names opted to join the LIV Golf setup last summer.
Whilst taking a spot on the LIV roster does not make a European player ineligible, failing to hold a DP World Tour membership card does, and this is an option a number of stars opted take in recent months after the Tour were successful in sanctioning those who made the Saudi switch in April.
From the Ryder Cup’s record points scorer, to one of Europe’s greatest big-moment golfers, here is a look at six LIV Golf players who will not be making the trip to Rome next month.
Sergio Garcia
First up is Spanish star Sergio Garcia, who has been a mainstay in the European Ryder Cup setup since breaking into the team in 1999. There is no golfer in Ryder Cup history that has accumulated more points than Garcia, after surpassed former teammate Nick Faldo at the 2018 event.
Four years on though, the former Masters champion will not be able to add to his tally after becoming one of a number of LIV stars to hand in their DP World Tour membership. Despite being closer to the end of his career than the start, the Spaniard’s fiery personality and impressive matchplay form will leave a hole in Team Europe at Marco Simone.
Ian Poulter
Another man who has been key to Europe’s success over their American rivals over the past two decades is Ian Poulter. Nicknamed ‘The Postman’ Poulter is often the man to deliver for his continent when at battle with Team USA, with arguably his most important moment in a European shirt coming in his starring role of the Miracle in Medinah victory in 2012.
Over 10 years on from one of many of his heroic performances, the Englishman will be forced to watch this year’s event from home as he will miss just his second Ryder Cup in 15 years.
Lee Westwood
The trend of Europe’s LIV Golf omissions is that of experience, with another Ryder Cup regular also missing from this year’s team. Like Poulter and Garcia, Lee Westwood has announced himself as a European stalwart in recent years and has played more Ryder Cup matches than any European in the event’s history.
The former world No. 1 also holds the record for the joint-most amount of appearances in Blue and Gold alongside Nick Faldo on 11, but his chances of taking the outright spot on the list have taken a hit following his membership resignation.
Paul Casey
Sticking with the theme of experience Paul Casey is another man who will be absent from Europe’s setup this time around. Casey secured an automatic spot into Padraig Harrington ‘s 2021 Ryder Cup team, but things are very different for the Englishman two years on, having followed Poulter and co in giving up his ineligibility earlier this summer.
Bernd Wiesberger
The fifth name who competed in Europe’s 2021 defeat who is also set to miss out this time around is Bernd Wiesberger. 37-year-old Wiesberger played his way into Harrington’s team two years ago, and whilst his yet to hand in his DP World Tour membership, his struggling form on the LIV setup appears to have ruled him out this time around.
Thomas Pieters
Another LIV star who appears to have held onto his DP World Tour membership, but looks set to miss out on a spot in Luke Donald’s team is Thomas Pieters. The Belgian star has one Ryder Cup appearance to his name, and after a solid 2022 season was pipped to play an important role in Rome next month.
These plans were halted earlier this year though, after Pieters confirmed he had made a move to the LIV Golf setup in April. Since then, the European has struggled for form on the breakaway circuit has done his slimmed chances no favours in recent months.