Europe's Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has named his six wildcard picks for the contest in Rome at the end of the month and says "he couldn't be happier" with the team.
Donald, who took over the captaincy from Henrik Stenson when the Swede joined LIV, named Tommy Fleetwood, Sepp Straka, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Nicolai Hojaard and Ludwig Aberg as his six wildcard selections.
The first half of Donald's Team Europe was already complete, with Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick, Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton and Robert MacIntyre automatically qualifying.
Donald announced Fleetwood as his first wildcard, followed by Straka, Rose and Lowry.
When the former world number one named Nicolai Hojaard as pick number five, it meant that one of either Aberg or Adrian Meronk, the next two favorites in the betting, would miss out.
Meronk won the Italian Open at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in May, the venue for this year's contest - but Donald opted for Aberg, who won the European Masters yesterday.
"He showed yesterday he has the potential to be one of golf's superstars," Donald said of Aberg.
Meronk can count himself to be hugely unlucky to miss out on selection, but he wasn't the only one to suffer disappointment.
Other names to miss out include Seamus Power, Rasmus Hogjaard, Yannik Paul, Pablo Larrazabal and Victor Perez, although of these, Meronk was hottest fancy to tee it up as wildcard in Rome.
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The day has arrived! Who will Luke Donald pick to complete his European team? We'll find out very soon.
So, not long now until the six wildcards are confirmed by Luke Donald. Rumors everywhere. It's got a deadline day feel about it..
Here's one rumor - and it's purely that at the moment....
🚨🏆🇪🇺 LIV golfer Richard Bland is not happy about Adrian Meronk being left off the European Ryder Cup team and says Meronk deserves a spot over Shane Lowry. @LowryTracker pic.twitter.com/O5AoS1N5erSeptember 4, 2023
Personally, I'd like to see a few more rumors about Nick Faldo coming out of retirement to don the yellow and blue for Donald
I'm picturing Jamie Weir running alongside Luke Donald's car deadline-day style, 'Tell us about Aberg, Luke, you're picking him, right?'
The more I think about Faldo, the more it would make sense. Both former world number ones. Both from the Mizuno stable. Got a be a lot of respect there and a close friendship.
In all seriousness, it would have been great to see Padraig Harrington play in Rome - Padraig & Shane. I'm not sure Luke's going to throw any curveballs.
Really hope Adrian Meronk makes the team. I remember speaking to him in Dubai a few years ago when he was hanging around on the range like a competition winner. He's achieved an awful lot in the space of a couple of years and clearly all the work he's done with Matthew Tipper is paying off.
Can't see Aberg getting snubbed. Can't tell you a lot about him. Watched him chipping alone on the chipping area at the Scottish this year and he walked about without grabbing too much attention. That's surely about to all change - he looks to be a real superstar.
30 minutes to go. How many times will Luke Donald say "difficult decision"? You could play a little drinking game if you like, two fingers for "difficult decision", three for "really hard" etc etc. Just remember, it's a Monday. Drink responsibly.
Ready to announce his Captain's Picks 🇪🇺#TeamEurope pic.twitter.com/3UQscKlSchSeptember 4, 2023
Odds on making the team:
- Tommy Fleetwood 1/750
- Justin Rose 1/50
- Ludvig Aberg 1/33
- Sepp Straka 1/8
- Shane Lowry 1/5
- Adrian Meronk 1/3
- Nicolai Hojgaard 4/11
- Rasmus Hojgaard 7/2
- Alex Noren 5/1
- Alexander Bjork 5/1
- Alex Fitzpatrick 10/1
- Padraig Harrington 10/1
- Yannik Paul 10/1
- Victor Perez 12/1
- Matt Wallace 16/1
- Thomas Pieters 16/1
- Aaron Rai 20/1
CONFIRMED AS QUALIFIERS
- McIlroy
- Rahm
- Hovland
- Fitzpatrick
- Hatton
- MacIntyre
Nervous start from Donald, not sure where he's going. Surely you do your homework as to what door you're going to go in through - he's had ample time to prepare.
.@LukeDonald arrives in advance of making his Captain's Picks 🇪🇺 pic.twitter.com/rAok3GwwwRSeptember 4, 2023
Must be a rotten job making the hard calls to deliver bad news, which Donald will have done by now. We're minutes away from finding out who took one of those disappointing phone calls and who got the good news.
We're underway
Here we go.....
Nick Dougherty is hosting the announcement - this is not just Donald reading off a piece of paper. He'll be here any moment after some build-up...
And here he is...
"I've really tried to enjoy this journey as much as possible," says Donald. Not sure he'll have enjoyed a couple of phone calls this morning.
He's "happy" with the 12 he has - and they are...
PICK ONE: TOMMY FLEETWOOD
Live from Dubai: "Very cool," says Fleetwood. "Getting this one feels very special. I'm very excited to get with all my teammates.
Donald says his nickname for Fleetwood is "The Flusher". "We know his pedigree," adds Donald.
Fleetwood, who was four from four in Paris, talks about Europe's determination to get the Cup back after the disappointment of two years ago.
"The most amazing thing" says Fleetwood of the home atmosphere. "Nothing like a home crowd."
PICK TWO: SEPP STRAKA
The Open runner-up was one of the favorites to make it as a wildcard. Sepp joins from Alabama...
He sounds American but he is a proud Austrian is Sepp. Won the John Deere Classic on the PGA Tour, and he's impressed Donald this year.
"I couldn't leave him off," says the captain.
PICK THREE: JUSTIN ROSE
No surprise here. Rose has won again on the PGA Tour this year and will be making his sixth Ryder Cup appearance.
Will Justin join us live? Of course he will. He's at Wentworth.
"The last one hurt," says Rose, on missing out last time. Says there's nothing like a Ryder Cup. He looks fresh and very excited.
"You know what he has," says Donald. Praises his experience. "A deserved pick".
Rose talks further about the special feeling when you pull on the team badge. "Winning as a team is the most fun you can ever have."
PICK FOUR: SHANE LOWRY
Some will say Shane's been a bit fortunate, but Donald is backing the Irishman, who joins us live from Dublin.
"I'm not in a pub," jokes Lowry. Talks about the hurt of 2021.
Donald talks of wanting a balance. "A big time player" is how he describes Lowry. Also a big fan of the passion he brings.
"It's what I love," Lowry says of team sports, and adds he's excited for a home Ryder Cup.
PICK FIVE: NICOLAI HOJAARD
A rookie for Donald. Højgaard, live from Billund, reveals he took the call yesterday from Luke.
"I wanted some in form players," says Donald.
PICK SIX: LUDWIG ABERG
"He showed yesterday he has the potential to be one of golf's superstars," says Donald.
That means no Adrian Meronk, who can count himself very unlucky.
"I can't wait for Rome," says Aberg, as if he's turning up in Rome for a fun pro-am.
Donald, who has played with Aberg, admits to be "blown away by him".
This guy looks and sounds like a superstar already.
THE 6 WILDCARDS: FLEETWOOD, LOWRY, ROSE, HOJGAARD, ABERG, STRAKA
WHICH WILDCARD CONTENDERS JUST MISSED OUT?
For some players, there was disappointment as they missed out on the chance to play for Team Europe in its effort to regain the trophy it lost to Team USA at Whistling Straits in 2021.
