World No.2, Rory McIlroy believes "pretty much every player" in Team Europe is "more accomplished" than they were at Marco Simone two years ago and is hopeful of completing "the best year of my career" with another away win at the upcoming Ryder Cup.
Luke Donald announced his captain's picks for Bethpage Black on Monday, with all six players having represented the home team at the 2023 event in Italy.
The only alteration to Europe's triumphant dozen is a switching of twins, with debutant Rasmus Hojgaard coming in to replace his brother, Nicolai via the automatic qualification places.
Otherwise, everyone else in blue and gold will have previous Ryder Cup experience - unlike the four rookies representing Team USA.
In addition to entering the Ryder Cup with at least some idea of its magnitude, several European players have gone on to win PGA Tour events since Rome 2023. Robert MacIntyre claimed his first two PGA Tour titles, Tommy Fleetwood finally crossed the line in the US and Ludvig Aberg clinched the Genesis Invitational to add on to his RSM Classic victory.
Tommy Fleetwood recently won on the PGA Tour for the first time
When speaking ahead of the Irish Open at The K Club on Wednesday, it was put to McIlroy that the European team is in a much better place individually than they were before winning in Rome two years ago.
McIlroy replied: "You could certainly make that case. The entire team has played some really good golf between Rome and now. Someone like a Bob McIntyre, who's won a couple times now on the PGA Tour, had a chance to win the US Open.
"I think as well, speaking of the team, a few of the guys' games or the profile of their games, if you look at it from a stats perspective... I think when we went to Rome, you had some guys that were purely foursome players, some guys were purely four-ball players, I think now we have flexibility within that 12, whether it be foursomes or four-ball, and changing the dynamics around a little bit.
"I think it's something that will offer the team more flexibility than we had in Rome. Obviously Rome worked out very, very well for us. But, as you said, you could argue that pretty much every player on the team is more accomplished than what they were two years ago."
Rory McIlroy speaks during his press conference ahead of the 2025 Irish Open at The K Club
As a result of being among a more experienced and more successful side than last time out, McIlroy suggested Team Europe has its best chance in a long time to snap the streak of home wins.
The last time a visiting team left with the Ryder Cup trophy in tow was after Medinah in 2012 - a roster McIlroy was a key part of.
He said: "I'm very excited. I've said this repeatedly, but I think winning an away Ryder Cup, it's up there with one of the biggest achievements in the game, especially nowadays.
Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy celebrate Team Europe winning the Ryder Cup at Medinah in 2012
"There's a reason that every Ryder Cup for the last 10 years has went to the home team. The home team do have a big advantage from the setup of the golf course to how partisan the crowd is.
"So, yeah, I think the Europeans have a wonderful opportunity this year to achieve something very, very special, but it's also going to be very difficult.
"They have a very strong team. They're going to have a pretty raucous crowd on their side and on a golf course that a lot of them know pretty well from previous tournaments there.
"So make no mistake, we know we're up against it and we know we've got a tall task on our hands, but I love the team that Luke has assembled."
The Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black
McIlroy is set to be the most experienced player on Team Europe at Bethpage Black, having competed in seven Ryder Cups before and won five of them.
While he will also be ably assisted by the likes of Justin Rose, Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick - each of whom have played in at least three editions of the biennial team event - McIlroy knows he will have an important role to play as a leader as he looks to secure the second away victory of his career.
Should Donald's men emerge victorious, McIlroy reiterated his view that 2025 would go down as the best year of his career off the back of his second Players Championship success and the long-awaited completion of his career Grand Slam at The Masters.
Rory McIlroy with The Masters trophy
He said: "This is going to be my eighth Ryder Cup... When I look at my career and my whole picture as a golfer, I basically, I’ve done everything I wanted to. I guess everything after that, it’s a bonus, but you have to reassess your goals.
"Obviously I’d love to win this week. I’d love to win next week at Wentworth. But the one thing for me this year to reassess my goals, an away Ryder Cup, after everything that’s happened this year, would be -- I would look back on 2025, and there’s no way that I would -- if I did have a better year in the game, I’d love to see it.
"But if we were to win an away Ryder Cup with everything else that I’ve been through this year, 2025 would be the best year of my career."
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