Luke Donald completes Europe Ryder Cup team with only one change from Rome

European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has named Jon Rahm, Shane Lowry, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg, Matt Fitzpatrick and Sepp Straka as his selections to complete the team which will defend the trophy in the United States later this month.

It means 11 of the victorious side in Rome will reassemble at Bethpage in New York with Rasmus Hoijgaard replacing his twin Nicolai as the only change.

Masters champion Rory McIlroy, newly-crowned FedEx Cup winner Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Bob MacIntyre, Tyrrell Hatton and Hoijgaard all previously secured automatic qualification.

England’s Matt Wallace, who missed out on a captain’s pick in 2018 despite three victories that season, suffered more heartbreak.

The 35-year-old finished 12th in the European team rankings, while Rahm’s position on the LIV Golf tour meant he did not accrue enough points, finishing 24th.

However, such is Rahm’s stature as a big occasion player – he had two top-10s in this year’s majors and only Hatton and Hovland scored more points than him in Rome – and Donald’s desire to include him that a spot had to be made available and that proved costly for Wallace.

Hatton is also a LIV golfer but in the last year has won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and Dubai Desert Classic, finished runner up at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and a tied for fourth at the US Open.

Being available for Ryder Cup selection was a major factor in the pair’s appeal against heavy fines imposed by the DP World Tour for playing on the LIV circuit without obtaining an official release as tour members.

That hearing has conveniently been pushed back until after the Ryder Cup, which spared Donald any difficult decisions.

“Jon really sets the standard for us. He is usually the first person up and the last person in the team room,” said Donald.

“It’s amazing, he understands the history of the Ryder Cup. He takes that history to heart and plays like that.”

Rahm’s place was not really in doubt but the Spaniard said: “It’s a different feeling. I didn’t think I’d be as emotional as I am right now. It’s going to be special.”

Hovland has had his struggles this season but he has retained the support of Donald, who said of the Norwegian: “Viktor is one of my favourite humans and I’m always impressed how dedicated he is to his craft and how much he wants to succeed.

“He was a lion for us in Rome and he will be at Bethpage.”

Hovland teamed up with Aberg, a rookie in Rome just three months after turning professional, to inflict a record 9 and 7 defeat on world number one Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka and the pair look set to be reunited on the course again.

“The 9 and 7 was one of the highlights of my career and if we get to pair up again it would be amazing,” said Aberg.

Donald said of the Swede: “I got a little bit of heat before Rome when I picked him, new out of college and never played a major, but he has situated himself as one of the very best players in the world.”

Fitzpatrick, 31 on the day of the announcement, has also had struggles this season but impressively turned things around at the US PGA Championship in May and has not looked back.

“Matt himself said he didn’t get off to the best start this year but he has turned it around impressively,” said Donald.

“No-one statistically has been as good as Matt has in the last two months. He is playing tremendous golf now with six top 10s in his last eight starts.”

Fitzpatrick added: “It was a nice birthday present.

“There is a lot of belief after the last few weeks, I felt like I’ve turned my game around from the start of the season and to finish this Ryder Cup run-in with the form I’ve shown is a real positive and it would be lovely to carry that into Bethpage.”