With the Ryder Cup just days away, it’s time to take a closer look at the European roster.
With the Ryder Cup just three days away, let’s get to the part two of this week’s power rankings doubleshot special. Yesterday, we did a full analysis of Team USA; now let’s turn our attention to the European side.
With six rookies, the Euros are far less experienced than the Americans — ironic, given the fact that they’ll arrive as the winners of eight of the last ten Ryder Cups. Despite that record of success, captain Darren Clarke deemed his team the underdogs earlier this week. They’ll need to rely on their organization, as well as the experience of their veteran members, if they want to retain the trophy this week.
Without further ado, let’s dive on in. Here’s our ranking of the European Ryder Cuppers, ordered by their likelihood of rising to the occasion at Hazeltine.
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Coming off a pair of wins in his last three starts, no one is playing better than Rory McIlroy at the moment.
1
Rory McIlroy
No. 3, Two wins in last three starts
With two wins in his last three starts, McIlroy isn’t just the hottest player on Team Europe — he’s the hottest player in the world. Thanks to weekend rounds of 66 and 64 at the Tour Championship, the four-time major winner will enter this week with plenty of momentum. As if that weren’t enough, McIlroy tied for third at the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine, finishing just two strokes behind Tiger Woods and five behind Y.E. Yang. Armed with the right form, history and statistical profile to succeed, he’ll be the most dangerous player at the matches this week.Next: Martin Kaymer
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He didn’t contend for any wins this year, but Martin Kaymer has still been about as steady as can be.
2
Martin Kaymer
No. 48, Nine top 20s in last 11 starts
Masters champion Danny Willett has played solid golf over the past month.
3
Danny Willett
No. 10, Back-to-back top 15 finishes
This Englishman hasn’t done all that much since winning the Masters in April, but it seems his form has taken a sharp turn for the better just in time for his Ryder Cup debut. With a pair of top 12s in his last two starts, including a solo second at the Italian Open, Willett is in the midst of his most consistent stretch since the springtime. While he’ll be new to the Ryder Cup, he’s made a number of other team match play appearances over the years, and he’s demonstrated a penchant for surfacing at the biggest events. Look for him to be a major contributor.Next: Sergio Garcia
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His postseason performance left much to be desired, but Sergio Garcia’s wealth of Ryder Cup experience will help him this week.
4
Sergio Garcia
No. 12, 18-9-5 career record at the Ryder Cup
He may have fizzled out in the FedEx Cup playoffs, but there’s still plenty to like about Garcia as he gears up for his eighth Ryder Cup appearance. Having compiled a simply outstanding record of 18-9-5 over the years, it’s no secret that this event brings out the best in the Spaniard. Because of his vast experience at the matches and his familiarity with Hazeltine (he tied for 10th at the 2002 PGA Championship), he’ll play an important leadership role for Team Europe this week. Expect to see him in at least four sessions.Next: Lee Westwood
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Like with Garcia, the veteran presence of Lee Westwood could be a major asset for this young team.
5
Lee Westwood
No. 46, 20-15-6 career record at the Ryder Cup
This Englishman has demonstrated consistent form throughout the year, but it hasn’t translated to any victories. Even so, Westwood should be an important contributor to the European effort this week. With nine previous Ryder Cup appearances and 23 career points to his name, he’ll bring a ton of experience, and his tie for third at the 2009 PGA Championship serves as evidence of how dangerous he can be at Hazeltine. He certainly isn’t what he used to be, but with luck, Westwood can be a big-time asset.Next: Rafael Cabrera-Bello
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Rafael Cabrera-Bello may be a newcomer to the Ryder Cup, but he’s proven to be nothing if not adaptable this year.
6
Rafael Cabrera-Bello
No. 30, Five top 25s in last seven starts
What started out as a torrid hot streak has turned into a career season for this Spaniard. Cabrera-Bello has managed to sustain his good form for almost an entire year, picking up 15 top 25s in just 21 starts. That stretch includes a tie for 12th at the Italian Open just two weeks ago, so he’ll have some momentum as he heads to Hazeltine. While he’ll be a first-time Ryder Cupper this week, he should be able to rise to the occasion and contribute — he’s looked every bit like an elite player in 2016.Next: Justin Rose
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He may have won an Olympic gold in Rio, but Justin Rose hasn’t quite been himself this year.
7
Justin Rose
No. 11, Four top 25s in last six starts
It’s hard to call 2016 a disappointing year for this Englishman — he did win an Olympic gold medal, after all — but it was still a noticeable downturn from his usual standard of success. In three events since his winning week in Rio, Rose failed to notch a top 20 and fell out of the top 10 in the world ranking. Despite his mediocre form, however, there are reasons to keep an eye on him this week; his career Ryder Cup record stands at an impressive 9-3-2, and he tied for 23rd at Hazeltine back in 2002. Maybe this event can spark a rebound.Next: Matthew Fitzpatrick
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Matthew Fitzpatrick may be young, but he’s no stranger to playing under pressure.
8
Matthew Fitzpatrick
No. 44, Four top 25s in last five starts
Henrik Stenson has been outstanding this year, but a knee injury could hinder him at Hazeltine.
9
Henrik Stenson
No. 5, Reigning Champion Golfer of the Year
It’s hard to know what to do with him this week. Obviously, Stenson has the potential to be a major force if he’s healthy, but we just don’t have that kind of guarantee. Playing on a torn meniscus, he ended up withdrawing from The Barclays and looked flat en route to a tie for 41st at the Deutsche Bank Championship. While he did withdraw from the BMW Championship in order to rest up for this week’s matches, we’ve yet to see what he can do on a few weeks of rest. Still, his tie for sixth at the 2009 PGA Championship provides a flicker of hope.Next: Thomas Pieters
Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Thomas Pieters has logged some strong finishes recently, but he hit a wall in Germany last week.
10
Thomas Pieters
No. 42, Three top fives in last four starts
One of the hottest players in the world throughout the month of August, Pieters may have peaked just a bit too early. He reeled off three consecutive top fives during the dog days of summer, including a victory in Denmark, but could manage only a tie for 57th at the Porsche European Open last week. Still, Pieters has a chance to do some real damage this week — his length should set him up nicely for Hazeltine, and he showed plenty of grit going up against the world’s best at the Olympics, where he finished fourth.Next: Chris Wood
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Chris Wood’s form has been mediocre since winning at Wentworth back in May.
11
Chris Wood
No. 32, Two top 20s in last four starts
This Englishman’s victory at the BMW PGA Championship in May will go down as a career highlight, but he’s had his share of struggles since then. In five starts since his withdrawal from The Open Championship, Wood has notched two top 20s and missed out on the top 45 three times — not the most consistent stretch. A Ryder Cup rookie who’s struggled with injury over the past few months, he probably won’t be expected to shoulder a heavy load this week. His lone previous appearance at Hazeltine didn’t go well, hurting his case even further.Next: Andy Sullivan
Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Andy Sullivan may have qualified for Team Europe, but he’s not playing well enough to make a big impact.
12
Andy Sullivan
No. 50, T20 at the Italian Open
He enjoyed a great winter and a solid summer, but Sullivan has been slumping over the past month or so. Playing four events in five weeks to gear up for the matches, he missed cuts in the Czech Republic, Denmark and Switzerland before tying for 20th at the Italian Open in his most recent start. That’s not too inspiring, but at least he’ll carry a small amount of momentum into this week. Even then, he probably won’t be tasked with too much — don’t expect to see him in more than two or three sessions.Next: Ryder Cup Power Rankings: Team USA
Who’s your pick to win the Ryder Cup? Let us know in the comments, and keep it here at Pro Golf Now for more updates from this week’s matches.
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