No 'rinse and repeat' from Europe despite only one new face

Luke Donald has warned the US team that it would be an error to anticipate "rinse and repeat" from Europe in the Ryder Cup this month despite confirming 11 of the 12 players who won in Rome two years ago will tee up at Bethpage.

- Ewan Murray

Donald named his six wildcards yesterday, all of whom played in 2023. Shane Lowry, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Åberg, Matt Fitzpatrick, Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka received the captain's call. Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, Rasmus Højgaard and Tyrrell Hatton qualified automatically.

The only change in the Europe team is Højgaard replacing his twin brother, Nicolai, representing the biggest carryover of players in Ryder Cup history.

Donald is keen to emphasise the "different challenge" requiring "different strategy" when playing away. Europe has not won on American soil since 2012 and endured a 10-point defeat there in 2021.

"Just because we have a very similar team it doesn't mean we are going to roll out the same pairings or the same lineup in foursomes and fourballs," Donald said. "I think over a two-year period, these players do change. Their profiles change and we'll adapt to that.