Europe’s captain Luke Donald said in September that the new Hero Cup will help prepare European golfers for the Ryder Cup.

Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has announced the line-up for the inaugural Hero Cup in Abu Dhabi, opting to combine youngsters with experience from teams in both continental Europe and Great Britain and Ireland.

A three-day match play contest at Abu Dhabi Golf Club from 13th to 15th January, live on sky sportsgiving European players experience in a team format ahead of potential future Ryder Cup appearances.

Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari will captain 10-man teams, while Donald has named two additional players to each team with previous Ryder Cup experience to feature for Team Europe in the upcoming Ryder Cup Including some rookies vying for.

Tyrrell Hutton and Shane Lowry join the British and Irish squads for the Hero Cup
Tyrrell Hutton and Shane Lowry join the British and Irish squads for the Hero Cup

Two-time Ryder Cup entrants Fleetwood have 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry and four-time Rolex Series winner Tyrrell Hutton in their British and Irish line-ups, a trio all Featured in last year’s Ryder Cup loss to Whistling Straits.

Irishman Seamus Power, who got off to a great start to the PGA TOUR season and currently leads the FedEx Cup standings, will be joined by DP World Tour winners Ewen Ferguson, Robert McIntyre, Callum Sinkwin, Jordan Smith and Matt. Joins the GB & Ireland team with Wallace.

Seamus Power is a two-time PGA Tour champion.
Seamus Power is a two-time PGA Tour champion.

Fleetwood said: “I am really happy with the players who will form the Great Britain and Ireland team next year.” [Lowry] and Tyrrell [Hatton] It’s invaluable to the rest of the team in a matchplay environment, but I think we’re really strong as a team as a whole.

“We have proven winners in some of the biggest DP World Tour events and it’s great to have Seamus. [Power] With us following a great start to his season in America. ”

Tommy Fleetwood to captain Great Britain and Ireland in Hero Cup
Tommy Fleetwood to captain Great Britain and Ireland in Hero Cup

Molinari has 2018 Ryder Cup winner Alex Nolen and Belgium’s Thomas Pieters, who scored four points in his 2016 Team Europe debut, in the continental squad, while Austrian Sepp Straka is also in the European squad. , included after a breakthrough win on the PGA Tour earlier this year.

Three-time DP World Tour winners Rasmus Hougaard, Victor Perez, Adrian Melonck, Thomas Detry and Italy’s Guido Migliozzi are also on the list.

“Our team is full of exciting players with outstanding ability in match play competitions, and we are thrilled to lead them to the Hero Cup next year,” said Molinari.

The Hero Cup is a new team match play competition aimed at giving European players experience in the format ahead of potential future Ryder Cup appearances.
sky sports
The Hero Cup is a new team match play competition aimed at giving European players experience in the format ahead of potential future Ryder Cup appearances.
The Hero Cup is a new team match play competition aimed at giving European players experience in the format ahead of potential future Ryder Cup appearances.

“Some of our young players have already shown an incredible level of maturity in pressure situations, proving they can perform in big moments. Giving them the opportunity to compete on this stage with Peters and others is the beginning of what could be a big year for them.”

With one seat left on each team, Donald plans to announce the final two players in the lineup at the end of the DP World Tour calendar year.

“Having worked closely with Tommy and Fran to build our two teams, we are pleased with the mix of players that will be unveiled at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in January,” said Donald.

Continental Europe: Francesco Molinari (c), Thomas Detry, Rasmus Hojgaard, Adrian Meronk, Guido Migliozzi, Alex Noren, Victor Perez, Thomas Pieters, Sepp Straka, TBC

Great Britain and Ireland: Tommy Fleetwood (c), Ewen Ferguson, Tyrrell Hutton, Shane Lowry, Robert McIntyre, Seamus Power, Callum Sinkwin, Jordan Smith, Matt Wallace, TBC

“We all believe it is important to combine experience and youth, and we have major champions and Ryder Cup players alongside those hoping to secure a spot in Rome next year. I think we found that balance by mixing things up.”

Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick and Viktor Hovland, all of Europe’s top four players in the world rankings and likely to play a key role in the next Ryder Cup European squad, You cannot enter the contest.

The Hero Cup will be the first DP World Tour event of 2023 and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Golf from January 13-15.