The highly anticipated Team Cup match between Great Britain & Ireland (GB&I) and Continental Europe is set to take place in Abu Dhabi (10-12 January), with a majority of the players already announced. This event, captained by Justin Rose for GB&I and Francesco Molinari for Europe promises to be a significant prelude to the Ryder Cup scheduled for later in the year.
Team Lineups
Continental Europe is backed with in form DP World Tour winners: Hojgaard twins; Matthieu Pavon; Thorbjorn Olesen; Niklas Norgaard and Matteo Manassero along with Antoine Rozer. It also includes Challenge Tour number one Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and Antoine Rozner are also part of Molinari’s squad, which blends youth with experience.
Molinari, the three-time Ryder Cup player, said: “It may be a new-look Continental European side but I’m really excited to lead these players at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort as we bid to defend the Team Cup next year. “There is a fantastic blend of players who have hit the ground running at the start of their careers and those with a lot of experience on their side, and most of them have played in team competitions in the past as amateurs, which will have given them a great insight into these environments.”
GB&I has grabbed the headlines by including LIV Golf member Tyrrell Hatton, who is keen to impress Luke Donald at the Abu Dhabi Golf Resort, a course he’s mastered before having won the Rolex Series event there in 2021. Two other Abu Dhabi HSBC Champions will also been joining Tyrrell, former captain Tommy Fleetwood and recent winner Paul Waring. PGA Tour winners Aaron Rai and Matt Wallace bring more strength to the lineup along with Laurie Canter, Tom McKibbin, and Jordan Smith.
Rose, who won the U.S. Open in 2013 and will Captain the Great Britain & Ireland side for the first time, said: “Having two Ryder Cup team-mates in Tommy and Tyrrell in the team will be invaluable, but I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of the team step up to this new arena. Having also played in 2023, I’m sure Matt and Jordan will be keen to go out there and win the Cup so it’ll be great to watch them in action again.
Event Format and Schedule
The Team Cup will unfold from January 10-12 at the Abu Dhabi Golf Resort, featuring a mix of matchplay formats. The competition will tee off with a fourball session on Friday, followed by two sessions of foursomes on Saturday, and concluding with singles matches on Sunday. Each player will participate in every session, ensuring all players have the opportunity to impress Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald..
Strategic Importance
This event serves as a crucial testing ground leading up to the Ryder Cup, with Luke Donald set to evaluate potential players for the September showdown at Bethpage Black. Notably, six players from the previous year’s competition went on to represent Europe at the Ryder Cup in Rome, underlining the match’s role in identifying emerging talent.
In a recent statement, Luke Donald expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming Team Cup: “Fran, Justin, and I are really excited about the two teams assembling at the Team Cup in January. There’s a great mix of youth and experience on both sides, promising a fiercely competitive atmosphere at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort.”
As anticipation builds for this exciting matchup, both teams are eager to leverage this opportunity to refine their strategies and solidify their rosters for the Ryder Cup.
