The 12 players who will aim to retain the Ryder Cup for Europe
Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)
Age 27 World ranking 5 Ryder Cups 3 (2010, 12, 14) This season’s earnings $2,700,835 Majors 4
Having once dismissed the Ryder Cup as “an exhibition” McIlroy has now been on the winning team in all three of his appearances. Won three points from five at Gleneagles in 2014, crucially beating Rickie Fowler in the singles. Has won six, lost four and halved four of his Ryder Cup matches
Danny Willett (England)
Age 28 World ranking 11 Ryder Cups rookie This season’s earnings $1,928,132 Majors 1
Willett became only the second Englishman to win the Masters this year and his third-place finish in the 2015 WGC Match Play stands him in good stead for Hazeltine. One of five rookies to automatically qualify, he started the year as the world No19 but climbed to No9 after Augusta
Henrik Stenson (Sweden)
Age 40 World ranking 4 Ryder Cups 3 (2006, 08, 14) This season’s earnings $3,365,923 Majors 1
Won all three of his matches alongside Justin Rose at Gleneagles and brings plenty of experience. Claimed his first major with the Open at Troon this year and a silver medal at the Olympic Games suggests he has maintained his form. Persistent back problem could be a worry
Chris Wood (England)
Age 28 World ranking 28 Ryder Cups rookie This season’s earnings $1,782,324 Majors 0
Wood won the BMW PGA Championship in May, which helped secure his place in the team. Having been forced to withdraw from this year’s Open with a neck injury, where he announced himself by finishing fifth as an amateur in 2008, the rookie will be eager to prove his worth at Hazeltine
Sergio García (Spain)
Age 36 World ranking 12 Ryder Cups 7 (1999, 2002, 04, 06, 08, 12, 14) This season’s earnings $3,155,365 Majors 0
A highly experienced competitor, the Spaniard was a vice-captain in the only recent match he missed, at Celtic Manor in 2010, and has won important matches throughout the course of his seven appearances. Won 2.5 points from four at Gleneagles, beating Jim Furyk in the singles
Rafael Cabrera–Bello (Spain)
Age 32 World ranking 27 Ryder Cups rookie This season’s earnings $1,111,553 Majors 0
Secured his spot with a highly consistent season which included runners-up spots in Dubai and Qatar and a series of top-five finishes.. Also managed 17th at the Masters, having finished third at the WGC-Dell Match Play. His only victory on the European Tour came in 2012
Justin Rose (England)
Age 36 World ranking 10 Ryder Cups 3 (2008, 12, 14) This season’s earnings $2,000,811 Majors 1
Won gold at the Olympics in Rio when beating his Gleneagles partner Stenson down the stretch and played all five matches in his last two events, making him a key member of the team. Only his fourth Ryder Cup appearance, he has a record of nine wins, three losses and two halves
Andy Sullivan (England)
Age 30 World ranking 42 Ryder Cups rookie This season’s earnings $925,625 Majors 0
A Walker Cup winner in 2011, Sullivan’s last tour win came in 2015, when he won the Portugal Masters by nine strokes from Chris Wood. Pushed McIlroy hard in the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai in 2015. Also finished second in Dubai but missed cut in final two qualifying events
Matt Fitzpatrick (England)
Age 21 World ranking 48 Ryder Cups rookie This season’s earnings $290,559 Majors 0
The 2013 Open silver medal winner and US Amateur champion won the Nordea Masters in June and has spent the longest time in the automatic positions after his first Tour title in October’s British Masters. Also fourth in DP World Tour Championship, secured his place with fifth in penultimate event
Martin Kaymer (Germany)
Age 31 World ranking 50 Ryder Cups 3 (2010, 12, 14) This season’s earnings $889,932 Majors 2
The wildcard pick secured the point that enabled Europe to retain the Ryder Cup at Medinah in 2012 with victory over Steve Stricker and has the 2014 Players Championship and US Open to his name, his last victories to date. Won four, halved three and lost three in his three appearances
Lee Westwood (England)
Age 43 World ranking 46 Ryder Cups 9 (1997, 99, 2002, 04, 06, 08, 10, 12, 14) This season’s earnings $380,333 Majors 0
The most experienced European player with nine consecutive Ryder Cup appearances, having made his debut at Valderrama in 1997. A second-place finish at the Masters and 14th on the world points list gave the captain Darren Clarke licence to pick his good friend as a wildcard
Thomas Pieters (Belgium)
Age 24 World ranking 41 Ryder Cups Rookie This season’s earnings $1,185,851 Majors 0
Finished just out of the medals in fourth at the Olympics, second in his defence of the Czech Masters and won the Made in Denmark title last Sunday. Big-hitting should be an advantage and Clarke played two rounds with him at the Danish event, with the Belgian shooting 62 and 71
