With twelve months still to run before Team Europe's pursuit of an unprecedented third consecutive Ryder Cup triumph, captain Luke Donald has already assembled a significant portion of his squad at the Irish venue that will host the showdown. The gathering at Adare Manor followed the conclusion of the Amgen Irish Open, offering both established campaigners and potential debutants their initial experience of the course they will defend next year.
The visit differed from Donald's comprehensive scouting missions ahead of previous European victories at Marco Simone GC and Bethpage Black, yet it served a crucial purpose in familiarising his prospective line-up with the challenge that awaits them. Sixteen players travelled to County Limerick alongside Donald and his vice-captains for a team dinner and eighteen holes on Monday, before heading to the DP World Tour's BMW PGA Championship.
The contingent comprised ten members of last year's triumphant squad in New York, two additional players with prior Ryder Cup experience, and four contenders making their potential debut in the competition. Among those present was Jon Rahm, who spoke enthusiastically about the venue and the value of the gathering.
Any time I'm asked to go to Adare Manor, I'm going to go happily and willingly. It's one of the best hotel golf course experiences there is in the world.
Rahm continued, emphasising the importance of such occasions for team cohesion and player development.
It was a lot of fun. It was very enjoyable. I think those days are great for all of us to see each other and just in a way remember why we do what we do.
For those encountering the course for the first time, the experience carried particular significance.
For those players who have never been there before, I think it's just getting those first nerves out of the way of how they may feel.
Who made the journey to Adare Manor?
Only Rory McIlroy and Rasmus Hojgaard were absent from Donald's core group that secured a 15-13 victory in New York. The travelling party also included Alex Noren, a 2018 winner who served as vice-captain last year, and Nicolai Hojgaard, who featured in the 2023 team.
Two players fresh from impressive rookie seasons on the PGA Tour joined the contingent: Alex Fitzpatrick and Kristoffer Reitan. The Spanish pairing of Eugenio Chacarra and Ángel Ayora represented the other newcomers involved in the session.
Most participants travelled directly from the Amgen Irish Open, though Shane Lowry arrived later following his record-breaking 11-shot victory on home soil at Trump International Golf Links. Justin Rose, reflecting on the occasion, highlighted the dual purpose of the gathering.
It was a lovely boys' day out, in the sense we got together and had a nice dinner. There was some intention-setting of what it means to be on the team and what the plans are going forward.
Rose elaborated on the informal nature of the golf itself.
The round itself yesterday was very casual, very fun and just a first look at the golf course. Having Adare Manor pretty much to yourself is a pretty special experience.
For the rookies in particular, the experience carried psychological weight.
For them, it lights the fire even more in them to want to be a part of that team. It gives them the comfort to feel like they're already part of the team, in the sense of Luke's thoughts, the way of doing things and how the captain goes about it.
Rose cautioned against overstating the strategic advantage of the visit.
It doesn't necessarily feel like a game-changing trip and 'wow, we have an advantage' or anything like that, but I think it's very important in terms of culture setting and all that.
Course conditions and setup challenges
The European players competed in groups of four across the layout in benign weather, with some encountering the course for the first time whilst others reacquainted themselves with a venue that previously hosted the JP McManus Pro-Am. Rahm was impressed by the presentation of the course.
With the good weather they've had in Europe, in Ireland, it was in as good a shape as I've ever seen it. It was actually firm. They could have had it as fast as they wanted to.
He continued, noting the balance struck between challenge and spectator enjoyment.
It wasn't overly fast because obviously I think they want the public to still enjoy the week. It was in perfect condition. It was immaculate.
The selection of Adare Manor presents a distinct challenge compared to the two most recent European venues. Both Le Golf National in 2018 and Marco Simone GC in 2023 had hosted regular DP World Tour events—the Open de France and Open d'Italia respectively—providing extensive data for course setup. Vice-captain Alex Noren outlined the implications of this difference.
The strategy around setting up the course is very different from when they have a lot of data from the Tour. It's a very difficult task to set that up, I think, to our advantage. We'll see how they do.
Noren elaborated on the flexibility available to the organisers.
It's the course and the resources where you can set it up pretty much however you want - you can grow in the rough, you can expand, and you can use tee boxes. It's like not particularly a blank sheet of paper, but you can do whatever you want.
According to Ryder Cup Europe's official update, Donald had already visited the venue earlier in the year with his wife Diane and vice-captain Edoardo Molinari, describing it as a "beautiful Tom Fazio" design with "a decent amount of space" that "will be a tremendous venue for a Ryder Cup."
Absences and qualification outlook
PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai received an invitation but could not attend due to a close friend's wedding in Portugal on Sunday. Tom McKibbin, who had played two rounds with Donald in Ireland the previous week, was not involved in the gathering.
Qualification for the 2027 team is already underway, with Race to Dubai points currently the sole avenue for accumulation before FedExCup points become available in January. Rose anticipated the emergence of fresh talent within the squad.
I think freshening it up a little bit would be a good thing. You want your team to be experienced but to have some fresh energy is always great. Whether that be ideas, style of game, pairing options - to change is up is a good thing.
Rose pointed to the successful transition between previous Ryder Cup cycles as evidence that Europe could absorb new blood without sacrificing cohesion.
There's plenty of opportunity for guys to break through. I think the transition from Whistling Straits into Rome was fantastic and I think that only strengthened into solidifying some of those players that stepped into that role at Bethpage.
He highlighted the calibre of emerging talent available to Donald.
There are so many good young players, like the Højgaards, Ludvig, even Bob. Those guys are now real stalwarts of the team. There has been a great transition in Europe, so we can afford another new batch of youngsters.
Building on continuity
Europe's approach to the 2027 contest has been marked by remarkable stability. Eleven of the twelve players who won in New York in 2025 travelled to Rome in 2023, and four of the five vice-captains from that victory have been retained. The Molinari brothers—Edoardo and Francesco—have already been confirmed for a third consecutive stint in Donald's backroom team, with Padraig Harrington added as a vice-captain for the home event.
Rory McIlroy anticipates that the bulk of Donald's recent squads will reassemble in Ireland.
If there's ever a place to blend rookies, it is in Europe. The thing that I preach around the European Ryder Cup team is there's this continuity.
McIlroy stressed the importance of stability across all levels of the team structure.
I think continuity between the captain, the players, the vice captains is a big thing in a team environment. Look, inevitably there might be some new faces on that team, but I don't think there's certainly not going to be wholesale changes.
He outlined his expectations for the composition of the final squad.
I think the nucleus of our team will remain the nucleus. You might have a couple maybe, but I'd say for the most part, as long as everyone plays well and stays injury-free, you're going to have a very similar looking team to what we've had the last couple.
What lies ahead for Team Europe
The 2027 Ryder Cup will take place from September 13-19 at Adare Manor, marking the centenary edition of the competition. According to the official schedule, practice days will run from September 14-16, with match play commencing on September 17 and concluding on September 19.
Donald will be seeking to become the first captain in history to secure three consecutive Ryder Cup victories. The event will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, with coverage beginning on Thursday from 7.30am on Sky Sports Golf.
