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 prospective roster at Adare Manor for an early familiarisation session.
The gathering fell short of a comprehensive scouting expedition comparable to those Donald orchestrated ahead of previous European victories at Marco Simone GC and Bethpage Black, yet it afforded numerous potential squad members their first opportunity to experience the Irish venue that will host next year's competition.
Following the conclusion of the Amgen Irish Open, a mixed contingent of established Ryder Cup campaigners and likely first-time contenders travelled to the resort. The group enjoyed a team dinner before taking to the course for eighteen holes on Monday.
Sixteen players joined Donald and his vice-captains for the session, which took place before the party moved on to the DP World Tour's BMW PGA Championship. The delegation comprised ten members of the previous year's winning line-up, two additional players with prior Ryder Cup experience, and four potential debutants.
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.
So remarked Jon Rahm, who reflected on the value of the gathering.
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 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 trip to Adare Manor?
From Donald's dozen that secured a 15-13 victory in New York, only Rory McIlroy and Rasmus Hojgaard were absent. Alex Noren, a champion in 2018 and vice-captain during the previous campaign, travelled alongside Nicolai Hojgaard, who featured in the 2023 team.
Alex Fitzpatrick and Kristoffer Reitan both participated following their impressive rookie seasons on the PGA Tour. Spanish newcomers Eugenio Chacarra and Ángel Ayora rounded out the first-time participants involved in the session.
The majority of attendees arrived directly from the Amgen Irish Open, though Shane Lowry joined later after his record-breaking 11-shot triumph on home soil at Trump International Golf Links.
It was a lovely boys' day out, in the sense we got together and had a nice dinner,Justin Rose told the Sky Sports podcast.
There was some intention-setting of what it means to be on the team and what the plans are going forward.
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 them [rookies], 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 [being in] Luke's thoughts, the way of doing things and how the captain goes about it.
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.
What were course conditions like?
The European contingent played in groups of four under settled weather, with some encountering the layout for the first time whilst others renewed their familiarity with a venue that previously hosted the JP McManus Pro-Am.
With the good weather they've had in Europe, in Ireland, it was in as good a shape as I've ever seen it,Rahm observed.
It was actually firm. They could have had it as fast as they wanted to.
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 two most recent European Ryder Cups have taken place at venues with established DP World Tour calendars, with Le Golf National in 2018 serving as the former home of the Open de France and Marco Simone GC in 2023 hosting the Open d'Italia. This presents Donald with a distinct challenge in Ireland, where the setup strategy differs markedly.
The strategy around setting up the course is very different from when they have a lot of data from the [DP World] Tour,explained Noren.
It's a very difficult task to set that up, I think, to our advantage. We'll see how they do.
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.
Who else was missing and what happens next?
PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai received an invitation but could not attend owing 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 included in the gathering.
Qualification for the European team is already underway, with points currently available exclusively through the Race to Dubai standings for the remainder of this season before FedExCup points are incorporated in January. Rose anticipates fresh additions to the squad by next September.
I think freshening it up a little bit would be a good thing,Rose stated.
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.
There's plenty of opportunity for guys to break through. I think the transition from Whistling Straits (2021) into Rome was fantastic and I think that only strengthened into solidifying some of those players that stepped into that role at Bethpage.
There are so many good young players, like the Højgaards [Nicolai and Rasmus], Ludvig [Åberg], even Bob [MacIntyre]. 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.
Could consistency be key again for Team Europe?
Europe transported eleven of their twelve-man roster and four of the five vice-captains from their 2023 success to New York in 2025, with the Molinari brothers—Edoardo and Francesco—already confirmed for a third consecutive appointment in Donald's backroom team.
Padraig Harrington has been appointed as a vice-captain for the home event, whilst McIlroy anticipates the bulk of Donald's previous two squads returning to compete in Ireland.
If there's ever a place to blend rookies, it is in Europe,McIlroy told Sky Sports.
The thing that I preach around the European Ryder Cup team is there's this continuity.
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.
I think the nucleus of our team will remain the nucleus. You might have a couple [new] 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.
The 2027 Ryder Cup will mark the centenary edition of the event, and Adare Manor will host the 100th year of the competition, which returns to Ireland for the first time since 2006. The tournament is scheduled for 13–19 September 2027, with practice rounds from 14–16 September and the opening ceremony on Thursday 16 September, followed by three competition days from 17–19 September.
Donald will be seeking to become the first captain in history to secure three consecutive Ryder Cup victories. Daily general-admission tickets for the three tournament days are priced at €499, with practice-day tickets from €89 and Thursday tickets, which include the opening ceremony, at €179.
The event will be broadcast live on Sky Sports throughout the week. Extended coverage of the BMW PGA Championship begins on Thursday from 7.30am on Sky Sports Golf, with viewers able to access the latest Sky Sports deals or stream with no contract on NOW.
