Holywood’s Tom McKibbin will have a chance to show his Ryder Cup potential after being included in Justin Rose’s Great Britain and Ireland side for the Team Cup match against Francesco Molinari’s Continental Europe at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort from January 10-12.
The Newtownabbey native (21) claimed dual member of the PGA Tour on Sunday when he tied for 11th in the DP World Tour Championship, finishing 18th in the Race to Dubai clinch the last of ten cards.
He was one of 18 players announced for the Ryder Cup style match today with one remaining player in each 10-man side to be named after the Nedbank Golf Challenge on December 8.
The sides were announced by European Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald after consulting with skippers Molinari and Rose.
Molinari will lead Continental Europe in their defence of the Team Cup, which they won in 2023 after defeating Great Britain & Ireland 14½ – 10½, in the three-day match play contest.
Both sides will each have representation from three Ryder Cup players, with three-time Ryder Cup player Molinari joined by Nicolai Højgaard and Thorbjørn Olesen, and six-time Ryder Cup star Rose teeing it up alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton.
Olesen was one of the four automatic qualifiers for Molinari’s side, with fellow Danes Rasmus Højgaard and Niklas Nørgaard and Italian Matteo Manassero also earning automatic spots on the Continental European side.
The French pair of Matthieu Pavon and Antoine Rozner round out the Continental Europe side alongside the Danish duo of Ryder Cup player Nicolai Højgaard and Challenge Tour number one Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.
Both Fleetwood and Hatton, who also competed in the 2023 edition of the event, automatically qualified for the Great Britain & Ireland side alongside Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship winner Paul Waring and five-time DP World Tour winner Matt Wallace.
Joining them on Rose’s side will be McKibbin, two-time DP World Tour winner Jordan Smith of England and his compatriots Laurie Canter and Aaron Rai.
Donald, who will Captain Europe for a second time at Bethpage Black next September, said: “This event provided valuable insight for a number of players who eventually made it to Marco Simone, with six of the 20 competitors in 2023 going on to play in the Ryder Cup, three of those making their debut appearances, and we’re excited to see who can make their mark in next year as they try and earn a place in my side for New York City.”
Rose, who won the US Open in 2013 and will Captain the Great Britain & Ireland side for the first time, said: “They are all proven winners on Tour, but I think Europe as a whole is going to benefit massively from next year’s Team Cup as we look towards the Ryder Cup at Bethpage.”
Rory McIlroy, who will not be playing the Team Cup, is a big supporter of McKibbin’s and tips him to do well in the US.
“He’s done amazingly well, and I think his game is going to be suited for America,” McIlroy said on Sunday.
“He hits the ball high. Hits it long. He won in Germany last year, The European Open. He’s had chances this year; the playoff against Marcel in Italy, and he’s been very, very consistent.
“For a guy that’s only 21 to show that level of consistency, that bodes well for the future.”
2025 Team Cup sides
Continental Europe
Francesco Molinari (C), Italy,
Nicolai Højgaard, Denmark
Rasmus Højgaard, Denmark
Matteo Manassero, Italy
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Denmark
Niklas Nørgaard, Denmark
Thorbjørn Olesen, Denmark
Matthieu Pavon, France
Antoine Rozner, France
Player TBC
Great Britain & Ireland
Justin Rose (C), England
Laurie Canter, England
Tommy Fleetwood, England
Tyrrell Hatton, England
Tom McKibbin, Northern Ireland
Aaron Rai, England
Jordan Smith, England
Matt Wallace, England
Paul Waring, England
Player TBC