Ryder Cup 2023: Who will play for Team Europe? Possible candidates for Luke Donald's team in Rome

Sky Sports Golf pundits predict Team Europe's Ryder Cup line-up with a year to go; Team USA are defending champions after their 19-9 win last year; 2023 contest takes place at Marco Simone GC on the outskirts of Rome from September 29-October 1

By Nick Dougherty, Golf Expert

Shane Lowry is hoping his win at Wentworth can help give him a strong finish to the season and feels the Presidents Cup showed that Team USA can be taken on at next year's Ryder Cup.

Qualification is already underway for Team Europe’s next Ryder Cup, but who is likely to feature within Luke Donald’s team in Italy?

It's exactly one year to go until the biennial contest takes place at Marco Simone GC, where Europe will be aiming to regain the trophy after a record-breaking 19-9 defeat in Wisconsin last September.

A decision has yet to be made on whether LIV Golf members will be eligible to represent Team Europe, with five members of the 2021 team and three of last year's vice-captains already switching across to the breakaway circuit.

Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood said last month that they are unsure of their Ryder Cup playing status

The year-long qualification campaign began at the BMW PGA Championship, with six automatic qualifiers comprising of the three leading players on the European Points List and the next three players on the World Points List.

Donald will then have six captain's picks to complete his line-up, with Team Europe likely to feature several new faces as they chase a seventh consecutive home win.

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Luke Donald says he is 'grateful and honoured' to be given the opportunity to captain the European Ryder Cup team at next year's tournament.

Who has impressed in qualifying so far?

Shane Lowry ended a three-year winless run by claiming an impressive one-shot victory at the BMW PGA Championship, where he held off likely teammates Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, with the Irishman the early leader on the European Points List.

McIlroy followed his runner-up finish at Wentworth by claiming fourth spot at the Italian Open, leaving him second in the standings, with the former world No 1 set to make his seventh consecutive appearance for Team Europe next autumn.

Also See:

The best of the action from the final round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

The Italian Open was held at next year's Ryder Cup venue, with Robert MacIntyre staking an early claim for a Ryder Cup debut after defeating Matt Fitzpatrick in a play-off to claim a long-awaited second DP World Tour title.

Guido Migliozzi has set his sights on making a rookie appearance for Team Europe on home soil, with the Italian making a strong start to the qualification campaign by battling back from 13 strokes behind over the final two rounds to claim an epic victory at the Cazoo Open de France.

Guido Migliozzi hit an incredible shot on the 18th to set up a birdie at Le Golf National and secure a third DP World Tour title.

Migliozzi finished a shot clear who Rasmus Hojgaard, who took a six-shot lead into the weekend at Le Golf National, while Thomas Pieters - a member of Europe's Ryder Cup team in 2016 - grabbed a share of third place in Paris.

Danny Willett made an early move on the World Points List despite a three-putt bogey costing him a PGA Tour victory at the Fortinet Championship, with the Englishman looking to qualify for a second Ryder Cup appearance.

Who would the Sky Sports pundits have in Team Europe?

The Sky Sports Golf team at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship were asked to predict who may feature for Team Europe next September, with none of the pundits agreeing on the same line-up.

Andrew Coltart: Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre, Rory McIlroy, Adrian Meronk, Guido Migliozzi, Thomas Pieters, Seamus Power, Jon Rahm

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Nick Dougherty: Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Rasmus Hojgaard, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre, Rory McIlroy, Francesco Molinari, Thomas Pieters, Jon Rahm, Danny Willett

Wayne Riley: Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Rasmus Hojgaard, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Rory McIlroy, Guido Migliozzi, Francesco Molinari, Thomas Pieters, Seamus Power, Jon Rahm

A look at best of the action from the final day of the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

Richard Boxall: Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Nicolai Hojgaard, Rasmsus Hojgaard, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre, Rory McIlroy, Guido Migliozzi, Thomas Pieters, Jon Rahm

John E. Morgan: Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Rasmus Hojgaard, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre, Rory McIlroy, Guido Migliozzi, Francesco Molinari, Thomas Pieters, Jon Rahm

Tim Barter: Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Rasmus Hojgaard, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre, Rory McIlroy, Victor Perez, Thomas Pieters, Jon Rahm, Jordan Smith

Iona Stephen: Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Nicolai Hojgaard, Rasmus Hojgaard, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre, Rory McIlroy, Adrian Meronk, Guido Migliozzi, Jon Rahm

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