Great Britain & Ireland Dominate Team Cup Ahead of Ryder Cup

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Great Britain & Ireland secured a commanding 17-8 victory over Continental Europe in the Team Cup on Sunday, providing crucial match-play experience ahead of this year’s Ryder Cup in New York. The win was sealed by Tommy Fleetwood, who defeated Matthieu Pavon 3 and 1, marking his second consecutive clinching point in a team event after his decisive role in Europe’s 2023 Ryder Cup triumph.

Heading into Sunday’s singles matches, GB&I held an 11-4 lead following dominant performances in the first two days at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort. The team needed just two more points to secure victory, which came swiftly as Laurie Canter defeated Romain Langasque 5 and 4, followed by Fleetwood’s decisive win. “Slightly different circumstances this time, but it feels great,” Fleetwood said. “What an unbelievable group of lads we had again this week and an unbelievable captain, so it was good to be a part of it.”

Justin Rose, serving as GB&I captain, emphasized the importance of relentless play. “My message before play was to go out on the front foot, try to be relentless, to play wave after wave,” Rose said. His team delivered, winning five of the first six singles matches. Notable victories included Tyrrell Hatton‘s 3 and 1 win over Thorbjorn Olesen, Rose’s 3 and 2 triumph over Julien Guerrier, and Paul Waring‘s 4 and 3 defeat of Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.

Despite the lopsided result, Continental Europe showed resilience in the latter stages, with wins from Niklas Norgaard, Antoine Rozner, and Matteo Manassero. The final two matches ended in ties, with Francesco Molinari and Jordan Smith, as well as Rasmus Hojgaard and Aaron Rai, halving their contests.

The Team Cup, previously known as the Hero Cup and The Seve Trophy, has historically been a proving ground for Ryder Cup talent. Six players and captains from the 2023 edition went on to compete in that year’s Ryder Cup. This year’s Ryder Cup, set for September at Bethpage Black in New York, looms large for both teams.

Rose, a potential future Ryder Cup captain, reflected on the value of the event. “Match play is unique, we don’t do enough of it,” he said. “You can’t just turn that tap on immediately when you need it, so having these opportunities to play that is important.”

Luke Donald, Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, echoed Rose’s sentiments, calling the Team Cup “very valuable” for preparation. “We learned a lot a couple of years ago and we are continuing to learn for the challenge we have ahead of us in New York,” Donald said. “New York is going to be a different environment to Rome.”

Fleetwood, who finished the week with a perfect record, highlighted the event’s significance. “Everybody from Luke, the vice captains, the players, all the stuff, they put such a huge effort into this week because it has such a vital role for September,” he said.