Who are the Team Cup players shaping up to be Ryder Cup rookies?

Bob MacIntyre was one in Rome two years ago after playing in the Team Cup and it’s almost inevitable that the latest contest between Great Britain and Ireland and Continental Europe in Abu Dhabi will provide a springboard for Ryder Cup rookies at Bethpage Black in September.

With Great Britain and Ireland, being captained on this occasion by Justin Rose, holding a commanding 11-4 lead heading into the ten last-day singles matches, the bare statistics point to Tom McKibbin being a strong contender, which, of course, is ironic after it was reported earlier this week that the Northern Irishman is set to become a LIV Golf player soon.

Paul Waring celebrates with Tyrrell Hatton during day two of the Team Cup in Abu Dhabi | Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

It has to be pointed out, of course, that if the 22-year-old does indeed sign for Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team, it won’t automatically kill off his hopes of being part of Europe’s Ryder Cup defence in New York because Rahm, after all, hasn’t been ruled out purely because he now plays for the breakaway circuit and neither, of course, has Tyrrell Hatton.

There can surely be no denying, though, that McKibbin, who has picked up three points out of three so far at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, will find it far more difficult to secure a spot on reappointed captain Luke Donald’s team if he is playing in LIV Golf events as opposed to the PGA Tour, where he’d secured a card for this season through last year’s Race to Dubai Rankings on the DP World Tour.

Yes, it will be an eye-catching effort if McKibbin caps a brilliant week in the UAE by beating Matteo Manassero in his head-to-head encounter, but there’s a chance he’ll become a forgotten man as far as the Ryder Cup is concerned if he’s been tempted to make a decision that a lot of people are, quite frankly, struggling to get their heads around.

Which means that the likes of Paul Waring, Aaron Rai and Matthieu Pavon in particular but also Romain Langasque are looking more likely to be contenders to become European Ryder Cup rookies in 2025, though others involved in this week’s event have also caught the eye and, of course, there’s lots of water to go under the bridge before the 12 players who will take on the Americans is actually determined.

With all due respect to him, Waring wasn’t even close to being mentioned in Ryder Cup chats until winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, one of the Rolex Series events in November and, with two-and-half-points from his three matches, this part of the UAE is proving a happy hunting for him once again.

“I moved out to the UAE at the end of 2024 and it has felt very homely to us since then,” said the 39-year-old. “We had been travelling here since 2007, so I know the area very well and the amount of time I’ve spent on this style of golf course, this style of greens, this style of grass has just helped me more and more. I do feel incredibly comfortable here. I know what the greens are going to do and I feel like I am playing with somewhat of an advantage.”

With one points list rather than two in operation for this edition of the biennial contest, it’s widely felt that players holding a PGA Tour card this year, as Waring does, will have a huge advantage in the battle for six automatic spots and six captain’s picks.

“It’s a long, long way away yet,” added Waring of Europe’s trophy defence. “There’s a full season of golf to play, but, if I keep managing myself and control the things I can do, especially these situations, being part of a team again.

“Being totally honest with you, it’s a nice refreshing thing for us having to pull for the lads rather than being such an individual and so selfish all the time. There’s a lot of golf to be played, but we are spending a lot of time in America this year, which is a new challenge, but it is hopefully going to give me that experience of playing in front of US crowds come Bethpage later in the year.

“Also getting used to the atmosphere. I think my first event in the States is going to the Waste Management in Phoenix, so I will definitely be throwing myself in the deep end, so to speak.

“It’s a different type of player I am going to be up against. I have loved the DP World Tour. I absolutely love it. I love how accommodating and friendly it is. I have a lot of good mates out here now and it is going to be a little bit colder in that regard when I get over there.

“I’m going to embrace that because it can maybe help my mentality because I’m maybe a little bit soft at times but that has changed over the last three or four months. I’ve become a little bit sharper and harder on myself, so I am looking forward to putting my head on the block, if you like.”

French duo Matthieu Pavon and Romain Langasque have had lots to smile about so far in the Team Cup at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort | Kate McShane/Getty Images

With two wins out of three, former Genesis Scottish Open champion Rai has also caught the eye over the opening two days, as have French duo Pavon and Langasque after teaming up to claim three victories. “I am very happy to show that the pairing with Matt was a good idea and we can beat anyone,” declared Langasque, who underlined his potential when winning The R&A Amateur Championship at Carnoustie in 2015.

They’ve been the only shining lights so far, though, for Francesco Molinari’s Continental Europeans, meaning Great Britain and Ireland need just two points from the singles to avenge a defeat at the same venue in 2023. “One of McGinley's lines in 2014 (at the Ryder Cup in Gleneagles) was just keep hitting wave after wave after wave and so far the lads have done that,” said captain Rose with a smile and, even though he was part of the Miracle of Medinah in 2013, this particular deficit looks too big for any team to overcome.