MacIntyre and Hatton Secure Ryder Cup Spots for Team Europe

Virginia Water, England, Aug 18 (AP) – Robert MacIntyre and Tyrrell Hatton have secured their spots on Europe's Ryder Cup team for the upcoming matches at Bethpage Black, narrowing down the competition for the final automatic berth.

Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, and Tommy Fleetwood had already cemented their positions on the team, allowing captain Luke Donald to know the names of five players who will spearhead the defense of the Ryder Cup scheduled for September 26-28.

The intense battle for the sixth and final guaranteed position is between Shane Lowry and Rasmus Hojgaard. Lowry currently occupies the sixth position on Europe’s points list but is at risk of being surpassed by Hojgaard. With the British Masters kicking off this Thursday, Hojgaard has one last chance to qualify, requiring no less than a two-way tie for 29th place or better to secure his spot.

Unfortunately for Lowry, he does not have any remaining events to improve his ranking.

After this, Donald will have the opportunity to complete his team with six captain's picks.

“Two great characters and golfers back on Team Europe,” Donald expressed via X on Monday, reflecting on MacIntyre and Hatton’s qualification. “Team is shaping up nicely.”

MacIntyre's strong performance, coming in second to Scottie Scheffler at the BMW Championship, propelled him into second place in the Ryder Cup rankings for Europe.

For the Scottish golfer, this will mark his second Ryder Cup appearance after being part of the victorious squad at the Marco Simone club outside Rome in 2023. (AP) AM AM AM

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