Matt Wallace is still hopeful of earning a spot on the 2025 European Ryder Cup team, saying: “Until I quit this game, I will always be gunning to make a team.”
The 25-year-old Englishman is yet to appear in a Ryder Cup, missing out in particularly agonising fashion seven years ago despite a 13th-placed finish on the European Points list after winning four times on the DP World Tour in 2017 and 2018.
Wallace is currently 11th this year, battling again for a captain’s pick along with the likes of Sepp Straka (seventh) Ludvig Åberg (ninth), Viktor Hovland (10th) and Harry Hall (17th), who are included in the field in the PGA Tour season-ending Tour Championship this week – where no further points are on offer.
Sky Sports’ Jamie Weir is at The Belfry and explains how the two Ryder Cup teams are shaping up ahead of next month’s contest.
Wallace, Matt Fitzpatrick (12th), Marco Penge (14th), Aaron Rai (15th), Jordan Smith (16th) and Nicolai Hojgaard (25th) are among those in action at the Betfred British Masters – live on Sky Sports Golf from 12.30pm, Thursday – as is Rasmus Hojgaard (eighth), who needs to bag a two-way tie for 29th or better at The Belfry to nudge Shane Lowry, who is competing at the Tour Championship, out of the sixth and final automatic spot.
“As simple a task as it is for Rasmus, I think it’s pretty simple for me as well,” Wallace said on the Sky Sports Golf Podcast of his Ryder Cup prospects. “I’ve just got to play really good golf.
“I’ve been in that situation before [in 2018], played really good golf and it didn’t work out the way I wanted to.
“I definitely feel I can be part of that team and add value.
“I still believe, and I still want to make that team – I want to be there in Bethpage.”
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Wallace added of the New York-based venue where the 2025 Ryder Cup is to be held from September 26-28: “I don’t want to say too much, but I was the highest-finishing player at the PGA [Championship] held there last time [tied-third in 2019].
“I love the golf course, I love New York and I want to be in the mix, be involved in it.
“I’ve got to go and play well these next two weeks and then hopefully they can use that past stuff as well and say, ‘You know what, we’re going to go with you.'”
Ian Poulter suggests home advantage will be in a major factor in the upcoming 2025 Ryder Cup and expects team USA to have the upper hand against team Europe.
Wallace: I still believe I can turn Luke’s head
Wallace called missing out on the 2018 Ryder Cup in France “really disappointing and hard,” with a September victory at the Danish Golf Championship, in front of Thomas Bjorn, not enough to earn a captain’s pick.
“Seven years ago now, it’s amazing how fast it goes, but I’ve grown as a player and person since,” Wallace said, before reflecting on the similar position he finds himself this year.
“It’s how it is. It’s how it has gone. I wouldn’t change anything, apart from potentially changing my putting stroke at the start of the year.
“I just didn’t play well enough at the start of this year to give myself a really great chance to be in the top six, so I’m in this situation right now.
“I’ve been very lucky to still be part of the conversation, 11th on the points list, so I’m there or thereabouts.
“I still think there’s a chance for me. I still believe that I can do something that will turn [captain] Luke [Donald]’s head.
Team Europe captain Luke Donald denies that he has ‘locked in’ any players for the Ryder Cup this year as he discusses eligibility of LIV golfers, including Jon Rahm.
“I’ve been in this situation for a while now. I’ve played really consistent golf – I got a nice message from Luke, saying he could see I was playing some nice, consistent golf.
“That was really nice for him to see that.”
Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose and Tyrrell Hatton have already qualified and are assured of their spots at Bethpage, with Donald facing a hugely difficult decision over his picks, which are to be announced live on Sky Sports on Monday, September 1 at 2pm.
Rory McIlroy has confirmed he has no interest in being a Ryder Cup playing captain, but would have considered it 20 years ago.
“Every Ryder Cup, there is always a push by some people who have a good opportunity to claim a place,” Donald told reporters ahead of the British Masters.
“It is a little bit of a headache for me but a good headache. The more options we have for those picks the better.
“Having some continuity is good but also having fresh blood, having rookies, that could be good, too. It’s not cut and dried.
“But certainly from a continuity standpoint, they understand how I work. I understand them quite well. Those are all positives for sure.”
How can I watch the British Masters on Sky Sports?
Sky Sports has live coverage from all four rounds of the Betfred British Masters at The Belfry, starting from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Golf on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with the slightly early start time of 12pm for Sunday’s final round.
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