All you need to know as Ryder Cup qualification process nears climax

The countdown to the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club reaches the 50-day mark later this week as anticipation continues to build ahead of the biennial spectacular.

With just two weeks left to qualify, the race to earn a spot in Captain Luke Donald’s European team is reaching a climax.

The 2023 DP World Tour season resumed last week at the ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics, leaving just two events remaining for players to qualify via the European Points List.

By comparison, PGA TOUR-based players have one event left to earn points, in the final of three post-season tournaments that serve as the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Here is all you need to know about the qualification process as it stands, with Italy preparing to host the Ryder Cup for the first time since its creation in 1927.

How the qualification process works

Qualification for Team Europe began at the BMW PGA Championship, the fourth Rolex Series event of the 2022 season.

It runs through until September 3, 2023, following the completion of the final round of the Omega European Masters.

Prior to that, the ISPS HANDA World Invitational and D+D Real Czech Masters will also offer opportunities for players to impress.

At this point, the six players who qualify automatically – the three leading players on the European Points List followed by the three leading players on the World Points List – will be confirmed (if not done so already).

When are the European Captain’s Picks announced?

Donald will announce his six Captain’s Picks to complete his 12-man team to face holders United States on Monday, September 4.

As part of changes announced last year to the qualification process, Donald has double the number of captain’s picks that Padraig Harrington had ahead of the 2021 edition held at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin.

The announcement will be made live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland from 2-3pm and streamed simultaneously on rydercup.com and Ryder Cup Europe’s social channels.

Who is in line to play at Marco Simone?

As it stands, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Robert MacIntyre, who is signed up to play in Northern Ireland next week, sit in the three automatic qualifying spots on the European Points List.

While McIlroy and Rahm’s spots have been confirmed, MacIntyre is still facing competition for his automatic spot but appears intent on backing up his fine runner-up display at the Genesis Scottish Open. He missed the cut in Northern Ireland last week, but is playing in the D+D Real Czech Masters this week for the first time since 2019 - when he finished in a tie for 23rd. He currently sits 90.67 points ahead of Yannik Paul.

Following the latest update on Monday, August 21, Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood occupy the top three positions on the World Points List. Hovland, who won the PGA Tour's BMW Championship on Sunday, has already been confirmed in the team.

This page will be updated as the final qualifying events take place over the coming weeks.

For a full breakdown of the standings, click here.

Who else is in contention?

Yannik Paul and Adrian Meronk sit in fourth and fifth place on the European Points List, after impressive campaigns in which the former has recorded five top tens and the latter has won two Tour titles.

Three-time DP World Tour winners Victor Perez - who will also be in action in Northern Ireland - and Rasmus Højgaard are among others also harbouring hopes of securing a debut appearance after returning to the winner's circle, the former winning the first Rolex Series event of the season in Abu Dhabi.

Matt Fitzpatrick – a member of the European team in 2016 and 2021 – is next in line on the World Points List, followed by Sepp Straka, who finished in a tie for second at The Open, and Major champions Shane Lowry and Justin Rose. MacIntyre rounds out the top ten on that list.

Lowry missed out on the FedEx Cup play-offs and is in the field teeing up at Albatross Golf Resort this week, before he appears on home soil at the Horizon Irish Open – the first event after the team is confirmed.