Justin Rose hails 'relentless' Great Britain & Ireland after Team Cup win

Captain Justin Rose hailed a “relentless” performance from Great Britain & Ireland as his team beat Continental Europe 17-8 to win the 2025 Team Cup in Abu Dhabi.

Laurie Canter and Tommy Fleetwood quickly ticked off the two points needed in Sunday’s singles and Tyrrell Hatton, Rose and Paul Waring added to GB&I’s points tally.

Niklas Nørgaard, Antoine Rozner and Matteo Manassero won their matches for the Continental side before their Captain Francesco Molinari, via a superb escape from a waste area at the 18^th, and Rasmus Højgaard earned ties in the final two matches.

Rose, who beat Julien Guerrier 3&2, said: “I’ve loved the challenge, loved the experience of it, and the lads have made me look incredibly good at it!

“The way they played was first class. We had one clear message which was to get on the front foot, to try to be relentless, to play wave after wave.

“Playing on a big lead, everybody felt like we could get the job done but just to focus on individual and personal pride. The leaderboard early in the round was astonishing, really.

“Every credit to Continental Europe and Francesco himself, you saw that up-and-down he had on 18 and the team as a whole fought to the very end and clawed back a few points.

“The whole matches were played in such a great spirit but my team definitely holed the right putts at the right time and won most of those key matches.”

The platform was built when GB&I won both Friday’s four-balls and Saturday morning’s foursomes 3½ -1½ and the afternoon session 4-1.

Fleetwood was seven under par through seven holes and three up on Matthieu Pavon on Sunday, eventually winning 3&1, while Canter produced a hugely impressive 5&4 win over Romain Langasque to make short work of Sunday’s target.

“Momentum’s a huge thing in match play,” said Rose. “I think it came down to the putter. I think we were all very good off the tee this week and we putted really, really well.

“Match play is a momentum game for holing the key putt at the right time. The margins are always smaller than maybe the scoreboard looks, but I think it was an incredible way for us all as individuals to start the season.

“Playing match play golf gets the juices flowing, feels like you're in contention and simulates that, and it's a lot of awesome lessons for everybody going forward and hopefully in September.

“Match play is unique. We don't do enough of it. You don't just turn that tap on immediately when you need it.

“You can't simulate the intensity of a Ryder Cup with the crowd and the energy but as you put a crest here (on your chest) and you have ten mates right behind you, you want to win.

“So the intensity is there, the competitiveness is there, just the environment is hard to simulate but I think competitive match play is so valuable.”

The experienced Rose has been tipped as a future European Ryder Cup captain, with the current incumbent Luke Donald among a host of team leaders on site for this week’s event.

“I've basically been babysat,” said Rose. “Tried to give it my best with messaging and put my stamp on my team but to have Luke Donald and Paul McGinley as resources as vice-captain, which are probably two of the best Ryder Cup Captains in history, and obviously José Maria Olazábal, having him here as well, there’s so much to lean on and learn from.

“It’s been a great experience for me personally and hopefully (one I) can take with me into the future, whatever it may be.”