Team Europe announces first two automatic qualifiers for Ryder Cup in Rome

Tough to beat that duo.

[anyclip pubname=”2122″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8171″]

If you’re going to start a squad with two players, it’d be tough to beat the duo the European Ryder Cup team announced Wednesday as its first automatic qualifiers.

World No. 2 Rory McIlroy and No. 3 Jon Rahm will be seeking revenge come Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome. This will be McIlroy’s seventh appearance at the biennial event, while Rahm will make his third start.

The Northern Irishman sits in the No. 1 spot on the European Points List thanks to his recent win at the Genesis Scottish Open. In fact, he’s finished T-9 or better in his last seven starts. Overall, McIlroy owns a 12-12-4 record at the Ryder Cup.

Rahm, who’s second on the European Points List, has won four times this season, with the last coming in April at the Masters. In his two previous appearances, Rahm holds a 4-3-1 record.

There will be four more automatic qualifiers for Luke Donald’s roster, one more coming from the European Points List and three from the World Points List. As it stands now, here are the four names holding those spots: Robert MacIntyre (EP), Viktor Hovland (WP), Tyrrell Hatton (WP) and Tommy Fleetwood (WP).

After the automatic qualifiers are official on Sept. 3, Donald with make his six captain’s picks.