Hot on the heels of earning his PGA Tour card, Tom McKibbin, has been named the Great Britain & Ireland Team Cup to face Continental Europe next January.
The 21-year-old will join a number of established Ryder Cup stars and other young hopefuls in the three-day match-play event at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort, from January 10 to 12.
It’s another step in what has been a remarkable rise for McKibbin.
He finished the 2024 DP World season ranked 18th and has risen to 105th in the world.
In Abu Dhabi he will be under the watchful eye of Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald.
After consulting with respective Team Cup Captains Francesco Molinari, of Continental Europe, and Justin Rose, of Great Britain & Ireland, Donald selected the first nine competitors on each side.
“Fran, Justin and I are really excited by the two teams which will assemble at the Team Cup in January,” Donald said.
There’s a great mix of youth and experience on both sides and there will certainly be a competitive atmosphere at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort.
“This event provided valuable insight for a number of players who eventually made it to Marco Simone, with six of the 20 competitors in 2023 going on to play in the Ryder Cup, three of those making their debut appearances, and we’re excited to see who can make their mark in next year as they try and earn a place in my side for New York City.”
Continental Europe: Francesco Molinari (capt), Nicolai Hojgaard, Rasmus Hojgaard, Matteo Manassero, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Niklas Norgaard, Thorbjorn Olesen, Matthieu Pavon, Antoine Rozner.
Great Britain and Ireland: Justin Rose (capt), Laurie Canter, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin, Aaron Rai, Jordan Smith, Matt Wallace, Paul Waring.