My predicted European Ryder Cup team after the Masters

AUGUSTA — Skipper Luke Donald left Augusta on Saturday with his New York notebook full of top notes. The Masters leaderboard was packed with members of his triumphant Ryder Cup team from Rome; Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Aberg, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton and Viktor Hovland. Throw in John Rahm, who fought against an errant driver to make the weekend, and Donald had the core of his team room for Bethpage.

Donald spent three days checking on the well-being of his go-tos and the form of those relying on a captain’s pick. He elaborated before the tournament began on the importance of the majors as a barometer of temperament as well as form.if(window.



adverts) { window.adverts.addToArray({"pos": "inread-hb-ros-inews"}); }Luke Donald will have plenty to think about after the Masters (Photo: Getty)He will have been delighted with the dog in Rahm, who, as a consequence of his LIV Golf affiliation, has fallen out of the world rankings equation and, as absurd as it is, is likely to require the captain’s approval unless he adds to his major tally in the next three months.

As things stand, those automatically qualified are McIlroy, Hatton, Rasmus Hojgaard, Lowry, Aberg and Thomas Detry, who missed the cut here. Of those outside the automatic spots, Rahm, Hovland, a winner again on the PGA Tour this year, Rose and Tommy Fleetwood will be hard to overlook, which leaves two spots to fill. Even if Detry drops out of the automatic spot, Donald is a big admirer so would have to fall a long way not to be seen.

The big call will be the selection or otherwise of Sergio Garcia. He has renewed his membership of the DP World Tour, settled his differences with his old team-mates, paid his fines and tailored his season to fight his way back into the European squad. if(window.

adverts) { window.adverts.addToArray({"pos": "mpu_mobile_l1"}); }if(window.

adverts) { window.adverts.addToArray({"pos": "mpu_tablet_l1"}); }Missing the cut here was not ideal.

Donald has made it clear performance in the majors is more persuasive since it replicates to a greater degree the pressures of Ryder Cup competition. Team Europe rankings – as it standsThe top six ranked players will qualify automatically, with a further six captain’s picks completing the 12-man line-upRory McIlroy (2028.75pts)Tyrrell Hatton (922.

84)Rasmus Hojgaard (829.03)Shane Lowry (779.43)Ludvig Aberg (650.

13)Thomas Detry (595.97)Matt Wallace (556.37)Nicolai Hojgaard (554.

03)Tommy Fleetwood (542.25)Laurie Canter (520.62)Points tallies correct as of 13 April via rydercup.

com On the plus side, none has scored more Ryder Cup points than him, he has won on the LIV Tour this season and his experience will count for plenty in a rowdy New York. “I think away you look at experience probably a little more heavier than you would on a home one,” Donald said. “You are looking at how you are playing going into a Ryder Cup.

I think that is pretty important. You can’t just pick from experience.“You need some sort of base of decent play.

But looking how they fit the golf course, who they are potentially going to pair up with. “There are a lot of things that go into it. Experience is certainly something I will take under a little more consideration this time around than I probably would at a home Ryder Cup.

”That would bring Matt Fitzpatrick into the equation. Like Rahm and Hovland, Fitzpatrick has suffered an alarming dip post Rome, and dispensed with long-time caddie Billy Foster before the Masters. if(window.

adverts) { window.adverts.addToArray({"pos": "mpu_mobile_l2"}); }if(window.

adverts) { window.adverts.addToArray({"pos": "mpu_tablet_l2"}); }The loss of form is certainly not Foster’s fault, but the player can’t sack himself if change is needed.

He at least made the cut here, to suggest a corner has been turned.Two others who played in Rome, Sepp Straka and Bob MacIntyre both missed the cut, leaving them with work to do to shift the needle, especially as others under the Donald microscope, Aaron Rai and Germany’s Stephan Jaeger comfortably made the weekend at Augusta.My predicted team for Bethpage: McIlroy, Rahm, Hovland, Hatton, Fleetwood, Lowry, Rose, Aberg, Rasmus Hojgaard, Fitzpatrick, MacIntyre, Straka.