DP World Tour names captains as Ryder Cup warm-up event returns

The Hero Cup is returning in 2025 – albeit with a new name.

The match play contest, aimed at giving European players experience in the format in Ryder Cup years, is contested between Great Britain and Ireland and Continental Europe and is a revival of sorts of the much-loved Seve Trophy, which ran for eight iterations from 2000 to 2013.

And it looks like the DP World Tour are keen to stick with it, though it’s currently without a sponsor and will be known – presumably until one is found – as the Team Cup.

Francesco Molinari, who captained the European team to victory last year, will once again skipper the continental side, while Justin Rose will succeed Tommy Fleetwood in leading the GB&I side for the clash that will be played over Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s National course in January.

The pair will both play as well as leading their respective teams of ten in the three-day match play contest, with Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald also presiding over proceedings.

As well as the playing captains, each team will comprise the leading four available DP World Tour members from GB&I and Continental Europe from the final 2024 Race to Dubai standings, with the five remaining players on each side selected by the respective captains in consultation with Donald.

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Donald, who will lead the European team for a second time at Bethpage next year, said he is “really pleased the Team Cup is returning as it provided some invaluable experience for a lot of players last year”. As well as Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Nicolai Hojgaard and Sepp Straka all played in last year’s Hero Cup and went on to compete in Donald’s successful side in Rome.

He added: “I think all of us got a lot out of the week in terms of experiencing the uniqueness of a team environment. It also helped everyone involved to understand, through the past Ryder Cup captains who came and spoke to the players during the event, just what it means to represent Europe in the Ryder Cup.

“I am delighted that Francesco and Justin will assume the role of captains. We saw what Francesco was capable of when he led Continental Europe to a great victory in 2023 and Justin was inspirational both inside and outside the ropes at Marco Simone last year. I’m excited to see them go head-to-head.”

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Molinari, meanwhile, said: “It was a really special week in 2023 and was great to see players from so many different countries across the continent working towards one single goal. I have immense respect for Justin, he is a great competitor and going up against him and his team is a challenge I’m really relishing.”

Rose, who has been heavily tipped to get the Ryder Cup job in 2027, added: “It’ll be strange going up against Fran in a match play competition rather than him being on the same side, but it’s something I am really looking forward to, even though I know it will be tough given Fran’s history not just in this contest but in the Ryder Cup too. But there is so much exciting talent from Great Britain and Ireland on the DP World Tour right now – it will be great to have the chance to try and mould them into a winning team.”

As in 2023, the teams will compete in match play across one session of fourballs on the Friday, two sessions of foursomes on the Saturday and one session of singles on the Sunday, with every player taking part in all four of the sessions. Each match will be worth one point, with the team crossing the 12½ point mark taking the trophy.

You can register for free tickets to the 2025 Team Cup on the DP World Tour website.

Alex Perry is the Associate Editor of bunkered. A journalist for more than 20 years, he has been a golf industry stalwart for the majority of his career and, in a five-year spell at ESPN, covered every sporting event you can think of. He completed his own Grand Slam at the 2023 Masters, having fallen in love with the sport at his hometown club of Okehampton and on the links of nearby Bude & North Cornwall.

Associate Editor