Ryder Cup 2023: Player ratings

Viktor Hovland was one of Europe's star performers.

Find out who impressed and who disappointed for Team Europe and Team USA?

Europe and Tommy Fleetwood stole the headlines, but the supporting cast more than played their part over three days of drama, controversy and record-breaking feats at the Ryder Cup in Rome. This is our take on the best and worst performers for both teams, and the pairings which worked and those which failed spectacularly…

TEAM EUROPE RATINGS

Jon Rahm

Record: W2, L0, H2 Grade A-

The scourge of Scottie Scheffler. He twice came up with big putts to snatch away victory from the World No.1 and delighted the crowd with several chip-ins along the way. Donald leaned on him heavily and Rahm responded by going undefeated and taking Nicolai Hojgaard under his wing. The definition of a big-game player.

Rory McIlroy

Record: W4, L1, H0 Grade A

Led by example and would have gone undefeated had it not been for Patrick Cantlay’s birdie blitz in Saturday’s fourballs. The events that followed – and then spilled over into the car park – were regrettable, but they shouldn’t take the gloss off what was his best performance for the blue and gold brigade. This was the Rory we’ve come to know and love.

Viktor Hovland

Record: W3, L1, H1 Grade A

Europe’s best performer according to the stats. Holed some monster putts to get the crowd going on Friday morning, and then helped inflict the heaviest defeat on any team in Ryder Cup history. He was so impressive tee to green that Luke Donald was talking up his chances of winning a Major next year – and that was before he eased past Collin Morikawa 4&3 in the singles.

Matt Fitzpatrick

Record: W1, L2, H0 Grade B-

Produced arguably the best round of golf all week during Friday’s fourballs to finally end his Ryder Cup hoodoo and taste victory for the first time in six matches. The two defeats that followed were in keeping with his previous close calls in the event, but owed more to the quality of his opponent rather than his own shortcomings.

Tommy Fleetwood

Record: W3, L1, H0 Grade B+

Whisper it quietly, but Europe may have found their new postman. Fleetwood always seems to raise his game for matchplay, especially on home soil, and now holds a 75% winning record in Ryder Cups after securing the decisive point Europe needed. Another nerveless display from Mr Reliable, whose versatility is perhaps his greatest asset.

Tyrrell Hatton

Record: W3, L0, H1 Grade A

Donald needed Hatton to step up in the absence of Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, and he did so with aplomb. His foursomes partnership with Jon Rahm wasn’t for the easily offended but it was key to Europe’s success. Also took down The Open champion, Brian Harman, in convincing fashion and was one of just three players to go unbeaten.

Justin Rose

Record: W1, L1, H1 Grade B+

The calming presence Luke Donald needed to help Bob MacIntyre navigate his first Ryder Cup. Together they didn’t lose a match, and his putt (and celebration) to tie their match on the 18th on Friday night will live long in the memory. Rose also won the Nicklaus-Jacklin Award for representing the true spirit of the event.

Shane Lowry

Record: W1, L1, H1 Grade C+

Front and center in all the key moments, albeit many of them were while acting as Europe’s cheerleader or as Rory’s bodyguard. His passion is infectious, and he almost completed an improbable victory over Jordan Spieth after being three down at one stage. Clearly a valuable member of the teamroom, but lacked his best form.

Ludvig Aberg

Record: W2, L2, H0 Grade B+

Ran out of stream in the end, but his partnership with Viktor Hovland was one of the big success stories and their dismantling of five-time Major champion Brooks Koepka and World No.1 Scottie Scheffler will be remembered for years to come. His short game needs work, but you’d expect him to be a pillar of this team moving forward.

Sepp Straka

Record: W1, L2, H0 Grade C-

Part of the group that completed a clean sweep in the opening foursomes. That was as good as it got for the big Austrian as he sat two and lost two thereafter. Still impressed with some razor-sharp iron play and took a rejuvenated Justin Thomas the distance in the singles. Lots to build on.

Nicolai Hojgaard

Record: W0, L2, H1 Grade D

Perhaps the only pick that didn’t quite work out for Donald. The 22-year-old Dane showed flashes of his best stuff without contributing in the key moments. It did feel like the opportunity came two years too early for him as he ended the week as the only European without a win. You fancy he’ll get more chances in the future, possibly alongside his brother, Rasmus.

Bob MacIntyre

Record: W2, L0, H1 Grade A-

Looked stressed and apprehensive in the build-up, but surprised many with his coolness on the greens and formed an impressive partnership with Justin Rose. He took his good form into the singles against US Open champion Wyndham Clark and silenced the critics who labeled him Europe’s weakest link. This could be the making of him.

TEAM USA RATINGS

Scottie Scheffler

Record: W0, L2, H2 Grade D-

For all the good he’s produced this season, his display in the 9&7 drubbing at the hands of Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg was as bad as we’ve seen Scheffler play. The tears that followed made him the butt of jokes for the rest of the weekend, and then he suffered the ignominy of becoming the first World No.1 to go winless in a Ryder Cup.

Patrick Cantlay

Record: W2, L2, H0 Grade B

The World No.5 had to put up with a lot of heckling amid reports of his role in a fractured US dressing room. He responded by playing some of the best golf on Saturday, and got the better of Justin Rose in the singles to put the first points on the board for the Americans. Deserves credit for the way he handled himself, unlike his caddie Joe LaCava.

Xander Schauffele

Record: W1-L3-H0 Grade D

Lost his undefeated Ryder and Presidents Cup record with Patrick Cantlay on Friday morning and struggled to raise a smile thereafter. A victory over Nicolai Hojgaard added some respectability to the final scoreline, but we expected more from the Olympic champion. Looked like he would rather be anywhere else.

Brooks Koepka

Record: W1-L1-H1 Grade C-

Where do we start? Big, bad Brooks talks a good game, but he let himself down when he took issue with Rahm and Hovland in a bizarre presser on Friday. He also has the unwanted distinction of being on the receiving end of the heaviest 18-hole foursomes defeat in Ryder Cup history. A 3&2 victory over Ludvig Aberg on Sunday was scant consolation, though he is now undefeated in four singles matches.

Jordan Spieth

Record: W0-L2-H2 Grade D-

The three-time Major champion was fighting a two-way miss during practice and never looked comfortable with his game from the get-go. He was comfortably the worst player on either side over the first two days and only salvaged a tie with Shane Lowry when the party was already in full flow. It now means he’s failed to win a Ryder Cup singles match in five attempts. That’s not good enough for a man of his talent.

Justin Thomas

Record: W1-L2-H1 Grade B

Fully justified his pick after all the negativity surrounding his recent form. He carried Spieth for much of the foursomes and fourballs, and while he could still do with joining Scottie Scheffler for a lesson with putting coach Phil Kenyon, he deserved more than half a point from those three matches. Still took a big step forward after a season defined by missed cuts and poor performances.

Collin Morikawa

Record: W1-L3-H0 Grade D+

A continuation of the putting woes which have plagued his season. Contributed just one point from four matches and failed to convince alongside three different partners. A 4&3 beat down at the hands of Viktor Hovland typified what was an exceptionally difficult week for the two-time Major champion.

Brian Harman

Record: W2-L2-H0 Grade B-

“Steady Eddie,” according to Max Homa. Together, they kept America in it on Saturday but on his own he couldn’t get anything going against Tyrrell Hatton and succumbed to a 3&2 defeat. A solid, if unspectacular, debut.

Wyndham Clark

Record: W1-L1-H1 Grade D

Never did get the chance to prove he is better than Rory, despite his claims pre-match. He was benched twice by Zach Johnson and really struggled against Bob MacIntyre in the singles. DataGolf ranked him last based on cumulative strokes gained tallies across the three days.

Max Homa

Record: W3-L1-H1 Grade A

One of few Americans to leave Rome with their reputation enhanced. He was by far their best-performing member and stroked in a nerveless seven-footer on the last against Matt Fitzpatrick to prolong the inevitable for Europe. Unlucky to be on the losing team after showing up in all five matches.

Sam Burns

Record: W1-L2-H0 Grade C-

Turned heads with his Cameron Smith-inspired mullet, but failed to impress alongside Scottie Scheffler in Friday’s foursomes as the duo extended their winless streak together to four matches, dating back to the 2022 Presidents Cup.

A 5&4 thrashing of Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland alongside Collin Morikawa was unexpected, and the obvious high in an otherwise testing debut. He was benched twice and drew the short straw by facing an inspired Rory in the singles.

Rickie Fowler

Record: W0-L2-H0 Grade E

Couldn’t hole a putt during Friday’s foursomes and was promptly dropped for the next three sessions. Illness was reportedly a factor, and he was powerless to stop Tommy Fleetwood from emerging as Europe’s hero in Sunday’s singles. His winning percentage in the Ryder Cup now stands at 32% from 17 matches.