Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald names line-up for Hero Cup in Abu Dhabi

Europe's Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has announced the 18-man list for the Hero Cup. Donald revealed the players for January's Continental Europe vs Great Britain and Ireland event in Abu Dhabi.

The teams for the three-day matchplay contest at Abu Dhabi Golf Club are finally out and it is a mixture of youth and experience on both sides. The event, which will be held from January 13 to 15, will see Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood take on the captaincy of Europe and Great Britain and Ireland, respectively.

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Hero Cup squads revealed

Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari, who will play for the inaugural Hero Cup, will each lead their 10-man teams. Donald even named two players on each side with past Ryder Cup experience, while filling up the spots with several rookies. Experts claim that he is placing players with the potential to play for Team Europe in the upcoming Ryder Cup.

The Great Britain and Ireland line-up was highlighted by 2019 Open Champion Shane Lowry and four-time Rolex Series winner Tyrrell Hatton. Led by two-time Ryder Cup player Fleetwood, the squad also includes DP World Tour winners Ewen Ferguson, Jordan Smith, Robert MacIntyre, Matt Wallace, and Callum Shinkwin.

Meanwhile, Continental Europe by Molinari is headlined by 2018 Ryder Cup winner Alex Noren. Belgian golfer Thomas Pieters and Austrian Sepp Straka are other interesting names on the list. The team is completed by players including three-time DP World Tour winner Rasmus Højgaard, Victor Perez, Adrian Meronk, Thomas Detry, and Guido Migliozzi.

The ambitious group will be looking for a strong performance as they have valuable spots in the Ryder Cup set to happen next September.

Here are the teams for the Hero Cup:

Continental Europe:

• Francesco Molinari (c)
• Thomas Detry
• Rasmus Hojgaard
• Adrian Meronk
• Guido Migliozzi
• Alex Noren
• Victor Perez
• Thomas Pieters
• Sepp Straka

Great Britain and Ireland:

• Tommy Fleetwood (c)
• Ewen Ferguson
• Tyrrell Hatton
• Shane Lowry
• Robert MacIntyre
• Seamus Power
• Callum Shinkwin
• Jordan Smith
• Matt Wallace

It is pertinent to note that both teams have one vacant spot each. As per reports, the final two entries into the teams will be announced by Luke Donald at the end of the DP World Tour calendar year.

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Luke Donald excited about the Hero Cup

Speaking about the teams to the media, Luke Donald said, as quoted by Sky Sports:

"Having worked closely with Tommy and Fran on building the two teams, I'm delighted with the mix of players who will be on show at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in January.”

He added:

"We all thought it was important to combine experience and youthfulness and I think we have found that balance with a mixture of Major Champions and Ryder Cup players, alongside guys who are hoping to secure a spot in Rome next year."

Both captains also conveyed their excitement for the upcoming Hero Cup.

Great Britain and Ireland captain Tommy Fleetwood said:

"I am really pleased with the players who will form the Great Britain and Ireland team next year. Having the experience of Shane [Lowry] and Tyrrell [Hatton] will be invaluable for the rest of the team in a match play environment but I think we are really strong throughout the team.”

He added:

"We have proven winners in some of the biggest DP World Tour events and it will be great to have Seamus [Power] with us following his excellent start to the season in America."

Meanwhile, Continental Europe captain Molinari pointed out that his side is “packed” with talent.