European Ryder Cup team plans Bethpage scouting trip

With 11 of the 12 players he will lead later this month at the Ryder Cup set to play next week’s BMW PGA Championship, Luke Donald will be predictably thorough in his preparation for the matches.

Much like the way his team prepared for the Ryder Cup in Rome two years ago, the European side will make a two-day scouting trip to Bethpage Black following next week’s BMW PGA Championship near London.

The team, Donald and support staff will take a charter flight from London on Sunday following the final round of the DP World Tour’s flagship event and spend two days practicing and preparing at Bethpage.

Every member of this year’s team except Sepp Straka is currently committed to play the BMW PGA and then head to the United States for the scouting trip, including Rory McIlroy who confirmed his participation to GolfChannel.com.

Following the scouting trip, the team will remain in the United States until the Ryder Cup to help rest and acclimate to the new time zone.

The European team made a similar trip two years ago to Marco Simone in between the Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship.

The U.S. Ryder Cup team is also starting its preparations early, with 10 of the 12 players currently scheduled to play next week’s Procore Championship in Napa, California.

Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau are the only two players not currently committed to the PGA Tour’s first fall event, and DeChambeau would not be allowed to participate because he is a member of LIV Golf.