The six automatic qualifiers in the European Points Race remained unchanged after last week’s U.S. Open held at The Los Angeles Country Club.
Six-time Ryder Cup player Rory McIlroy was Europe’s closest competitor as he finished in solo second place just one stroke behind first-time Major winner Wyndham Clark.
Starting the day one stroke behind Clark and Rickie Fowler, McIlroy exerted immediate pressure with an opening birdie.
However, 16 pars and one bogey later, the four-time Ryder Cup winner and four-time Major champion would finish the day one stroke behind Clark whose closing 70, level par, was enough to win his first Major.
McIlroy now has 19 top-10 finished in Majors, including each of the past five U.S. Opens.
He climbs above Jon Rahm to occupy the top spot on the European Points List with 3,021.2 points.
“I'm getting closer,” said McIlroy. “The more I keep putting myself in these positions, sooner or later it's going to happen for me.
When I do finally win this next Major, it's going to be really, really sweet. I would go through 100 Sundays like this to get my hands on another Major championship.”
Meanwhile, two-time Ryder Cup player Tommy Fleetwood finished in a tie for fifth thanks to a closing 63 in Los Angeles, which fired him up six places on the European Points List into seventh place with 1,291.10 points.
A closing 63 ✍️
— Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) June 18, 2023
The only player to do that twice at the #USOpen. pic.twitter.com/K6fF18XDJG
He also became the first ever player to shoot 63 in his final round on two separate occasions at the U.S. Open.
Rahm, who currently tops the World Points List with 350.07 points, shot a final round 65 to sneak into a tie for tenth place.
As it stands McIlroy (3,021.20 points), Rahm (3,017.98 points) and Yannik Paul (1,547.89 points) sit in the three automatic qualifying spots on the European Points List, with Viktor Hovland (249.89 points), Tyrrell Hatton (178.67 points) and Matt Fitzpatrick (148.0 points) in the top three positions on the World Points List.
The 2023 Ryder Cup will take place between September 25 – October 1 at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Rome, Italy.
