Jon Rahm’s ‘Emotional’ Slip-Up Brings Team Europe’s ‘Boys Club’ Rumors Alive After Captain’s Pick

“Luke called me and told me a few days ago,” confessed Jon Rahm as he got emotional about being Team Europe’s second Captain’s Pick for Bethpage. He had proven himself to be irreplaceable after delivering for three straight Ryder Cups over the last 8 years. And his pick was completely justified. However, Rahm’s revelation also shed light on a possible issue in the Team Europe dressing room; they now had their own version of the ‘Boys Club’.

Sporting Life editor Ben Coley talked about it after he heard what the 2-time major winner said. He tweeted, “Rahm says he was told ‘a few days ago’ which maybe clears up why Wallace said last Monday he had run his race. Why am I live tweeting this.” The connection between Rahm confirming his place in the team and Matt Wallace revealing that he was out of the race is where the ‘Boys Club’ story is built.

Wallace came off a very strong finish at the 2025 Omega European Masters recently. He finished second, 2 strokes behind Thriston Lawrence. Even though the 35-year-old couldn’t retain the title that he had won in 2024, you would think his performance in Switzerland would make him a serious contender for Bethpage. However, when Matt was asked about his chances of making the squad after the tournament, he shed a few tears before stating, “I’ll never give up on the Ryder Cup. I just won’t.”

The emotional response from Wallace suggested that he had very less hopes of making the team. Still, fans had their fingers crossed until Luke Donald revealed his very last pick a few minutes ago. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the Matt they were hoping for as the Team Europe captain chose Fitzpatrick to join the team for his fourth Ryder Cup appearance. That puts Jon Rahm’s statement under further scrutiny, as Wallace might have also received an early call from Donald telling him that he has not been picked.

So has Team Europe really turned into a ‘Boys Club’? Let’s understand why Luke Donald’s squad for 2025 might deserve that tag.

Did Jon Rahm just expose Team Europe as a ‘Boys Club’?

In 2023, Team Europe absolutely dominated its opponents in Rome across the three days. And Luke Donald is trying to recreate the magic at Bethpage by picking a nearly identical team for 2025. The only difference between the two teams is that Nicolai Hojgaard has been replaced by his brother, Rasmus Hojgaard, for New York. However, picking Matt Fitzpatrick this time around would still be considered a questionable choice.

Fitzpatrick had come off some brilliant performances in the two years leading up to Rome. He had won the 2022 U.S. Open and the 2023 RBC Heritage. That was enough for him to earn an automatic qualification spot in Team Europe. Even if he didn’t make it on points, his performance would have justified a Captain’s Pick in 2023. However, the Englishman hasn’t been that great recently. On the PGA Tour, he hasn’t won anything since his triumph at Harbour Town Golf Links against Jordan Spieth in 2023. In fact, after the trip to Rome, the only time Fitzpatrick has won a title was the 2023 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

As far as his record in the Ryder Cup goes, he has rarely found success in the prestigious tournament as well. In the 8 matches he has played in, he has only been able to earn 1 point for Team Europe. That one point also came about when he was teamed with Europe’s most consistent player, Rory McIlroy, during their dominant run in Rome in 2023. Considering all these factors, it surely does seem like Team Europe might be a ‘Boys Club’ after all.