Ryder Cup 2023 bubble watch: Viktor Hovland earns spot on European Team as U.S. qualification nears end

Viktor Hovland is set to play in his second Ryder Cup.

Hovland officially earned a spot on Team Europe on Tuesday for the upcoming Ryder Cup. Hovland will now join Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, who qualified themselves last week.

Hovland made his Ryder Cup debut in 2021, where he went 0-3-2 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. Hovland was the first Norwegian player to ever represent Europe in the event. He will now get to play in his first Ryder Cup on European soil when the event kicks off Sept. 29 outside of Rome.

The 25-year-old is currently ranked No. 5 in the Official World Golf Rankings and is No. 7 in the FedExCup standings headed into this week’s BMW Championship in Illinois — which marks the second of three PGA Tour playoff events. Hovland has seven top-10 finishes this season and picked up his fourth career win in a playoff at the Memorial Tournament in June. He has not missed a single cut, either.

Hovland finished inside the top-20 in all four major championships this season, including a T2 finish at the PGA Championship and a T7 run at the Masters, and he finished T3 at The Players Championship. He finished T13 last week at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

European qualification runs through Sept. 3. Qualification for the U.S. Ryder Cup team ends after the BMW Championship on Sunday. Captain Zach Johnson will then make his six captain’s picks to round out the 12-man team. Scottie Scheffler and Wyndham Clark have already qualified for the Americans.

Here’s a look at where things stand headed into the BMW Championship:

U.S. Team Standings

As of Aug. 15

U.S. qualification ends after BMW Championship

1. Scottie Scheffler | Qualified
2. Wyndham Clark | Qualified
3. Patrick Cantlay | 10,614.750 points
4. Brian Harman | 10,310.539 points
5. Brooks Koepka | 9,421.145 points
6. Max Homa | 8,848.764 points

On The Bubble

7. Xander Schauffele | 8,830.269 points
8. Jordan Spieth | 8,066.332 points
9. Cameron Young | 7,795.308 points
10. Collin Morikawa | 7,503.480 points
11. Keegan Bradley | 7,468.474 points
12. Sam Burns | 7,002.703 points

European Team Standings

As of Aug. 15

European qualification ends Sept. 3

1. Rory McIlroy | Qualified
2. Jon Rahm | Qualified
3. Viktor Hovland | Qualified
4. Robert Macintyre | 1,743.57 points
5. Yannik Paul | 1,652.9 points
6. Adrian Meronk | 1,614.21 points

On The Bubble

7. Tommy Fleetwood | 1,534.37 points
8. Victor Perez | 1,527.95 points
9. Rasmus Højgaard | 1,516.86 points
10. Adrian Otaegui | 1,375.21 points
11. Shane Lowry | 1,290.23 points
12. Tyrrell Hatton | 1,253.01 points