Rory McIlroy has singled out Harry Hall as a potential member of Europe’s Ryder Cup squad, praising the Englishman’s form and noting Hall’s unconventional route to the top as a positive sign for Luke Donald’s team ahead of Bethpage Black next month.
At the BMW Championship in Maryland, McIlroy acknowledged a raft of European players making waves on the leaderboard as he himself battled to find form after a difficult opening round. Bob MacIntyre surged to a five-shot lead at 14-under par through 36 holes, with Scottie Scheffler chasing in second on 9-under. McIlroy reeled off a four-under 66 on Friday to climb to 11th, calling his first-round start “awful” before the improvement.
Europe’s prospective heavyweights were well represented in the top 10. Ludvig Aberg and Tommy Fleetwood sat in the mix at eight-under and six-under, respectively, while Viktor Hovland was five-under, continuing to show the kind of consistency that made him a Ryder Cup stalwart in Rome two years ago. England’s Harry Hall, who is carving out a breakthrough season, shared eighth with Hovland and sits inside the conversation, currently 19th in Europe’s Ryder Cup points standings. With the top six automatic qualifiers and the remaining six to be chosen by the captain, Hall’s chances hinge on a strong finish to the PGA Tour season.
Hall’s rise has been noted by McIlroy, who has watched the 28-year-old’s progress with interest. McIlroy said it was encouraging to see Hall among the contenders and praised the UNLV alum’s trajectory, saying Hall has “a great rhythm to his golf swing” and noting he’s done it “in a different way.” He recalled first playing with Hall at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship several years ago and said Hall had since become a highly consistent performer.
“It’s good to see Bob, Ludvig, Viktor, Tommy, even Harry Hall that’s maybe got a chance to play in the team. Yeah, it bodes well for a few weeks’ time,” McIlroy said, before adding more personally about Hall: “I played with Harry in his first start as a pro at the Dunhill Links a few years ago. I know him a little bit. Really nice player, great rhythm to his golf swing. And he’s sort of done it a different way. He went over to UNLV and did it that way. But he’s become a very consistent player, so we’ll see what happens.”
Hall’s current form has carried him into a position where a late-season run could push him into Ryder Cup contention, but even with a potential captain’s pick looming, his automatic qualification remains unlikely unless he delivers a late surge. He sits 19th in the Ryder Cup standings with automatic spots reserved for the top six, leaving the door open only if he can capitalize on the coming weeks of play and climb the rankings.
Beyond Hall, the broader European challenge remains intact as the Tour Championship at East Lake approaches. Donald will be weighing a blend of established stars and emerging talents, with McIlroy, Fleetwood, Aberg, Hovland, and MacIntyre already showing they can carry form into the Ryder Cup year.
In the short term, Hall’s trajectory provides a hopeful narrative for European fans: a young player who took a different route through college golf, found success on the Korn Ferry Tour and now on the PGA Tour, catching the eye of one of the sport’s biggest stars. If Hall can parlay his late-season momentum into a strong finish, he could join what already looks like a deep European roster capable of defending the title at Bethpage.
Additional notes:
– The next 10 days of action will be decisive for several players chasing the Tour Championship spots and Ryder Cup cues.
– McIlroy’s praise may boost Hall’s confidence and visibility as Donald surveys his options for captain’s picks.