Ryder Cup Vice Captain Alex Noren gets candid about losing a playing spot at Bethpage - “I hadn't performed well enough”

Luke Donald picked Alex Noren as his fifth and final Vice Captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup in September. The Swede joined brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari, Thomas Bjorn and Jose Maria Olazabal to guide the side to victory at Bethpage Black, New York. Now, the ace golfer has revealed that he aware of being a non-player at the event well before he was inducted to the captaincy team.

For the unversed, Noren was a key part of Team Europe’s 2018 victory at Le Golf National in Paris. The now 43-year-old golfer secured two points from three matches to help his side to a 17½-10½ win over the United States. He was dubbed a possible important player for the future Ryder Cup outings. However, he accepted the vice captaincy upon skipper Donald’s call. He revealed knowing his possible role “right after Wyndham Championship” in August as he was invited to meetings to pick the side’s players.

Furthermore, the 12-time European Tour winner admitted ‘not performing well enough by the deadline’ to be picked as a player for the Bethpage outing.

Speaking about his Ryder Cup role ahead of the Bank of Utah Championship in Ivins, Alex Noren said, as quoted by ASAP Sports:

“Yeah, I think since I knew I was going to be a vice captain right after Wyndham I was in on some of the meetings, you know, trying to choose players. It's not my decision in the end, but Luke just wanted our input, and the input was pretty clear that I hadn't performed well enough by the deadline sort of. Then I played really well right around when they were going pick and then just after… So, I wasn't disappointed. I've been in the game for long enough to understand that you pick players based on the facts that you have at hand. I think he picked the right team, and I was maybe third in line after.”

Noren claimed that the role was “cool” as he got opportunity to coach young players. He compared his experience with younger players to training his 16-year-old nephew trying to become a pro. He reiterated enjoying the “overall behind-the-scenes trying to get the team going.”

---

Alex Noren’s 2025 season explored

Alex Noren had a mixed 2025 season with 13 outings before this week’s Bank of Utah Championship. The Swede started off his PGA Tour campaign late after coming off an injury. He teed it up at the Truist Championship in May and managed a T51 finish. The European Ryder Cupper followed it up with a T17 at the PGA Championship.

Noren registered a T3 at the Wyndham Championship and T7 at the 3M Open. However, missed cuts at the RBC Canadian Open, Rocket Classic and Genesis Scottish Open stood out. Interestingly, his season peaked with a win at the BMW PGA Championship. The Swede took down Adrien Saddier in play-off to take the title.

---

Listed below is the complete breakdown of Alex Noren’s 2025 season:

2025 PGA Tour

• Truist Championship - T51 (279, -1)
• PGA Championship - T17 (281, -3)
• the Memorial Tournament pres. by Workday - T39 (295, +7)
• RBC Canadian Open - Missed Cut (138, -2)
• Travelers Championship - T30 (276, -4)
• Rocket Classic - Missed Cut (141, -3)
• Genesis Scottish Open - Missed Cut (141, +1)
• 3M Open - T7 (265, -19)
• Wyndham Championship - T3 (265, -15)
• Baycurrent Classic - T27 (277, -7)

2024-25 DP World Tour

• Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo - 1 (272, -16)
• Omega European Masters - Missed Cut (138, -2)
• BMW PGA Championship - 1 (269, -19)

Alex Noren’s performance at the Bank of Utah Championship will be updated as the event progresses.

Edited by Vishnu Mohan