Overview

• Rasmus Hojgaard opened with a three-under 69 at The Belfry and sits tied 12th, three shots off the lead after round one.
• He secures Europe’s last automatic spot with a finish of two-way T-29 or better, a result that would push Shane Lowry out of the top six.
• Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose and Tyrrell Hatton have already qualified for Bethpage Black.
• The PGA Tour’s Tour Championship offers no Ryder Cup points, so Lowry and Sepp Straka cannot improve their standings this week.
• Captain Luke Donald highlighted Harry Hall and Marco Penge as late wildcard contenders and said he has been in regular contact with Hall ahead of naming six picks on Sept. 1.