Matt Wallace is setting his sights on making his Ryder Cup debut for Team Europe at Bethpage Black next Autumn, declaring he’s ‘up for the fight’ against Team USA.

Wallace has yet to grace the Ryder Cup stage in his career, but he’s already signaling his intentions for next year’s event on foreign soil. Although the New York showdown is still 11 months away, Wallace currently sits second in the European qualification standings, surpassed only by Rasmus Hojgaard.

Despite plenty of qualifying time remaining, Wallace is already making his case to captain Luke Donald, having previously performed well at next year’s venue with a third-place finish at the 2019 PGA Championship.

“I came third at the PGA at Bethpage in 2019, I was behind Brooks [Koepka] and DJ [Dustin Johnson],” Wallace shared on the Sky Sports Golf Podcast.

“I will be a Ryder Cup rookie, but I have played on the PGA Tour for five years now against the best players in the world. I’ve beaten a lot of them, I’m not scared and I’m up for the fight. I feel like I’ve got the mentality to deal with anything over there [USA]. And I just want to make it.”

Wallace has been close to representing his continent on the Ryder Cup stage in the past, confessing he thought he had made Thomas Bjorn’s team in 2018 before ultimately missing out.

“I remember missing out then (2018), and Dave McNeilly who was caddying for me at the time said: ‘We’re in,’ so I obviously thought we’d get there and couldn’t really understand why we didn’t,” Wallace reflected.

Matt Wallace of England and his caddie prepare to tee off on the third hole on day two of the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters 2024

Matt Wallace with his caddie ( 

Image:

Getty Images)

“Now I look back and think: ‘OK, rookie, they went on to get a great win having Sergio [Garcia] there, most points in the Ryder Cup – I understand more now. I’d never played against the big stars, the big players really, on a constant basis. It would have been a little bit of a risk for Thomas [Bjorn] to throw me in. ”

Wallace confessed that a key factor in his near-miss was failing to make the cut at the French Open that year, which took place at the same venue as the 2018 clash. However, he believes this can no longer be an excuse given his stellar performance on the major stage at the same course five years ago.

Since the European team’s qualification opened at the British Masters in August, Wallace has been impressive, even winning the week before Ryder Cup points were up for grabs at the European Masters. For the English golfer, his goal for the end of this campaign and the start of the next is crystal clear. “That’s the emotion it brings to me, and that’s what I want to do,” Wallace declared. “I want to be a part of what I think is the best sporting event in the world.”