Marco Penge makes Ryder Cup admission after "nightmare" PGA Tour season

Marco Penge has revealed Luke Donald's decision not to pick him for the last Ryder Cup team was undoubtedly the correct call.

Penge was touted as a potential captain's pick considering the 28-year-old enjoyed a breakout season on the DP World Tour in 2025.

The Englishman won the Hainan Classic, Danish Golf Championship and the Spanish Open by defeating his compatriot Dan Brown in a sudden-death playoff.

His exploits saw Penge also earn a first PGA Tour card, but he just missed out on qualifying automatically for the contest at Bethpage Black, which Donald's side won 15-13 after surviving a late fightback from Keegan Bradley's United States team.

"When I didn't get selected, I said to my team, I probably wasn't ready for it, anyways," Penge said.

"And with the New York crowd and not playing much in America in front of the crowds there because they are very different to here.

"Yeah, probably could have come too soon. It was the right thing to happen. I think it's the best thing that happened for my career in general."

He added: "And obviously Luke made the correct decision with the way the team performed."

The race to qualify for Donald's team begins this week at the British Masters.

Qualifying ends on 22 August 2027, with the top six players earning a spot. Donald will then select his six wildcards.

Penge said he's desperate to qualify as it's the "pinnacle of European golf".

"I feel like I'm a better player than I was last year already," he said.

"I'm playing so much in America, and I can tell when I come back to tournaments here and courses here that I can compare how I feel then to now, and I feel like I've come on a lot as a player. I just haven't quite proved that yet.

"But yeah, there's loads of time to actually qualify, and good golf will do the talking at the end of the day, and that's what I've got to get back to.

"Yeah, it's exciting to have something in the distance to push for."

Penge has endured a difficult first season on the PGA Tour due to problems with his health.

Last November, he was struck down with a virus and has struggled with symptoms ever since.

Penge decided to take an extended break from the sport after the PGA Championship.

He returned to the game at the BMW International Open in Germany.

Currently, he is in a sticky situation as he desperately wants to play in Europe over the next few months but needs to prioritise keeping his playing rights in the United States.

"I'm kind of in the worst position, really," he said.

"If I had the choice, I'd much rather be playing the likes of this week, Crans, Irish Open, Wentworth, French Open, Spanish Open.

"This is the best time to be playing on the European Tour and the best events in golf at this moment in time, if not throughout the whole season.

"Unfortunately, I'm having to prioritise keeping my playing rights in America.

"Obviously my goal is to play with the best players in the world and I feel like you get that on the PGA Tour.

"Unfortunately I won't be playing after next week in Europe, unless I go and win early on in America, so that's the plan."

He signed off: "The whole season has been a bit of a nightmare, really."