Ryder Cup: Victories for Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre and Guido Migliozzi a boost for Europe

Guido Migliozzi hit a stunning second shot at Le Golf National's 18th hole to set up his victory on Sunday

It has been an encouraging spell for Europe's Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, who will have noted that the first three tournaments of qualifying for his team next year have been won by players he would love to have in his line up.

Shane Lowry was a thoroughbred winner in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, Italian Open winner Robert MacIntyre possesses an aggressive mindset that is potentially a huge asset and who better for Rome next September than the new French Open champion Guido Migliozzi?

Of course, form fluctuates. But the 25-year-old from Vicenza has every incentive to harness a sack full of confidence from the sensational final-day performance that brought him his biggest title to date.

It was a stunning nine-under-par closing round, full of the sort of qualities Europe will need in abundance if they are to regain the Ryder Cup.

Donald must have loved seeing the Italian's fearless long iron approach to the last at Le Golf National, one of the continent's toughest closing holes. It was struck perfectly to set up a six-foot birdie putt that capped a tournament-winning 62.

Europe will need such verve of in-form youth because the United States will be formidable opposition.

Confirmation of that was in plentiful supply during their dominant and expected Presidents Cup victory over the LIV denuded Internationals at Quail Hollow last Sunday.

Europe will need everything to go their way and Migliozzi has the potential to inspire the home crowds. So the next 12 months is the time to fulfil his undoubted potential.

The Italian was fourth at the 2021 US Open after a brilliant closing 68 at Torrey Pines, proving he can play. But he began this year with seven missed cuts in eight tournaments.

Now he is firmly back on track. A decent 13th placed finish at Wentworth suggested something good might be about to happen and it certainly did at the French Open.

Migliozzi and MacIntyre now head to golf's mecca for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, the next big money stop on the DP World Tour which starts on Thursday.

For any golfer, the journey into the old grey town of St Andrews is special, but what will go through the mind of Rory McIlroy when he drives into the Home of Golf this week?

The world number two headlines a star-studded field for what will be his first return to the Old Course since missing out on Open glory last July.

It has been an outstanding year for McIlroy but his failure to converts a 54-hole share of the lead into a second Claret Jug condemned the Northern Irishman to yet another barren year in the majors.

He did not do much wrong during a thrilling 150th Open. He suffered only four bogeys all week - none in the final round - and collected an eagle and 20 birdies to finish 18 under par.

But with only regulation pars from the 11th hole onwards during the final round, it was not enough.

His putter went cold as Cameron Smith pressed a ruthless accelerator on the inward half to romp to his first major with a 20-under total, pipping Cameron Young and leaving McIlroy forlorn and frustrated in third place.

It was a bitter defeat in a tournament that offered a fine chance of ending his major drought, one that stretches back to victory at Valhalla in the 2014 US PGA Championship.

In Scotland this summer there was no better stage for the UK and Ireland's most consistent golfer to triumph. The 150th Open was staged on the oldest and most famous links of all - but the glory of sport is that it does not perform to a set script.

"That night was tough," McIlroy admitted. "It probably took me three or four days to sort of get back to myself again."

The 33-year-old recovered in time to claim a third FedEx Cup to cap another highly successful PGA Tour season. He has climbed seven spots, leaving only Masters winner Scottie Scheffler above him in the world rankings.

And now he makes this evocative journey to the Fife coastline to compete in a $5m tournament that will conclude on the same Old Course, albeit one less parched and set up more generously than it was for the final men's major of the year.

McIlroy is in search of another high finish to bolster his quest for another Race to Dubai title. He takes on a high quality line-up that includes England's US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick.

The field for this celebrity pro-am event, which also takes in circuits of Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, features PGA champion Lowry, US Presidents Cup star Billy Horschel, Dunhill specialist Tyrrell Hatton and fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood.

Meanwhile LIV recruits Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch, Branden Grace and Richard Bland take a chance to accrue world ranking points currently unavailable on their new tour.