Fleetwood and Molinari arrive in Abu Dhabi ahead of Hero Cup - in pictures

Francesco Molinari, captain of Continental Europe, and Tommy Fleetwood, captain of Great Britain and Ireland, pose with the trophy prior to the Hero Cup at Abu Dhabi Golf Club on January 11, 2023. Getty Images

Guido Migliozzi of Italy in action prior to the Hero Cup at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. Getty Images

Adrian Meronk of Poland poses for a portrait in the Continental Europe locker room. Getty Images

Ewen Ferguson of Scotland poses for a portrait next to his locker in the Great Britain and Ireland locker room. Getty Images

Richard Mansell of England. Getty Images

A general view of Hero signage prior to the Hero Cup at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. Getty Images

A general view of the Great Britain and Ireland captain's buggy. Getty Images

The Abu Dhabi Golf Club clubhouse. Getty Images

A general view of the 18th and 9th holes at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. Getty Images

For European golf, this year’s Ryder Cup is set to mark a break from the past.

This week might provide a hint as to who is part of the future.

The Hero Cup match-play event takes place in Abu Dhabi from Friday to Sunday, pitting Britain and Ireland against Continental Europe in a competition that allows European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald a chance to assess his options eight months out from the contest with the United States outside Rome.

New blood will be needed in Donald’s Ryder Cup team because of the likely absence of veteran players — such as Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia, who all play in the Saudi-funded LIV Golf league — who have long been the backbone of Europe’s lineup.

The Hero Cup, essentially a renewal of The Seve Trophy that had eight editions from 2000-13, is the perfect opportunity for up-and-coming players to prove themselves in a team format and press their case for inclusion in the Ryder Cup, especially with Donald having six captain’s picks.

And particularly with Europe’s top four players in the world ranking – Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick and Viktor Hovland – absent this week.

So, the likes of Guido Migliozzi, a 25-year-old Italian who will be keen to play a Ryder Cup on home soil, and U.S-based players Seamus Power and Sepp Straka can force their way further into Donald’s thinking.

The two teams in the Hero Cup will be captained by Tommy Fleetwood (Britain and Ireland) and Francesco Molinari (Continental Europe), who were inseparable as Europe’s star pairing in its victory at the 2018 Ryder Cup outside Paris.

This week, they’ll enjoy a friendly rivalry at Abu Dhabi Golf Club and also be members of their 10-player teams, which contain five of the world's top 30 – four of which are in Britain and Ireland’s lineup in Shane Lowry, Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton and Power.