Luke Donald will captain Europe again in the defence of the Ryder Cup in the United States in two years’ time.
Donald, who led the side to victory in Rome in October, has been charged with the task of winning on US soil for the first time since 2012 when he kicked off the final-day fightback by taking the first point in the Sunday singles.
His reappointment is a departure from convention with the captaincy having evolved into a one-stop-shop but it is a reflection of the fantastic job he did at Marco Simone in leading Europe to a 16½ – 11½ victory.
He will become Europe’s first repeat captain this century.
“I’m delighted and honoured to have been given the chance to lead Team Europe in the Ryder Cup once again. Great opportunities don’t come along very often in life and I’m a great believer that when they do, you need to grab them with both hands – this is one of these moments,” said Donald.
“I’ve been fortunate as a player to have had many amazing times in the Ryder Cup over the years and so to add being a winning captain to that, to form bonds with the 12 players like we did in Italy and to get the result we did, was very special indeed.
“There is no question that being a captain away from home is a tough task. But I have never shied away from challenges throughout my career and it is precisely the kind of thing that motivates me. I can’t wait to get another 12-strong team to Bethpage in 2025.”
The 45-year-old Englishman, who is based in Chicago, is taking on a tough task given how important home advantage has become in the Ryder Cup but Europe’s Ryder Cup executive director Guy Kinnings believes he is the man for the job.
“He demonstrated clear, calm and meticulous leadership skills in Rome and all those qualities will be big assets again for Luke and Team Europe as they take on the considerable challenge of trying to retain the Ryder Cup against a strong US Team backed by passionate support in New York,” said Kinnings.
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Donald was only awarded the role for Rome when Henrik Stenson was sacked for jumping ship to LIV Golf from the DP World Tour but proved to be a big hit with the players.
There was no obvious successor with Justin Rose declaring his intention to play again at Bethpage Black in 2025 so Donald has been given the chance to see if his formula can succeed across the Atlantic too.
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