Luke Donald to stay on as captain for Europe’s Ryder Cup defence in 2025 - 'Very special for me'
Published 29/11/2023 at 18:19 GMT
Europe will be captained by Luke Donald at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York. The 45-year-old first took the role for this year’s tournament as a replacement for Henrik Stenson, leading the team to a thrilling 16½-11½ victory against the US in Rome. Donald said it was "very special" to remain as captain and have the opportunity to win the Ryder Cup back-to-back.
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Luke Donald will remain as Europe's Ryder Cup captain for the 2025 tournament in New York.
The 45-year-old was the mastermind behind Europe's thrilling 16½-11½ victory over the United States in October. The team regained the trophy after a 19-9 loss in Wisconsin in 2021.
Donald also won all four of his appearances as a player at the Ryder Cup.
It was clear his players wanted Donald to continue as captain after their triumph in Rome, chanting "two more years" as he made his speech during the trophy presentation.
"The Ryder Cup experience for me in 2023 was an amazing one," Donald said. "I really enjoyed the whole journey.
"It’s a full-time job, it’s certainly a lot of work but the culture we created in that team and to see the team bond together and come out on top was very gratifying to me.
"Even when I was lifting the trophy on Sunday and hearing the guys shout: 'Two more years,' in the back of my mind, I thought, I don’t really want to let these guys down, but I still wanted some time to think about it."
Bethpage Black in New York will host the next edition of the Ryder Cup in September 2025.
Only one other captain – Tony Jacklin – has managed to lead Europe to back-to-back wins. He achieved the feat at The Belfry in 1985 and Muirfield in 1987.
"To be only the second European Ryder Cup captain, to possibly go back-to-back is something that’s very interesting to me and a great challenge and excites me," Donald said.
"I love what the Ryder Cup represents. I’ve had so many amazing experiences as a Ryder Cup player and obviously as a captain, and to be given the honour to go back-to-back is very special for me."
Donald was chosen to captain Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup after Henrik Stenson was ousted for joining rebel circuit LIV Golf.
He had served as vice-captain at previous tournaments, doing so under Thomas Bjorn in 2018 and Padraig Harrington in 2021.
Donald admitted the 2025 Ryder Cup should be a difficult task due to a "loud and boisterous" crowd.
"I played at Bethpage a few times and the New Yorkers love their sport and they love some jostling and all that kind of that goes with it," he said.
"Obviously I have 22 months to try and figure out how to get the guys in the right frame of mind to deal with that, with the crowd. It’s the same every time you go away and New York might be a notch above that."
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