Team Europe and Luke Donald will run in back.
The DP World Tour announced Wednesday that Donald, 48, will captain the European Ryder Cup team next year in Ireland. It will be the Englishman’s third turn as the Continent’s captain following successful stints in 2023 in Rome and again last year at Bethpage.
“The last two Ryder Cups have meant a lot to me and my family. I didn’t imagine this third time would come. Celebrating on that Sunday night in New York after a pressure packed week in a tough environment, I thought maybe my job was done. But maybe there is a little more story to tell,” Donald said in a statement.
Donald can become at Adare Manor next September the first European captain to lead his team to three consecutive victories.
“He is meticulous in everything he does when it comes to planning and preparation, but Luke would be the first to acknowledge that as good as job as he has done, this is a new challenge for him and the team. He will be as motivated and as committed as ever to help them achieve more success,” said Guy Kinnings, the European circuit’s chief executive.
Tony Jacklin never lost in three turns as Europe’s captain with back-to-back victories in 1985 and 1987, but Europe finished the ’89 matches tied, 14-14, to retain the cup, leaving the door open for Donald to make history next year with three consecutive victories.
Walter Hagen led the U.S. Ryder Cup team to four victories and Ben Hogan captained the side to three victories, but neither achieved victory in three consecutive years.
Donald is the fourth player to captain the European team in three or more consecutive Ryder Cups — joining Dai Rees (1955, ’57, 159, ’61, ’67), Tony Jacklin (’83, ’85, ’87, ’89) and Bernard Gallacher (’91, ’93, ’95) — and he has participated in six winning Ryder Cups as a player or captain, including in 2006 when the matches were last played in Ireland.
“I think it’s obviously a huge advantage for the European team to have that continuity and that consistency. I was sort of banging on that drum going into Bethpage. And we’ll have it even more so again,” Rory McIlroy said at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. “It’s wonderful to have Luke back. There’s not one player or one person behind the scenes that helps with Ryder Cup Europe that isn’t thrilled that Luke agreed to come back and do it again.”
The PGA of America has not named the U.S. team’s captain for next year’s matches, and last month Tiger Woods said he was still undecided if he could lead the Americans in Ireland.
“[The PGA of America] have asked me for my input on it, and I haven’t made my decision yet. I’m trying to figure out what we’re trying to do with our tour. That’s been driving me hours upon hours every day and trying to figure out if I can actually do our team, our Team USA and our players and everyone that’s going to be involved in the Ryder Cup, if I can do it justice with my time,” Woods said at the Genesis Invitational. “Serving on two boards and what I’m doing for the PGA Tour, I’m trying to figure out if I can actually do this and serve the people that are involved and serve them at an honorable level.”