Luke Donald is back for run at a third consecutive Ryder Cup for Europe.
The Englishman who guided the Europeans to victory in 2023 at Marco Simone in Rome and last September at Bethpage Black in New York will take on the task again next year at Adare Manor in Ireland, which will mark the 100th anniversary of the competition. The news was first reported by the Guardian.
Ryder Cup Europe announced the appointment on Wednesday after Donald took considerable time to weigh whether he wanted to take on the challenge again.
“The last two Ryder Cups have meant a lot to me and my family. I didn’t imagine this third time would come,” Donald said in a statement. “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.”
The U.S. is expected to name its next captain prior to the Masters, with Tiger Woods mulling the opportunity after turning it down for 2025.
Donald will attempt to become the first captain to lead a side to three straight victories.
Bernard Gallacher was the last European captain to captain three in a row, going 1-2 in 1991, 1993 and 1995. Prior to Gallacher, Tony Jacklin went 2-1-1 in four consecutive tries from1983, 1985, 1987 and 1989.
“This Ryder Cup Captaincy journey has given me so much focus, so much purpose and it is something I don’t take for granted,” said Donald, a former No. 1 player in the world who played college golf at Northwestern. “It’s a real privilege and I am certainly looking forward to another home Ryder Cup.
“History is obviously important to me. As a team, as Ryder Cup Europe, we all play for history. We talk about it a lot, about the guys who paved the way for us and the responsibility we have to inspire next generations. But I don’t think I have ever thought about history through a personal lens. I just try to enjoy the journey and the day-to-day work to create an environment that gives the players the opportunity for success. That is what I focus on.”
Donald, 48, played in the 2006 Ryder Cup, the last one held in Ireland, a European victory.
He will become just the fourth to captain Europe in three or more consecutive Ryder Cups, after Dai Rees (1955, 1957, 1959, 1961, 1967), Jacklin (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989) and Gallacher (1991, 1993, 1995).
As a player, Donald represented Europe four times in the Ryder Cup, being part of a winning team each time, winning10 ½ of 15 points.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Luke Donald Will Captain European Ryder Cup for Third Time.
