2026-03-05 11:08:21
Luke Donald has been named as Europe’s captain for the third consecutive Ryder Cup.
The Englishman will bid to become the first skipper to win three Ryder Cups in a row when he leads the team against the USA at Ireland’s Adare Manor course in September 2027.
Donald first led Europe to glory at the 2023 event in Rome before overseeing the team’s first away victory for 13 years with the triumph at New York’s Bethpage Black course last year.
The former world number one told BBC Sport NI: “To be totally honest, I probably didn’t firmly make up my mind until a few weeks ago.
“The time between Rome and New York was very short. I was eager to get back into having an opportunity to try and win an away Ryder Cup in New York. That was a big challenge for me and there was no real time between those Ryder Cups to relax and let it sink in.”
Donald explained that he was convinced to return for another stint as captain by the lure of leading Europe in the Ryder Cup’s centenary year.
He said: “I felt like for four straight years I was involved in Ryder Cups so I did want to take some time and enjoy it [after New York].
“To be honest, after we won in New York, it wasn’t really at the forefront of my mind at all.
“But having got some backing from my family and the players and realising the opportunity, being in Ireland at Adare, it will be special with the 100th anniversary [of the Ryder Cup], I thought let’s go for a third.”
Matt Fitzpatrick, a Ryder Cup winner in both 2023 and 2025, hailed Donald’s return as “awesome”.
The former US Open champion told BBC Sport: “Everyone knows what Luke is about, what he’s achieved and what we’ve achieved as a team. So for him to come back is a great choice.
“How he’s gone about his business in creating the best team and the best team environment is what has made us successful.”
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