Donald Accepts 2025 European Ryder Cup Captaincy – Just Fourth Occasion Europe’s Had A Repeat Captain

2 years ago by Comments Off on Donald Accepts 2025 European Ryder Cup Captaincy – Just Fourth Occasion Europe’s Had A Repeat Captain

Luke Donald has elected to remain as European Ryder Cup captain by agreeing to lead his side into competition at the 44th hosting of the competition in 2025 at Bethpage Park in New York.

There were loud calls of ‘two more years, two more years, from his dozen Rome winning golfing gladiators soon after Europe’s comfortable five-point victory over the visiting Americans.

And now, after discussions between his family, fellow players and the European Tour, Donald has agreed to stay on.

It means it will be fourth occasion, and since 1979 when Europe came on board as a Ryder Cup team, a captain has agreed to remain on.

 


Past European Captains to do so include: John Jacobs (1979 & 1981), Tony Jacklin (1983, 1985, 1987 and 1989) and Bernard Gallacher (1991, 1993 and 1995).

Donald will be aiming to become only the second Captain to lead Europe to victories both home and away, following Jacklin who achieved the double at Muirfield Village in Ohio in 1987, retaining the Ryder Cup following his team’s victory two years previously at The Belfry, in England, in 1985.

And the last occasion Europe won on US soil was in 2012 at the now infamous ‘Miracle at Medinah’.

Donald said: “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.

“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.

“The Ryder Cup means so much to me, so to be Captain again and have the chance to create more history by becoming only the second European Captain to win back-to-back is exciting.

“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.”

That task Donalds refers to the New York crowds and probably the noisest and more obnoxious sports fans on the planet.

Who will be Donald’s opposing USA captain is not yet known, and with Tiger Woods yesterday side-stepping any suggestion of such a thought, and despite having led the 2019 USA Presidents Cup side to victory in Australia.



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