Luke Donald has been backed by European star Rory McIlroy to return as Ryder Cup captain in 2025, very likely It might be fun to see him face Tiger Woods at Bethpage Black.
Luke Donald has talked up his chances of returning as European Ryder Cup captain in 2025, after the Englishman led his team to a 16.5-11.5 win over the Americans earlier in the day this month.
Donald’s European team reclaimed the Ryder Cup two years after losing to their American counterparts thanks to a dominant performance at the Marco Simone in Rome.
Attention has turned to the 2025 event in the weeks since, with Europe given the difficult task of defending its title on American soil.
Typically the Ryder Cup captaincy changes every two years over the past three decades, but Donald is backed to make history and lead his continent once again at Bethpage Black.
Discussing a potential back-to-back captaincy, Donald told The Times : “When you’re part of something so memorable like that, you don’t want it to end.
“A return is one heavily backed by his players, after the European stars led chants of ‘two more years!’ when the Englishman was giving his victory speech in Rome.
Thankful for the support, he added: “It was certainly very gratifying to hear the players shouting, ‘two more years,’ afterwards and it would be an amazing challenge, but I still need to sit down with my family and decide because it’s a big ask.
” If Donald was to return he could well face off against arguably golf’s greatest player, with 82-time PGA Tour winner Tiger Woods well-backed to lead the American team in 2025.
One man who knows both Woods and Donald well is Rory McIlroy, and the Northern Irishman was the man leading the chant for his captain to return in two years.
McIlroy himself proved to be a star man for Donald, winning four out of five points – more than any other player – across the three days at Marco Simone on the way to the European victory.
Whether Donald does return or not, one man who will no doubt be on the plane to New York (barring injury) is four-time major champion McIlroy.
And the Northern Irishman issued a strong warning to his American opponent after the European team was crowned earlier this month.
More confident than ever, McIlroy said: “I think one of the biggest achievements in golf right now is winning the Ryder Cup away from home. And that’s what we’re going to do at Bethpage.”