After his second consecutive Ryder Cup triumph last month, Luke Donald was met with cheers of “two more years!” from the fans. The former British world No. 1 made his debut as captain of Europe in 2023 with victory at Marco Simone (Rome, Italy), and recently led the team to a historic victory on American soil, their first in 13 years, at Bethpage.
In fact, while Donald is being talked about as one of Europe’s greatest Ryder Cup captains, his tenure may not be over yet.
“It’s very humbling when someone calls you the greatest captain,” Donald said ahead of the DP World India Championship. “Maybe it’s just a feeling. I’ve given a lot to it, and I’m very happy with the result. But you need 12 members, you need the backroom staff, the vice-captains and a lot of other people to make it happen.”
At Bethpage, Donald joked, hearing the fans chant “two more years,” but also left the door open for a return: “We’ll see.”
After traveling from Florida to India for this week’s DP World Tour event at Delhi Golf Club, Donald, 47, has had some time to consider whether he will captain a third time at the 2027 Ryder Cup in Adare Manor, Ireland.
Asked directly if he will be at the 2027 Ryder Cup, Donald did not deny it, but did not confirm it either:
“I’m still enjoying this victory,” he said. “Whether I am captain or not… if in two years I am not captain and the captain wants me to help him, I will certainly be happy to help him in any way.”
Asked about Rory McIlroy’s potential as a future captain, given that the Northern Irishman will still be at his peak in 2027, Donald was full of praise:
“The fact that he loves the Ryder Cup more than anything else says it all,” Donald said of the reigning Masters champion, who finished 3-1-1 at Bethpage despite pressure and criticism from the American crowd.
“He understands the Ryder Cup so deeply. You can see the emotions from defeat to victory. Anyone who has that kind of passion for the Ryder Cup, I believe, would make a great captain.”
In addition to Donald and McIlroy, other members of the European Ryder Cup team, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry and Viktor Hovland, are also in India this week.
