GUIDONIA MONTCELIO, Italy – As European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald and his victorious group of players were officially crowned Sunday evening on Marco Simone’s first tee, Donald’s veteran leader, Rory McIlroy, instigated a chant.
Two more years! Two more years! Two more years!
Donald was later asked whether he would accept a second stint as Europe’s captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
Donald tried to deflect, saying, “Listen, guys, I want to enjoy this moment right now with these guys…” But before he could finish, Shane Lowry, sitting immediately to Donald’s right, bemoaned loudly, “Come on!”
“I haven’t been asked yet,” Donald then wrapped.
McIlroy was also asked about the possibility of Donald running it back, to which he replied, “I think everyone sitting here would be very happy to have him again.”
Captains getting multiple cracks at the Ryder Cup is nowhere near unprecedented, though it doesn’t happen much anymore. Tom Watson is the most recent repeat captain, having led both the 1993 and 2014 U.S. squads. Europe hasn’t had a captain serve multiple Ryder Cups since Bernard Gallacher went three in a row, from 1991 to 1995.
However, the pool of potential captains for both sides has shrunk following the emergence of LIV Golf, which last year signed, among other Ryder Cup veterans, Henrik Stenson, whom Donald replaced for 2023 after Stenson was stripped of his duties.
Donald’s 70% winning percentage as a player (10-4-1) leads all European Ryder Cuppers who have played in more than two editions, and after this year’s dominating performance, if anyone deserves a second captaincy, it’s Donald.
Perhaps Donald already let one slip?
“Not many people gave us a chance after Whistling Straits,” Donald said Sunday. “We were big underdogs. We started to show some form in the last six months, and I couldn’t be happier with the team I got. I think these guys will be around for a long time, and we’re going to put up a great fight in two years’ time.”
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