Luke Donald will hold talks with senior officials at the European Tour Group this week in Dubai, as the Englishman edges closer to a third stint as Europe’s Ryder Cup captain. While no announcement is imminent, there is a rising sense Donald will seek to make history by leading Europe to three Ryder Cup successes in a row.
Donald, who is in the field for this weekend’s Dubai Desert Classic, has taken time to consider his position since Europe retained the trophy at Bethpage in September. The former world No 1 had already been the captain when Europe prevailed in Rome two years earlier. “I think it’s Luke’s if he wants it,” said Shane Lowry, a key member of the European team. The next Ryder Cup takes place at Adare Manor next year.
Uppermost in Donald’s thoughts is the commitment required for a third tenure, placed against his family life. There is also an element of golf politics at play. A date is still to be set for Tyrrell Hatton and Jon Rahm to have an appeal heard against sanctions implemented by the European Tour Group for their participation in LIV Golf. That scenario has potential to be both messy and extremely relevant in Ryder Cup context, with Rahm in particular believed have no intention of paying fines. Hatton and Rahm would ordinarily be central to a European Ryder Cup defence.
Justin Rose, who was seen as a contender to succeed Donald, has designs on playing at Adare. The only other viable option is seen as the Italian Francesco Molinari. “Does he want it or not? I’m not sure,” added Lowry of Donald. “It’s a big undertaking for him and he’s obviously been very successful. Obviously there’s a huge carrot dangling there to go three in a row and be the only person to do that. But that’s up to him. He’s here this week. I’m sure he’ll have conversations about it this week.
“Is there a template there? Probably yes. But I think the last two Ryder Cups and the continuity of it all was amazing and it obviously will be good to have that for Adare Manor.
“It is his decision. It is a big undertaking for him, and it’s also a big undertaking for his family because he will be travelling a lot more. He’ll be in Ireland a lot obviously getting ready for it. When you’re doing a home Ryder Cup, there’s a lot more planning with you and your wife and stuff. I’d certainly love to see him as a captain.”
Lowry has shrugged off any sense of controversy attached to Brooks Koepka’s upcoming return to the PGA Tour. Koepka has departed the LIV scene after four seasons. “I think it’s good for him that he wanted to get off LIV and he got back really quickly,” said Lowry. “Like I think it’s good for the PGA Tour as in Brooks is going to play a lot of the smaller events. So that’s going to add to those.
“I don’t say I don’t care because that’s a headline. But like I don’t really mind about any of them [coming back]. It doesn’t bother me.”
