Ryder Cup 2025: Luke Donald agrees to remain Europe captain

After an emphatic win in Italy, there were plenty of calls for Luke Donald to remain as European Ryder Cup captain.

The recent protocol has been to change the captaincy every two years, with the last person to be a multiple skipper being Bernard Gallacher, in 1991, 1993 and 1995.

Despite speculation over potential contenders, European bosses have persuaded Donald to stay on and try to retain the cup in the USA in 2025.

What	2025 Ryder Cup
Where	Bethpage Black, New York, USA
When	26th – 28th September, 2025
How to watch	Sky Sports
Odds	USA 10/13, Tie 12/1, Europe 5/4

Donald US links can help Europe

The spectators at the Marco Simone course were very vocal of their support for the Englishman to keep the role, shouting “two more years” at the trophy presentation.

It was the backing of the players though that is likely to have swayed the European hierarchy, with all of the 2023 team full of praise for the way Donald led the players.

With a very vocal, partisan crowd expected in New York, Europe will face one of their toughest tests in the biennial clash in recent times.

Europe have lost the last two matches on American soil – losing heavily (19-9) at Whistling Straits in 2021 and will face a US team who will be determined to win the trophy back.

Speaking about the decision to stay on, the former world number one admitted: “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.”

Donald played college golf at Northwestern University in Chicago, so is well aware of the passion for sport in that area of the country. The 45-year-old’s wife, Diane, is also from Illinois and the couple have two homes in the US state.

Bethpage Black has hosted four Major Championships, between 2002 and 2019, with Donald playing in three of those events.

The Englishman, who has five PGA Tour titles to his name, and finished T18 at the 2002 US Open – a tournament won by Tiger Woods.

Who will face up to Donald?

The PGA of America are yet to select who will replace Zach Johnson as US captain, with a number of names said to be in the frame.

The leading candidate at the time of writing is Tiger Woods, who was a vice captain for America’s 2016 success at Hazeltine.

Now 47 and having to reduce his schedule dramatically due to fitness, making it difficult for Woods, who is 20/1 to win a Major in 2024, to qualify any longer as a player.

Many had felt that Phil Mickelson’s name had been pencilled in to captain the team in 2025, but that seems highly unlikely now.

Lefty’s decision to turn his back on the PGA Tour and join LIV Golf is expected to see him miss out on the captaincy post, despite his status with the fans.

Three other less high-profile names have also been mentioned as potential contenders in the form of Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar and Webb Simpson.

Cink, the 2009 Open champion, has played in five Ryder Cups and was one of Johnson’s vice-captains in 2023.

Kuchar has four Ryder Cup appearances and has also been a vice-captain, working under Jim Furyk at Le Golf National in 2018. His playing record doesn’t make great reading though, winning just six of his 15 matches.

Meanwhile, former US Open champion Simpson has played three Ryder Cups and lost on all three occasions in 2012, 2014 and 2018.