Luke Donald drops biggest hint yet on 2027 Ryder Cup captaincy

It doesn’t look like we’ll have to wait long to find out who will lead Team Europe at Adare Manor. And Luke Donald plans to be a part of it in one way or another…

It was just eight words out of around 3,000 – but it was enough to convince us that Luke Donald is open to staying on as Europe’s Ryder Cup captain.

With the dust now settled on all the drama of the 45th matches at Bethpage, the attention now turns to 2027. And the biggest storyline over the next couple of months will be about who will lead the teams out at Adare Manor.

Ryder Cup Europe face something of a dilemma, even if it is quite a nice one. The organization is keen to stick to its new plan of having each captain in charge for two matches – one home and one away – but that will be abandoned if Donald stays on to try and become the first ever to win three in a row.

And with everyone’s preferred second choice, Justin Rose, still competing at the highest level, a third spell for the incumbent Donald is a distinct possibility, while Francesco Molinari is the preferred choice of a number of players.

When asked about his Ryder Cup future ahead of this week’s inaugural DP World India Championship, Donald said: “Well I’m trying to still enjoy this one.”

Then he added: “If I’m not captain in two years’ time, and the captain wants me to be there, then I’m sure I would be happy to help him in any way he wanted.”

“If I’m not captain in two years’ time.”

That’s an admission that he’s up for it if ever we saw one.

Over to you, Ryder Cup Europe.

As for claims – notably by his Bethpage opposite number Keegan Bradley – that Donald is the best ever Ryder Cup captain, the Englishman says it’s “pretty humbling”.

“Maybe it’s a little bit of a reaction in the present moment,” he added, “but I certainly have given a lot to it. I’m very happy with the results that came with it, but you need those 12 players. You need the back room teams. You need the vice captains. You need so many others to make that happen.

“Certainly I play a role, but I play a small role in terms of a larger picture. I certainly couldn’t do it without the amazing support we have behind me.”

A decision on the 2027 Ryder Cup captain is expected to be announced before the end of the year.

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