Luke Donald is set to discuss the possibility of captaining the Ryder Cup for the third time in 2027 with officials from the DP World Tour in Dubai this week. Shane Lowry, known for his success at Bethpage Black, has encouraged Donald to continue leading the team in Ireland.
As the ex-world No.1, Donald guided Europe to a memorable away victory in Long Island last September, following their triumph in Rome in 2021. Notably, no European captain has secured three wins, with only Tony Jacklin and Bernard Gallacher achieving the feat more than twice.
Currently participating in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, Donald, aged 48, will engage in discussions with DP World chief executive Guy Kinnings regarding the Ryder Cup captaincy. A decision from Europe is expected in the coming months.
Expressing his thoughts, Donald mentioned, “I will sit down for a chat with Guy this week just to see where I am. I kinda know what the job entails but just to see what they are looking for. Just a chat. I have got a couple more months to decide. Usually they announce it sometime in March. It is a little bit more work at home.”
Lowry, who played a crucial role in securing a half point to retain the Ryder Cup in New York, believes the captaincy is rightfully Luke’s if he desires it. Lowry emphasized the significant commitment required for the role and the potential for Donald to make history with a third consecutive win.
Acknowledging the support from fellow players, Donald shared, “A few of the players have obviously expressed they’d love me to come back. I see Rory (McIlroy), and I see Shane and Fitzy (Matt Fitzpatrick) and some of those guys in Florida, quite a lot. I casually asked: ‘Would you want me to do this the third time?’ And they’re like: ‘Yeah, of course, of course’. So it’s nice to get some backing from the players. I think that’s important.”
In the event that Donald opts out of the captaincy, potential candidates such as Vice-captain Francesco Molinari or Justin Rose could be considered for the role.