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Luke Donald Named 2025 European Ryder Cup Captain

Luke Donald named captain for the 2025 ryder Cup at Betpage Black in New York. (Photo: Getty)
Luke Donald named captain for the 2025 ryder Cup at Betpage Black in New York. (Photo: Getty)

Luke Donald has been named as the European Captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York.
 
The 45 year old Englishman returns to the role having led Europe to a 16½ – 11½ victory against the United States in the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy, earlier this year.

Luke Donald takes on second Ryder Cup Captaincy

He will become Europe’s first repeat Captain since Bernard Gallacher performed the role in three consecutive Ryder Cups, in 1991, 1993 and 1995.  
 
Donald will be aiming to become only the second Captain to lead Europe to victories both home and away, following Tony Jacklin who achieved the double at Muirfield Village in Ohio in 1987, retaining the Ryder Cup following his team’s victory two years previously at The Belfry, in England, in 1985.
 
Donald said: “I’m delighted and honoured to have been given the chance to lead Team Europe in the Ryder Cup once again. Great opportunities don’t come along very often in life and I’m a great believer that when they do, you need to grab them with both hands – this is one of these moments.
 
“I’ve been fortunate as a player to have had many amazing times in the Ryder Cup over the years and so to add being a winning Captain to that, to form bonds with the 12 players like we did in Italy and to get the result we did, was very special indeed.
 
“The Ryder Cup means so much to me, so to be Captain again and have the chance to create more history by becoming only the second European Captain to win back-to-back is exciting.

Luke Donal will be European Ryder Cup Captain at Bethpage Black

“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. I can’t wait to get another 12-strong team to Bethpage in 2025.”
 
Guy Kinnings, Executive Director – Ryder Cup, said: “Luke was a superb Captain in Rome and we are delighted that he will be returning to the role for the 2025 Ryder Cup in New York.
 
“He demonstrated clear, calm and meticulous leadership skills in Rome, and all those qualities will be big assets again for Luke and Team Europe as they take on the considerable challenge of trying to retain the Ryder Cup against a strong US Team backed by passionate support in New York.”
 
Donald featured as a player in the last European Team to win on American soil at Medinah Country Club in 2012 when he led José María Olazábal’s side out in the singles, securing the first blue point on the board in one of the most famous comebacks in the history of the biennial contest.
 
In total, he represented Europe in the Ryder Cup four times as a player, being part of a winning team on all four occasions, contributing 10½ points from his 15 matches.
He then served as a Vice Captain in 2018, under Thomas Bjørn, and Pádraig Harrington in 2021, before becoming Captain for the first time at the 2023 contest in Rome.
 
Donald also has an impressive in individual playing career having been World Number One for a total of 56 weeks, while in 2011 he became the first player in history to top the money lists on the European Tour (now the DP World Tour) and the PGA TOUR in the same year.

(Text: Ryder Cup Europe)

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Ryder Cup 2023: Bunker Magic from Tommy Fleetwood

Tommy Fleetwood at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)
Tommy Fleetwood at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)

Tommy Fleetwood once again proves to be a chipping master. In the singles matches of the 2023 Ryder Cup, the Englishman turned the match against Rickie Fowler, which had been tied until then, into a lead for Europe on hole 9. He holed out of the bunker on the par 4 for a birdie and won the hole.

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Ryder Cup 2023: Video of Tommy Fleetwood’s bunker shot

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Ryder Cup 2023: Cantlay uses the rough crowd as fuel

Patrick Cantlay at the 18th hole in the Ryder Cup 2023 Saturday fourballs.
Patrick Cantlay at the 18th hole in the Ryder Cup 2023 Saturday fourballs.

Patrick Cantlay and Wyndham Clark decide the last match of the day against Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick on the 18th hole for themselves. With strong nerves Cantlay putted the American team to victory in this match. The day was accompanied by rumors about his missing hat and possible money demands in Team USA. Cantlay now said, “the hat just doesn’t fit me, it’s as simple as that”.

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Patrick Cantlay at the Ryder Cup 2023: “We use the rough crowd as fuel”

Q. How clutch was that for you?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Hopefully have a ray of light and we can build on this session and try and pull off a big victory tomorrow.

Q. What was it like playing with this guy in this atmosphere?

WYNDHAM CLARK: Well, I told him, I said, I lose my money games all the time so I hope he can go out and make birdies and beat me like a money game. Coming down the stretch, he showed why he’s the best in the world.

Q. Hat gate has stormed into Italy from the United States. First of all why aren’t you wearing a hat?

PATRICK CANTLAY: It just doesn’t fit. It’s as simple as that. I didn’t wear it at Whistling Straits because the hat just doesn’t fit, so that’s really all it is?

Q. We talked to Sam Burns a little bit earlier about the crowd roughing him up a little bit about his mullet and got on you about the hat as well. Does that feed positive energy from your way when you’re getting it from a road crowd and giving it back to them, just a little bit, how much fun are you actually having?

PATRICK CANTLAY: I was smiling every day. I told him walking to the first tee, use it as fuel and we did all day.

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Ryder Cup 2023: MacIntyre and Rose with impressive points win

MacIntyre and Rose at the 2023 Ryder Cup 2023 (Foto: Getty)
MacIntyre and Rose at the 2023 Ryder Cup 2023 (Foto: Getty)

Robert MacIntyre and Justin Rose won their match against the veteran team of Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth on Saturday afternoon. They were certainly considered the underdogs. But they did not let that show for a second. Rose proved that he was made for the Ryder Cup and MacIntyre shone towards the end of the match. The next point win for Team Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome.

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Saturday afternoon in the 2023 Ryder Cup for Rose and MacIntyre

You put your heart and soul trying to make this Ryder Cup, and half a point alongside this fellow yesterday and a full point today, describe your emotions?

Robert MacIntyre: It’s been brilliant. Today is everything I’ve dreamed of. I worked hard for it. Yesterday felt like I let Justin down a little bit but he stood up to the challenge and today he was brilliant again and thankfully I helped him out.

That match was tidy into the back nine. I’m sure you should have been using your experience to give him a pep talk. What were you saying?

Justin Rose: I just knew there was a huge opportunity today. I feel like we got our nose just in front there, obviously 9 and 10, we went 1 up and I just felt like when they both missed the fairway at 12, I felt like it was 20 minutes — I said to Bobby, the next 20 minutes, we have to putt our foot down and get out and get a stranglehold on this match. That’s exactly what happened. We both let them off the hook there at No. 12 which I kind of — at that point, because these two are slippery, do you know what I mean; they are very tough to beat. Bobby made that great birdie on the par 3, and the up-and-down at 15, I was barking at him all the way the last few holes, we’ve got to do this, we’ve got to do that. We absolutely did exactly what we needed to do and we were the strong pairing.

Two or three clutch moments there. Describe what goes through your mind and what through your body when you’re standing over a putt to halve a hole that’s absolutely crucial?

Robert MacIntyre: Well, there’s a lot of nerves. But you’ve got to embrace them. I’ve had it before, never in this magnitude but I just knew what to do. I was actually happy when I got to that bunker shot and it was plugged because I knew I could get an 8 on it. A lot of people would have been worried about it but I just said to Greg, you know what, it’s better than being plugged in that bunker. You’ve just got to trust what you do, and to have a guy like Justin beside to you kind of guide you is massive

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Ryder Cup 2023: Max Homa and Brian Harman Win First Match for Team USA

Brian Harman at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)
Brian Harman at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)

Max Homa and Brian Harman secured the first full point for Team USA in their 2023 Ryder Cup match against Sepp Straka and Shane Lowry. While both Teams were on equal footing on the front nine, Harman and Homa gained the upper hand on the back nine with two birdies and an eagle in a row.

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Max Homa and Brian Harman at the Ryder Cup 2023

Q. Many congratulations, the first full point for Team USA. How big, how special does this moment feel?

MAX HOMA: It’s good. We needed something to go our way. I felt like we were ready this morning. We were ready to come out and play some great golf which we did. Somebody had to start a spark, so I’m just glad it was us.

Q. How fired up were you?

BRIAN HARMAN: Yeah, Ludvig has been playing so well, making so many putts, chipping in, so it was good to come out and at least put red up on the board.

Q. Describe the vibe in the U.S. camp? What was the intensity level heading out?

MAX HOMA: Great. We know how good we are. Everybody knows how good the man to my left is. We obviously are in a big hole but we have the right guys to dig ourselves out of it.

Q. Can this give the team the spark you need?

BRIAN HARMAN: Hope so. We are going to rest up and get ready for this afternoon.

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Ryder Cup 2023: How Seve Inspired Jon Rahm’s Two Eagles

Jon Rahm at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Foto: Getty)
Jon Rahm at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Foto: Getty)

Jon Rahm and Nicolai Hojgaard battled Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Kopeka in the fourballs at the 2023 Ryder Cup. Despite eight birdies and two eagles, the Europeans only got half a point out of the incredible match, that had more than one highlight.

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Jon Rahm and Nicolai Hojgaard at the 2023 Ryder Cup

Q. Many, many congratulations on an incredible match. You chipped in at 16 to make eagle at the last. How is it possible for you guys to produce these kind of things under this sort of pressure?

JON RAHM: I don’t know. I don’t know. You know, it’s the intention of the moment, right, and then the fact that something happens is truly unique. I’ve got to give Nicolai props because over here on 18, he gave me the freedom to basically go at it, and he told me to hit a putt, try to make it. And he said, “What would Seve do,” right, “do it for Seve.” I don’t know if he would have quite made it like that, but I’m sure glad that it went in.

Q. Your first experience at Ryder Cup, just describe that experience from your point of view, obviously playing with the world No. 3 in a match that was incredibly thrilling?

NICOLAI HØJGAARD: Yeah, it was a good match out there today. We hung in there on the front nine, played some good golf, Rahmbo took over the last few holes. Yeah, it’s pretty cool to share the stage with Rahmbo. He’s a great player, great person, and yeah, it’s a special week so far.

Q. How I am interprets pressed with your rookie Ryder Cup here, different type of pressure and you’ve handled it so beautifully?

JON RAHM: We wouldn’t have had a chance if it wasn’t for him on the front nine. I got that up-and-down on 5, which he might have made it himself and kind of road his back the rest of the front nine, his four birdies, and the chances I had, I didn’t really take advantage of.

I mean, he says I took over, but he did his part, right. He made the crucial shots when he needed to and to give us a chance. It’s a partnership and he did 50 per cent and I tried to do my part on the last 50 per cent.

Q. What’s it like to be part of that team room? The atmosphere is incredible, I’m sure?

NICOLAI HØJGAARD: Yeah, it is. I love team golf. I’ve played it my whole life, and to be part of this, the best golf event, being part of Team Europe, being part of these great players and great guys, it’s very special. I can’t wait to get out there tomorrow.

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Ryder Cup 2023: Viktor Hovland and Tyrrel Hatton Deliver Incredible Finish

Tyrrell Hatton and Viktor Hovland went up against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)
Tyrrell Hatton and Viktor Hovland went up against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)

In a tight match at the 2023 Ryder Cup against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, Viktor Hovland and Tyrrell Hatton secured half a point, after going 2 Down on the back nine. They were paired together on Friday afternoon in the fourballs.

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Tyrrell Hatton and Viktor Hovland at the 2023 Ryder Cup

Q. Try to describe for us what goes through your mind and your body when you hole such a crucial putt on the 18th in front of this enormous crowd?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: It was about time the ball went in. I felt like we played some really good golf today, and the Americans played some great golf as well and they kept pushing us and yeah, — to make a putt like that on the last hole that was huge for the team.

Q. 2 DOWN and five to play; Tyrrell, how deep did you have to dig against such a formidable pairing? They have never been beaten in four-ball.

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, it was always going to be a tough task. But we both played great today. And like he said, it was nice to finally see a putt go in there on the last. It was a tough match but we just kept plugging away, gave ourselves opportunities and yeah, ultimately by the end we’re happy with half a point.

VIKTOR HOVLAND: I thought one of us needed to make the putt and to make that one was really cool. Put a little bit more pressure on J.T. there.

Q. Both of you won your matches this morning. How much does it mean to still contribute something this afternoon?

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, the team went out this afternoon in a good mood. Although we found ourselves 2 DOWN through, what is it, 13? We feel like we played decent and putts weren’t really dropping for us.

So yeah, obviously Viktor to hole the putt on the last was amazing. I think I almost corkscrewed into the ground fist-pumping. Yeah, they might need to prepare that one before anyone has that putt.

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Ryder Cup 2023: Tommy Fleetwood: “Playing with Rory McIlroy is a dream for anybody”

Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)
Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)

Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood kept the momentum going and completed the European clean sweep in the Friday Foursomes at the 2023 Ryder Cup. The finished their match against Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay 2&1, after the Americans gave them a fight on the final holes.

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Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood at the Ryder Cup 2023

Q. Rory, you’ve just beaten a pair that were previously 5-0 in foursomes play to complete a clean sweep for Europe. How special is this moment?

RORY McILROY: It’s been an unbelievable session. We switched the format this year to go foursomes first because statistically that’s our better session. And all week, all we’ve been talking about is getting off to fast starts. Playing three-hole matches in practise, three holes, go again, three holes, go again, something that Luke’s drilled into us. We were ready to go from the first tee shot as obviously as you can see in how everyone played.

I’m so proud of this man alongside me. He can play with anyone. I’m just so happy that he’s my partner this week and so happy to get a point on the board for Europe.

Q. There are always turning points and you’re playing 15, looked like you were going to lose it. You turned it into a victory. The adrenaline rush when the putt went in?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Waiting for a moment like that all today to be honest. Especially the start of the back nine where we were playing so well, I felt like I had two or three chances that I let go by. So I kept them in it, really. You’re not going to hole more unless you have a really good day.

Was due one. Felt really good over it. It’s just one of those Ryder Cup moments, really, and that’s what we’re playing for. It’s really cool. Rory is an unbelievable golfer.

Q. Talk us through that shot, the match was very tense, 1 up, two holes to play. Magnificent shot you hit. Tell us about your point of view?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, if anything, my poor shot recently has been a right shot. So I kept it simple: Keep a strong clubface going back, and fully release it on the way through, aim at the target and it never left the flag.

Q. That was the closest of four, you just pulled out the fourth straight blue point. You spoke about how determined you are to play differently and perform differently as a team as you did at Whistling Straits. How satisfying is this morning’s performance?

RORY McILROY: Amazing to sweep a session. I can’t remember the last time Europe has done that. We can’t get complacent at all. This is an unbelievably long American Team. Last week the American girls went up 4-0 in the first session there and Europe were able to come back, so we are not taking anything for granted here. It’s a great start but we need to keep our foot on the pedal and keep winning points.

Q. You’re undefeated in foursomes the in the Ryder Cup. How does Fleetwood Mac compare to Mollywood?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Just keep picking your partners, that’s the secret. Obviously playing with Rory is a dream for anybody, and I was the one that got to do that this morning.

Yeah, we’ve known we are going to play together for a while and just getting out there, felt like we actually played very, very good and felt like we were in control all the way. Obviously there are turning points and we needed one towards the end but yeah, just pleased to play with another great partner.

Q. Xander and Patrick were doing everything they could to get a halve, how clutch was your response on the tee at 17?

RORY McILROY: I have hit a lot of good shots in my time. That’s right up there. I didn’t know how close Patrick had hit his but I just wanted to give Tommy a chance to at least stay 1 UP going down the last. I was pretty certain we weren’t going to go down the last, but if I keep hitting iron shots like that, then I’m going to have a pretty good week.

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Ryder Cup 2023: Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland on using the crowds for their advantage

Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)
Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)

The Scandinavian duo Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland proved a success in Friday morning at the 2023 Ryder Cup. Against Max Homa and Brian Harman they brought home a 4&3 victory, making the second point for Team Europe. The Europeans secured all four possible points in the foursome matches.

Quotes from Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland at the 2023 Ryder Cup

Q. Is the Ryder Cup as incredible as you thought it would be?

LUDVIG ÅBERG: I think so. The crowds were unbelievable here today, and we could really feel that support and that’s what we need to keep winning points here in Rome, so it was a lot of fun today.

Q. How does it feel whether you’re out here are the energy from the crowd and the momentum Europe had, how much did you really ride that through the course that match?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: It was such a big difference compared to Whistling Straits. Normally I keep my head down and just play, but I’m trying to really get the crowds going and just use them because they want you to play well and they want to support you. So it was such a good start, and we’re going to keep it going.

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Ryder Cup 2023: Jon Rahm narrowly misses hole-in-one

Jon Rahm narrowly misses the hole-in-one at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)
Jon Rahm narrowly misses the hole-in-one at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)

Not only Viktor Hovland seems unstoppable on this Friday morning, but also Jon Rahm inspires with incredible golf. His tee shot from around 180 meters on hole 7 hits the flagstick and just misses the hole-in-one at the Ryder Cup 2023. The birdie after that is just a free skate.

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Ryder Cup 2023: Jon Rahm’s almost-hole-in-one in video

It took six holes and an iron shot for Jon Rahm to almost play his way into the Ryder Cup history books. On the par-3, the Spaniard goes straight for the flag with an aggressive shot and hits the line to the stick perfectly. The shot comes up a few feet short of the flag, bounces a few times and then rolls toward the flag. But the speed of the ball seems a bit too high and the golf ball bounces off the flagstick and stays next to the flag for a tap-in.

The spectators in Rome, of course, celebrate the shot and cheer along during the ball flight and many a person cannot believe that this incredible tee shot did not land in the hole.

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