Luke Donald is Europe’s greatest ever Ryder Cup captain and he wasn’t even supposed to become one!
Donald has led Europe to back to back Ryder Cup victories including a first away win since 2012 and just a fifth in their history and while he was not originally selected to become captain four years ago, he has now set the standard and a framework for future captains going forward.
Rewind to this time four years ago. The week of the Alfred Dunhill Links. European captain Pádraig Harrington and a few of his players are back at Scotland’s famous DP World Tour event with their tails between their legs after a record breaking defeat in Wisconsin to Steve Stricker’s young and explosive USA side.
It seemed that USA were about to enjoy at least a decade of Ryder Cup dominance. Less than a year later LIV Golf came into inception in 2022 and saw Europe’s old guard of Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Paul Casey all move to the Saudi backed tour.
As did Henrik Stenson, the man originally elected to captain Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone, Rome. He traded that honour in for millions of dollars he didn’t need leaving fans on the continent in fear of another drubbing on home soil.
Step forward Luke Donald. The hero Europe needed. While transition was by means of necessity, there has now been an end as what has emerged since the day he came into the role is the greatest European side of all time which has some of the greatest partnerships in Ryder Cup history.
US captain Keegan Bradley even stated: “In my eyes, I think he’s the best European Ryder Cup captain ever,”
In the end, it is obvious that LIV Golf has been good for Europe. LIV Golf has had the opposite effect on Team USA with the likes of Patrick Reed, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka all moving to the breakaway tour.
DeChambeau was the only US player in Bethpage Black from LIV Golf and it can be argued that LIV has stripped the stars and stripes of some of their most important players.
On the other hand, Europe have replenished their side with the Hojgaard twins, Robert MacIntyre, Ludvig Äberg and Sepp Straka.
With the old guard gone this has allowed Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood to form the leadership group and the new core of European Ryder Cup teams. Again, by means these players had to step up and the end has been they have been magnificent.
McIlroy and Fleetwood have four wins from four across their Ryder Cup fourball sessions while Rahm and Hatton are 4-0 in foursomes together with Rahm boasting a sensational 6-0 record in the format across his four Ryder Cups – he didn’t even play foursomes in 2018.
Out first in the opening foursomes session of the Ryder Cup on US soil, this is Donald’s best pairing but last week could have been the last time we see them together.
The 2027 Ryder Cup in Adare Manor could see JP McManus welcome a European to Limerick minus the influential figures of Rahm and Hatton.
Both players were only eligible to earn qualifying points and to compete in teh Ryder Cup after after appealing against the DP World Tour – a move which could potentially affect their future involvement in the tournament.
These fines are still being contested and the appeals process is ongoing with a court set to hear the case soon.
The DP World Tour previously dished out fines and suspensions to Europe’s old guard mentioned above but Garcia has since paid his penalties and had his suspension from the DP World Tour lifted in a last ditch attempt to qualify for Bethpage last week.
Earlier this year LIV Golf told its players that it will stop paying the financial penalties issued by the DP World Tour for taking part in competing events after the end of this season which leaves Rahm and Hatton vulnerable to a permanent suspension from DP World Tour events and subsequently Ryder Cup eligibility if they do not agree to pay their own fines if they lose the hearing.
LIV Golf has reportedly dished out approximately £15 million in fines to the DP World Tour over the last three years.
