“We’re embracing it!” 💪 Luke Donald explains his Friday foursomes selections 🔍

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Team Europe captain Luke Donald explains his Friday foursomes selections ahead of the opening day at the Ryder Cup.

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enjoying it. We’re embracing it. Uh what a place to have a Ryder Cup. It’s It’s going to be an amazing You talked about uh sending Ramen Hatton out and I think that speaks for itself. They are, you know, just so good. The record says that they passed the eye test in every way. Uh what other changes did you make? Paulie referenced Rome and the Forsomes where you were so successful. What changes did you make from Rome and why did you make those? You know, I think you know it’s two years ago Rome. Uh players evolve, players change, um their profiles change. So again, you have to look at uh you’re looking at personality matchups. We we have so much um options that uh it’s really quite fun for me as a as a captain, but you know, we know the US are going to be strong. Um they’re strong in foroms. They have some amazing partner partnerships there and we wanted to bring our best as well and we this is what we feel is is our best. Well, you know, you talk about uh talk about the challenge ahead, the quality American team. There’s no doubt about that, Luke. You know, the home team in Right of Cups has won eight of the last nine and America have led uh after the first session and four of the last five times. So, the task is a mighty one. How ready are you guys for it? Well, I I hope so. I’ve been preparing for 21 months for this. Um we understand the task at hand. We understand how how difficult it is to win away, but we have done it. We’ve won four times um you know since 1987 to to the US’s one uh winning away. So it has been done. Um you know and we will certainly you know draw on those experiences. Um but uh you know we’re not uh coming in here with any complacency. We understand the task at hand uh and the atmosphere and the amphitheater we’re we’re walking into. You’re obviously going up against a formidable uh US team, but it could be argued that your biggest challenge this week is going to be the crowd. Uh, how have you messaged and prepared your team for what could be, and I hope it’s not, but what could be the most hostile environment in the history of the RDER Cup? I think all you can do is uh have good communication, talk to the guys. There’s a bunch of our our players that have been in a way environments before, so we we’re learning as a group. Um, but um, yeah, we we understand. Um, but you know, I think the messaging is that the these are 12 of the best European golfers in the world. um they they love to be challenged. They love to be in a Ryder Cup in an atmosphere like that. You know, you can draw energy off the crowd as well. I think uh we saw even at the opening ceremony, we had plenty of support behind this as well. You know, New York is a is a melting pot. Um we understand that the vast majority of the support will be for the US, but I think we can find some cheers, some European cheers in and amongst that chaos as well. Um, American uh, audiences or audiences around the world really are going to get a good look at Bob McIntyre. He played in Rome and you know, he won two big tournaments uh, in Scotland and in Canada the last two years, but you know, we’re starting to get a sense of the sort of pugnacious quality uh, to this guy. What more can you tell us about Bob McIntyre who’s going out with Victor Hoblin in that last match against Xander and Patrick, a formidable uh, duo? Yeah, Bob’s a a gritty Scottish fella, you know. Um, you know, he’s he’s a tough character. He’s won um, you know, in difficult situations, one with his dad on the bag in in Canada. He won the Scottish Open, the event he really really wanted to get, you know. So, I think uh, you just look at someone like that, you know, in two years ago, Justin Rose did an amazing job with him kind of getting around the course and he went unbeaten, two and a half points out of three, which was incredible for a rookie, but he’s a much much better player than he was two years ago. By the way, real quickly, just a sign of how deep I think this team is. Justin Rose is 72 and1 all time in Forsomes and he’s not playing tomorrow morning. Shane Lowry is four strokes gained approach. So, just speaks to the depth you have up and down your lineup. Yeah, both teams are very, very strong. There’s no doubt about that. Luke, a little bit of a false start yesterday and and a rainy day today. You didn’t really get the full practice session in. You know, where are the guys managing? That’s one of your your jobs now is to kind of manage them and key them back up again. And absolutely. Obviously, we had to adapt a little bit yesterday when we found out the the opening ceremony was was moved up a day and you know, to be honest, we uh within 20 30 minutes, we had a plan in place. The guys still got out. I think most of them played nine holes today. Um it was a little bit rainy, but it wasn’t too bad. Um they’re all back in the team room today uh watching this together. You know, trying to recreate again what that will feel like because, you know, it’s a bit strange having it on a Wednesday and then having a day to think about it. that’s not what we usually do. So, um I’m sure they’re excited. I’m sure they’re back in the team room um excited about those matchups and getting ready for them. Luke, how do you communicate uh to the players who don’t get picked to go out there, especially veterans um who who might expect to have gone out there? What’s what’s that process like? It starts early. Um it starts really early. Um you know, again, we’ve had a a pretty good idea of what uh our foresomes this morning was going to look like, you know, even a few weeks out. Um, you obviously have to make changes sometimes, um, you know, depending on how the guys are playing, but to be honest, I’ve been so impressed with the practice the last week that everyone seems to be on in good form, in good spirits. Everyone understands that, uh, you know, when they’re called upon, it’s their time to try and contribute. Um, they’re not going to play every match. Um, but they they’ll be ready when it is their turn. Um, you were number one in the world. you know, you one of Europe’s best players going all the way back the last 15 years or so, but you have really taken to leading people. You know, I think about, you know, the great Bill Russell, Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, uh, as we say goodbye, what what have you come to sort of understand and really enjoy about the role you’re in now? Yeah, I think, you know, when I first got that call to three three and a half years ago or so, um, you know, I had a lot of doubts about myself. It’s not sort of a a role I really thought I was going to feel that comfortable in, but you know, you you grow into it and you push yourself. And I think just like uh as an individual, you know, I always wanted to get the most out of myself, be the most prepared I could be and give myself the best chance. And that I think that’s, you know, those are the qualities that I I’ve tried to instill as a captain and and just try and uh instill into my players.