From the moment Shane Lowry holed the putt at Bethpage Black that ensured the Ryder Cup was staying in European hands, captain Luke Donald must have been anticipating what followed.
It came later on while sitting alongside his team in the post Ryder Cup press conference – a chant that had become familiar at Marco Simone in 2023 rang out again: “Two more years! Two more years!”
Donald impressed with his leadership in Italy, bringing class and dignity befitting of the role, while it was well documented that he left no stone unturned in his preparations.
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The result was clear for all to see – a 16.5-11.5 win that, if anything, didn’t quite do justice to the extent to which the hosts had largely dominated proceedings from the first morning.
The score may have been closer two years later, with Team Europe scrambling to a 15-13 victory after a frenetic Sunday singles session, but if anything, it was an even more impressive victory.
Luke Donald was impressive in his maiden Ryder Cup as captain
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Neither team had won away since the Europeans last managed it in 2012 thanks to a comeback for the ages that became known as the Miracle of Medinah.
To do it in New York amid crowd behaviour that frequently strayed beyond the pale was nothing short of historic.
While the players will long be remembered for their brilliance over the first two days to put Europe into a commanding position, the success was once again heavily dependent on Donald’s remarkable captaincy.
Like two years ago, the team arrived early at the venue to prepare, while the smaller details that can make a big difference were all accounted for, from better-smelling shampoo to covering the cracks of the hotel room doors to block out the light.
Is there any wonder that the team was unanimous that Donald is the man to lead them for the third straight edition at Adare Manor in 2027?
Even though Donald refused to indicate whether he would stay on, when asked about the chances, he had a smile on his face: “My answer is I’m going to enjoy tonight,” he said.
He was more open about the all-consuming nature of the role, describing how it led to the former World No.1 taking his eye off his own playing career in pursuit of perfection.
Luke Donald has the backing of the European team
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He explained: “Yeah, I really have committed myself to this job because I feel I owe it to the players and I owe it to the Ryder Cup, which has been so special to me. I’ve had so many incredible experiences.
“So yeah, I’ve had to kind of put my own game a little bit to the side, and every day I’m trying to think about things that could help us, come up with different things that might just give us a little edge.”
That alone is surely worth considering before committing to another two years as European captain.
Keep in mind that, at 47, Donald is only two years older than team veteran Justin Rose. With three years until he is even eligible for the seniors game, you would not begrudge him the chance to walk away on a high and redirect his energies to his playing career.
But I think there is another, potentially larger, consideration at stake: it’s one thing to lead the team in another home edition of the Ryder Cup, but what happens then?
Does Donald stay on, only to walk away in 2027, leaving someone new to face the harsh reality of preparing for an away match? It would hardly be ideal.
Could Justin Rose succeed Luke Donald as captain?
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That brings us to another issue. Arguably, the most obvious candidate to eventually succeed Donald is Rose, who appears cut from a very similar cloth and capable of building on the good work of the last two editions.
There will be other names in the frame too, including both of the Molinari brothers, but let’s say Rose does emerge as the top choice to take on the role next. Who is to say that, after 2027, he won’t still be good enough to play?
It would not be advisable for the DP World Tour to find itself in the same position as the PGA of America with Keegan Bradley, choosing a candidate who spends much of his time in the lead-up answering questions on whether he will or won’t be a player-captain.
I think if Donald does commit to “two more years,” not only will it curtail any remaining ambitions he has for his playing career, but he could easily find himself in demand for the next four.
That’s a probability unlikely to be lost on him as he weighs up his options in the coming weeks.
