From Rome to New York: Luke Donald’s Bid for Ryder Cup History
The roaring seas of yellow and blue in Rome two years ago are gone. Replacing them will be fans clad in red, white and blue, ferociously cheering in one of the most raucous sporting towns in the United States. At New York’s Bethpage Black, Luke Donald, captain of the European Ryder Cup squad, will look to guide his team to its first road victory since 2012, a thrilling one-point victory at Medinah.
But Donald, who captained the Europeans to a decisive victory at Marco Simone just two years ago, knows this challenge will be nothing like what he faced his first time leading the team.
“I'm very interested in trying to create some history,” Donald said. “To be only the second Ryder Cup captain, European Ryder Cup captain, to possibly go back-to-back is something that's very interesting to me and a great challenge and excites me.
“I love what the Ryder Cup represents. I've had so many amazing experiences as a Ryder Cup player and obviously as a captain, and to be given the honor to go back-to-back is very special for me.”
In 2023, Donald was tasked with taking over a European team that two years earlier had suffered its worst defeat since the team expanded from Great Britain & Ireland to all of continental Europe in 1979: a 19-9 thrashing at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.
How did Donald and the Euros respond? They tossed the first punch in Rome and added haymakers left and right. Although there was drama during the week — whether it be “HatGate” on the American side or Rory McIlroy getting into it with Joey LaCava, Patrick Cantlay’s caddie, on Saturday night — the European team dominated the Americans and convincingly took back the 17-inch-tall gold trophy.
How did they do it? With analytics and by being prepared from the very first hole.
After winning, Donald praised Edoardo Molinari, the stats guru and brother of 2018 Open champion Francesco Molinari. The Europeans crunched the numbers on everything possible relating to driving distance, accuracy off the tee, putting and more. But none of it mattered if the team didn’t get off to a quick start.
“I guess the guys who were ready, they were ready on the first tee. What more can you say?” Donald said. “They obviously had a clear plan for what they needed to do on the first. It wasn't really a strategy thing in terms of setting up the hole. The hole was very similar to what we played in the first three Italian Opens. The fairways were pinched in a little on the left. Statistically, we're pretty similar in accuracy off the tee to the U.S.; we're slightly longer, but as a team, we talked about it, and we talked about getting off to fast starts.
“I think mentally, they were just ready for it.”
On that first hole, the Europeans went 5-0 in the first three sessions and ended the week 10-4; those early leads in matches proved decisive.
There was also the camaraderie that embodied the European side, with stalwarts Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose building solidarity while players like Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton and others fed off one another. This made for a palpable energy around Marco Simone.
The Euros won the first session, 4-0, and while the competition had just gotten underway, the outcome was essentially in the books. The Americans never recovered. Now Donald has a chance to do it again.
“I think not often in life are you given great opportunities, and I really feel like this is an amazing opportunity,” he said. “I was given a great opportunity to do Rome, and I certainly took it with both hands and to obviously be given the opportunity to go back-to-back is something that I love. I love the challenge.”
During the press conference after the Europeans took back the Ryder Cup two years ago, players cheered “Two more years,” insinuating they wanted Donald to once again guide the team at Bethpage Black.
Asked about leading the team in 2025 just moments after the ‘23 matches finished, Donald said, “Listen, guys, I want to enjoy this moment right now with these guys.”
“I think everyone sitting here would be very happy to have him again.”
They’ve got him, and with a team very similar to the one that battled it out together at Marco Simone, he has a chance to join rarified air with a victory at Bethpage Black.
“Certainly that's part of the challenge,” Donald said of playing an away Ryder Cup. “All Ryder Cups are loud and boisterous, and New York won't be any different and maybe even more so.
“But I played at Bethpage a few times and the New Yorkers love their sport and they love some jostling and all that kind of that goes with it.”
